Surgical Needle Coating Sequence for Laser Drilling Lubricity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Surgical needles face issues with lubricity loss and charring during laser drilling, leading to reduced performance and visual defects due to the energy required for the process.

Innovation Solution

A system and method involving a primer coat, base coat, and top coat application on surgical needles, where the top coat is applied after laser drilling, using a basket with a drainage area to manage excess coating and a vacuum drying process to maintain lubricity and prevent charring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If lubricious coating is applied to surgical needle before laser drilling, then the needle surface is protected during manufacturing, but the coating chars during laser drilling causing gumming of cutoff dies and visual defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating durabilityVSAvoidcharring and gumming

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a preliminary protective coating (such as a sacrificial layer or heat-resistant primer) to the needle surface before laser drilling. This preliminary coating is specifically designed to withstand the laser drilling process without charring, thereby protecting the final lubricious coating from thermal damage and preventing gumming of the cutoff dies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the substrate and the lubricious coating. This intermediary layer acts as a buffer during laser drilling, absorbing the thermal stress and preventing direct contact between the laser energy and the lubricious coating, thereby eliminating charring and gumming issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If high energy laser drilling is used to create suture attachment end, then the suture attachment end is precisely formed, but the coating chars leading to reduced lubricity and visual defects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesuture attachment end precisionVSAvoidlubricity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a heat-resistant preliminary coating or sacrificial layer to the needle surface before laser drilling. This preliminary coating protects the final lubricious coating from charring during the high-energy laser drilling process, thereby maintaining lubricity while achieving precise suture attachment end formation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the laser drilling parameters (such as pulse duration, power density, or wavelength) to reduce thermal damage to the coating. By optimizing these parameters, the laser drilling process can achieve precise suture attachment end formation without causing charring that would compromise lubricity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method enhances the lubricity and durability of surgical needles, reducing drag force and maintaining tissue-penetrating performance even after multiple uses, while preventing visual defects associated with charring.

Implementation Method 1

The system can include a first drying system that can be configured to remove at least a portion of excess top coat from the surgical needle. In one aspect, the drying system can include a vacuum drying chamber.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Implementation Method 2

the base portion can include a porous substrate that can be configured to retain the surgical needle within the basket and allow at least a portion of excess top coat to pass therethrough

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)