Fused loop of filamentous material and apparatus for making same

1. A fused loop of an elongated material, comprising:

one or more segments of the elongated material extending along a principal axis, portions of the segments being directed and joined together to form a loop at a joint region extending between first and second ends and including:

i. a first portion of elongated material extending from the first end,

ii. a second portion of elongated material extending from the second end, and

iii. a fused portion between the first and second portions, the fused portion comprising a relatively thin layer of fused material from the first and second portions,

wherein the elongated material in the first and second portions of the joint region is characterized by a high degree of molecular orientation in a direction of a principal axis of the elongated material and high strength in the direction of the principal axis relative to a degree of molecular orientation and strength in other than the direction of the principal axis, and the fused material in the fused portion of the joint region is characterized by a low degree of molecular orientation in the direction of the principal axis of the elongated material relative to the degree of molecular orientation in the direction of the principal axis in the first and second portions adjacent thereto, and the first and second portions at the first and second ends of the joint region outside of the fused portion have cross-sectional areas which are greater than cross-sectional areas of the first and second portions of the joint region which abut the fused portion, and

wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the fused portion each bear a pattern transverse to the principal axis of the elongated material.

2. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the first and second portions at the first and second ends of the joint region and outside of the fused portion is approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of a segment of the elongated material outside of the joint region.

3. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 2 , wherein the cross-sectional areas of the first and second portions of the joint region abutting the fused portion are a minimum at approximately the middle of the fused portion.

4. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 3 , wherein the cross-sectional areas of the first and second portions at approximately the middle of the fused portion are approximately half the cross-sectional areas of the first and second portions at the first and second ends of the joint region and outside of the fused portion.

5. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 4 , wherein a change in the cross-sectional areas of the first and second portions per unit length of the first and second portions in the direction of the principal axis of the elongated material is substantially constant over a length of the fused portion.

6. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 , wherein the elongated material comprises a substantially monofilamentous material.

7. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 6 , wherein the monofilamentous material is a polymeric material.

8. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 7 , wherein the monofilamentous material is a thermoplastic material.

9. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 8 , wherein the monofilamentous material comprises a surgical suture material.

10. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 6 , wherein the elongated material comprises a single strand of the substantially monofilamentous material.

11. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 6 , wherein the elongated material comprises a plurality of strands of the substantially monofilamentous material.

12. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 , wherein the segments of the elongated material are joined together in a lap weld at the joint region.

13. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 12 , wherein the weld is effected using ultrasonic energy.

14. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 12 , wherein the weld is effected using laser energy.

15. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 12 , wherein the weld is effected using electrical arc discharge energy.

16. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 12 , wherein the weld is effected using thermal energy.

17. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 , wherein upon application of a tensile force to the joint region in the direction of the principal axis of the elongated material so that the first and second portions of the joint region are loaded substantially in tension and the fused portion of the joint region is loaded substantially in shear, the following equation is substantially satisfied:

A w τ fw ≧A u σ fu ,

wherein A w is the shear area of the fused portion, τ fw is the shear stress to failure of the fused portion, A u is the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the first and second portions of the joint region near the first and second ends of the joint region and outside of the fused portion, and σ fu is the tensile stress to failure of the first and second portions of the joint region near the first and second ends of the joint region and outside of the fused portion.

18. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 , wherein the respective patterns of the first portion and the second portion are complementary.

19. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 , wherein the respective patterns of the first portion and the second portion are non-complementary.

20. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 , wherein the pattern of at least one of the first and second portions is periodic.

21. A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 , wherein the pattern of at least one of the first and second portions is aperiodic.