Patents by Inventor Mieko Akaba

Mieko Akaba 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).

  • Eyeless sewing needle and fabrication method for the same
    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
  • Method of manufacturing an eyeless suture needle
    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
  • Eyeless Sewing Needle and Fabrication Method for the Same
    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
  • Method of manufacturing an eyeless suture needle
    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