Patents by Inventor Masaki Mashiko

Masaki Mashiko has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9138224
    Abstract: A bending method for a straight needle-shaped material which has a thickness decreased from a body portion to a needle point that is inserted between a roller having a processing surface and a belt and is wound around the roller via a separating member. Then the roller is rotated and the belt is wound, thereby pressing and curving the straight needle-shaped material onto the processing surface. In a suture needle, a portion of a tip side including the needle point is formed as a non-restricted portion which is not restricted by the processing surface of the roller, and a portion except for the non-restricted portion is formed as a curved portion which is bent along the processing surface of the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: MANI, INC.
    Inventors: Kanji Matsutani, Masaki Mashiko, Yoshimasa Tochimura
  • Publication number: 20130172930
    Abstract: When a biotissue is sutured using a curved medical suture needle, the penetration resistance becomes uniform. In a bending method, a straight needle-shaped material which has a thickness decreased from a body portion to a needle point is inserted between a roller having a processing surface and a belt wound around the roller via a separating member, and then the roller is rotated and the belt is winded, thereby pressing and curving the straight needle-shaped material onto the processing surface. In a suture needle, a portion of a tip side including the needle point is formed as a non-restricted portion which is not restricted by the processing surface of the roller, and a portion except for the non-restricted portion is formed as a curved portion which is bent along the processing surface of the roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventors: Kanji Matsutani, Masaki Mashiko, Yoshimasa Tochimura
  • Patent number: 8105354
    Abstract: A triangular suture needle having a low thrust resistance and a press mold suitable for manufacturing the same are provided. The triangular suture needle includes: an angular triangular prism-shaped part (100a) on the needlepoint side; a rounded triangular prism-shaped part (100b) connecting to the needle base side of said triangular prism-shaped part; and a thread attaching part (100c) in a needle base end. The entire angular triangular prism-shaped part (100a) is ground, forming a pointed, sharpened part (100d) with a sharp tip. Furthermore, width (w1) of the thickest portion of the sharpened part (100d) is greater than width (w2) of the rounded triangular prism-shaped part connecting to that portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: MANI, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Tochimura, Kanji Matsutani, Masaki Mashiko
  • Patent number: 8028870
    Abstract: In an eyeless sewing needle, a periphery of an axial hole at the base end is heated to make a fibrous structure be a granular structure without directionality, and at least a part of a heat-affected zone made between the fibrous structure and the granular structure due to the heating is within a range that is three times the diameter of the sewing needle and that extends from an effective base of the axial hole towards the needlepoint. This allows provision of a flexible sewing needle so that the hole periphery can be processed while keeping a hard state at the position of the needlepoint slightly away from the axial hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: MANI, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaki Mashiko, Kanji Matsutani, Kosuke Shinohara, Mieko Akaba
  • Patent number: 7977603
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an eyeless needle by which a satisfactory hole can be formed in the end surface of a fine suture needle having a needle diameter less than 150 micrometers is proposed. In a method for manufacturing an eyeless needle by forming a hole for inserting and fixing one end of a suture thread by caulking in the end surface of the eyeless suture needle made of stainless steel, the hole is formed by irradiating the end surface of a needle material thicker by 6 to 20 micrometers than a desired needle diameter of the suture needle less than 150 micrometers with one shot of a laser beam, and subsequently, a portion thicker than the desired needle diameter is removed by electrolytic polishing or chemical polishing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: MANI., Inc.
    Inventors: Kanji Matsutani, Masaki Mashiko, Yuji Yokoyama, Mieko Akaba, Hiroshi Yagisawa, Masao Akatsuka, Shoichi Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20100069956
    Abstract: When a biotissue is sutured using a curved medical suture needle, the penetration resistance becomes uniform. In a bending method, a straight needle-shaped material A which has a thickness decreased from a body portion 1 to a needle point 2 is inserted between a roller 11 having a processing surface 11a and a belt 12 wound around the roller 11 via a separating member 21, and then the roller 11 is rotated and the belt 12 is winded, thereby pressing and curving the straight needle-shaped material onto the processing surface 11a. In a suture needle B, a portion of a tip side including the needle point 2 is formed as a non-restricted portion which is not restricted by the processing surface 11a of the roller 11, and a portion except for the non-restricted portion is formed as a curved portion which is bent along the processing surface 11a of the roller 11.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Kanji Matsutani, Masaki Mashiko, Yoshimasa Tochimura
  • Patent number: 7662170
    Abstract: A medical needle and the like that has small resistance when piercing, scraping or incising the body tissue, that is not easily bent and that reduces the reflection of the illumination as much as possible when in surgery performed under scope is provided. The medical needle and the like has a hardened layer, in which a carbon atom is penetrated, of a depth of 5 micrometers to 70 micrometers provided on a parent material surface of a fiber shape structure having an austenite stainless steel containing 1% to 6% of molybdenum or 13% to 25% of chromium. Further, after the hardened layer is provided, one part of the hardened layer is removed. Further, the dark layer is formed on the outer most surface of the hardened layer to provide a non-reflective surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Mani, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaki Mashiko, Kanji Matsutani
  • Publication number: 20100023053
    Abstract: A simple fabrication method for a suture needle coated with silicone, which prevents silicone from penetrating into a hole is provided. The fabrication method for a suture needle coated with silicone includes the steps of: facing a hole 12 formed at a base of an eyeless suture needle 10 downward and supporting it with a gripping unit; and coating silicone on the entire outside of the eyeless suture needle, making the inner wall of the hole be the base material of the eyeless suture needle. Consequently, the silicone can be prevented from intruding into the hole by a simple method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: Shinichi Akutsu, Kanji Matsutani, Masaki Mashiko
  • Publication number: 20090292312
    Abstract: A triangular suture needle having a low thrust resistance and a press mold suitable for manufacturing the same are provided. The triangular suture needle includes: an angular triangular prism-shaped part (100a) on the needlepoint side; a rounded triangular prism-shaped part (100b) connecting to the needle base side of said triangular prism-shaped part; and a thread attaching part (100c) in a needle base end. The entire angular triangular prism-shaped part (100a) is ground, forming a pointed, sharpened part (100d) with a sharp tip. Furthermore, width (w1) of the thickest portion of the sharpened part (100d) is greater than width (w2) of the rounded triangular prism-shaped part connecting to that portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Tochimura, Kanji Matsutani, Masaki Mashiko
  • Publication number: 20090039117
    Abstract: In an eyeless sewing needle, a periphery of an axial hole at the base end is heated to make a fibrous structure be a granular structure without directionality, and at least a part of a heat-affected zone made between the fibrous structure and the granular structure due to the heating is within a range that is three times the diameter of the sewing needle and that extends from an effective base of the axial hole towards the needlepoint. This allows provision of a flexible sewing needle so that the hole periphery can be processed while keeping a hard state at the position of the needlepoint slightly away from the axial hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: MANI, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaki Mashiko, Kanji Matsutani, Kosuke Shinohara, Mieko Akaba
  • Publication number: 20060219677
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an eyeless needle by which a satisfactory hole can be formed in the end surface of a fine suture needle having a needle diameter less than 150 micrometers is proposed. In a method for manufacturing an eyeless needle by forming a hole for inserting and fixing one end of a suture thread by caulking in the end surface of the eyeless suture needle made of stainless steel, the hole is formed by irradiating the end surface of a needle material thicker by 6 to 20 micrometers than a desired needle diameter of the suture needle less than 150 micrometers with one shot of a laser beam, and subsequently, a portion thicker than the desired needle diameter is removed by electrolytic polishing or chemical polishing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Applicant: MANI., Inc.
    Inventors: Kanji Matsutani, Masaki Mashiko, Yuji Yokoyama, Mieko Akaba, Hiroshi Yagisawa, Masao Akatsuka, Shoichi Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20060058843
    Abstract: A medical needle and the like that has small resistance when piercing, scraping or incising the body tissue, that is not easily bent and that reduces the reflection of the illumination as much as possible when in surgery performed under scope is provided. The medical needle and the like has a hardened layer, in which a carbon atom is penetrated, of a depth of 5 micrometers to 70 micrometers provided on a parent material surface of a fiber shape structure having an austenite stainless steel containing 1% to 6% of molybdenum or 13% to 25% of chromium. Further, after the hardened layer is provided, one part of the hardened layer is removed. Further, the dark layer is formed on the outer most surface of the hardened layer to provide a non-reflective surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Inventors: Masaki Mashiko, Kanji Matsutani