Abstract: A surgical staple includes a backspan and a pair of deformable legs extending from the backspan and terminating in a penetrating end. The backspan and deformable legs are formed from a wire having a curvilinear cross-section defining a major axis and a minor axis with a portion of the wire above the major axis defining a first curved surface and a portion of the wire below the major axis defining a second curved surface, and a portion of the wire to the left of the minor axis defining a third curved surface and a portion to the right of the minor axis defining a fourth curved surface being different than the first, second, and third curved surfaces. One or more of the curved surfaces is different than the remaining curved surfaces.

Abstract: Surgical clips and surgical applicators used in performing rapid tissue closure in either minimally invasive surgeries or traditional open procedures are provided. In one example approach, a surgical clip comprises opposing sides extending from a top portion and terminating at tips positioned below the top portion. The resting position of the clip is its closed position. Edges of the top portion and the opposing sides form opposing faces perpendicular to the opposing sides. The opposing faces are angled inwardly towards each other at a region of the faces adjacent to the top portion. Grooves are formed in each of the opposing sides. The grooves are configured to engage inwardly turned tracks of a clip applicator such that, when a force is applied to the clip, the opposing sides bend outwardly away from each other to place the clip in an intermediate open position.

Abstract: A low-profile surgical stapler enables a large-sized staple to be delivered into a body cavity through a small opening or port. The surgical stapler includes a handle having a trigger movably coupled to the handle. The surgical stapler also includes an elongated, tubular shaft extends distally from the handle. The tubular shaft includes a proximal end secured to the handle and a distal end in which a deployment opening is formed. A staple deploying assembly is disposed within an interior of the shaft for discharging staples from the deployment opening at the distal end of the shaft, the staple deploying assembly supporting a staple such that a longitudinal axis of the staple is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the shaft. The deployment opening is shaped and dimensioned to permit the deployment of the staples from within the shaft, out of the deployment opening and into adjacent tissue.

Abstract: An implantable marker for implantation in tissue of a surgical patient is disclosed. The marker has a base and an elevated bridge. A pair of legs descend from first and second transitions of the bridge. Each leg has a distal tip, a generally straight leg arm adjacent the tip, a camming marker surface between the transitions of the base and the straight leg arm, and a camming marker surface notch. The camming marker surfaces extend outwardly from the straight leg arms of the legs. In its pre-formed configuration, the first and second straight leg arms of the legs of the marker are generally parallel to each other. In its open form configuration, the first and second straight leg arms initially converge towards each other, then diverge into an open form generally taking the shape of the letter “W”. The marker is particularly adapted for fixation in tissue to mark the site of a lesion or other abnormal tissue which may be removed during a biopsy procedure, for example a breast biopsy procedure.

Abstract: A novel carpet seaming method and tools for reducing or eliminating seam peaking and profiling is provided. The backing of abutting pieces of carpeting can be reinforced along their respective edges. A staple is supported on an anvil with its legs facing the carpet backing beneath the seam line while a hammer is driven onto the carpet pile and the underlying staple base. The impact of the hammer impales the carpet backing over the legs of the staple, and compresses the staple base against the anvil. The legs can then be forced towards each other to lock the staple in position. The process is repeated along the length of the seam line until a row of staples spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and extending from one end of a seam to the other end securely holds the abutting pieces of carpet together to form a seam. After seaming, the carpet may be stretched conventionally and secured to tack strips along the periphery of the area being carpeted.

Abstract: An anchor sleeve for a composite anchor is threaded in its inside surface and is anchored by at least one of an organic and inorganic mortar in a borehole formed in a concrete tie for rails or in a similar receiving material. The inside threaded sleeve (2) forms a load engagement means for an attachment member and is located in a trailing end region of the sleeve. The sleeve has two concentrically and consecutively arranged sealing elements (7, 9) at an opposite leading end of the sleeve and the sealing elements close off the leading end of the sleeve in a liquid-type manner. The sealing elements (7, 9) can be consecutively displaced out of sealing engagement at the leading end of the sleeve (2). In addition, a method for corrosion resistant anchorages employs the anchor sleeve.

Abstract: A surgical staple has a base having first and second base segments defining in an un-deformed state a substantially V-shaped configuration having an apex, each base segment having a first end and a second end. The first end of the first base segment is joined to the first end of the second base segment at the apex of the V-shaped configuration so as to define a first angle between the first base segment and the second base segment of less than about 180.degree. and first and second legs each having a first end and a second end, the first and second legs being connected substantially perpendicularly at the first ends to the second ends of the first and second base segments respectively. A surgical stapler for applying surgical staples according to the invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: A clinch type staple has a U-shaped configuration with a pair of legs extending generally perpendicularly from a base portion of the staple with the outside surfaces of the distal ends of the legs being bevelled. The legs of the staple lie in spaced apart planes that are parallel to one another, but are angularly offset from one another in order to insure that the legs will not contact or interfere with each other as they are clinched into a workpiece. A plurality of such clinch staples can be manufactured into an assembly of clinch staples. The method of making such an assembly of clinch staples includes advancing a plurality of wires in parallel side-by-side relation in a flat planar array and adhering the wires to one another. A blank, severed from an end of the formed array, includes a plurality of side-by-side wire segments of equal length extending parallel to one another in a first direction.

Abstract: In producing the surgical staple, a cutting edge is moved toward each of the leg portions of the wire from which the staple is formed in inclined relation to the axis of the leg portion to shear the leg portion, the leg portion being set on a receiving surface. A smooth sheared surface and a coarse ruptured surface are formed in order on the distal end portion of the leg portion toward the distal end of the leg portion. A shearing member having the cutting edge above serves to bend and shear the leg portions of the surgical staple.

Abstract: A fastener having pointed ends for penetrating a belt. The preferred fastener is a wire hook fastener for joining the ends of belting and it is formed with pointed wedge-shaped ends defined by inclined top surfaces and flat bottom surfaces and inwardly inclined sidewalls extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The pointed wedge-shaped ends penetrate the belting and in a plane which coincides with the surface of the belting to limit deflection to form a uniform and strong joint between the wire hook fastener and the belting.

Abstract: An improved binder for sheet material. The binder includes a cover or backing member formed of paperboard or plastic, and a pair of hinge assemblies are attached to the inner surface of the cover. A standard binding mechanism is interconnected between the hinge assemblies and serves to retain the sheet material. Each hinge assembly includes a metal hinge plate that is secured flatwise to the cover by a plurality of stamped out prongs. Each prong is generally triangular in configuration and is provided with a curved pointed tip. The prongs have a length substantially greater than the thickness of the backing member and when embedded by pressure, the configuration of the prongs causes the prongs to curl within the cover, so that the prongs are completely embedded in the cover and not exposed on the outer surface of the cover.

Abstract: Surgical staples having improved configurations providing significant advantages such as parallel stacking, square bending, easier skin penetration due to sharp point, and others.

Abstract: An improved, self-centering surgical staple is disclosed. Engaging members are located on the base portion of the staple. During forming (bending) of the staple on the anvil, the engaging members engage the forming mechanisms (i.e., the shoulders of the anvil or the twin heads of the pusher) to center the staple on the anvil so that the legs will be embedded in the tissue at the same depth.

Abstract: A surgical staple for use in suturing the skin or fascia of a patient. The surgical staple has an elongated, substantially horizontal crown portion terminating in downwardly depending leg portions having points formed at their free ends. The staple, together with a plurality of identical surgical staples, is adapted to straddle and to be fed along a guide means of a surgical stapling instrument to the anvil thereof. The crown of the surgical staple is formed about the anvil by the surgical stapling instrument former which bends end portions of the surgical staple crown downwardly so that the staple leg portions are substantially coaxial with their points approaching each other. The surgical staple has a first pair of diametrically opposed flats extending respectively along the front and rear of the crown and leg portions. The surgical staple has a second pair of diametrically opposed flats, disposed at 90.degree. to the first pair of flats.