System And Method For Making Tapered Looped Suture

1 . A mounting assembly for use in forming a looped suture, the anvil assembly comprising:

a first anvil configured to operate with a welding assembly to join a first length of a thread and a second length of the thread to form a loop in the thread, wherein the first anvil is selectively movable in at least first and second directions relative to a welding assembly.

2 . The anvil assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second anvil configured to operate with a trimming assembly to remove excess thread from the loop, wherein the second anvil is selectively movable in at least first and second directions relative to the trimming assembly.

3 . The anvil assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first anvil is configured to be approximated towards and away from the welding assembly.

4 . The anvil assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first anvil is configured to translate laterally relative to the welding assembly.

5 . The anvil assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first anvil is configured to translate forwards and backwards relative to the welding assembly.

6 . The anvil assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second anvil is configured to be approximated towards and away from the trimming assembly.

7 . The anvil assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second anvil is configured to translate laterally relative to the trimming assembly.

8 . The anvil assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second anvil is configured to translate forwards and backwards relative to the trimming assembly.

9 . The anvil assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first anvil includes a channel configured to selectively receive at least a portion of the first length of thread.

10 . The anvil assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second anvil includes gripping mechanism for selectively gripping a portion of the thread.

11 . A system for forming a looped suture, the system comprising:

a welding assembly configured for securing a loop in a thread;

a trimming assembly for removing excess thread from the loop; and

an mounting assembly including a first anvil configured to operate with the welding assembly and a second anvil configured to operate with the trimming assembly, wherein the first anvil is selectively movable in at least a first direction relative to the welding assembly and the second anvil is selectively movable in at least a first direction relative to the trimming assembly.

12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising one or more of:

a flipper gripping assembly configured for forming a loop in the thread;

a carriage assembly configured for advancing the thread through the forming process;

a cutter assembly for severing the thread upon completion of the loop forming process;

a thread lengthening assembly configured for extending the length of the thread; and

a monitoring assembly configured for monitoring the forming process.

13 . A method of forming a looped suture, the method comprising:

providing a system including a welding assembly, a trimming assembly and an anvil assembly, wherein the mounting assembly includes first and second anvils;

receiving a first length of thread adjacent a second length of thread between the welding assembly and the first anvil;

approximating the first anvil towards the welding assembly;

activating the welding assembly;

joining the adjacent first and second lengths of thread; and

approximating the first anvil away from the welding assembly.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first anvil is approximated towards the welding assembly until a predefined torque value is sensed by a sensor located in the anvil assembly.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first anvil is approximated towards the welding assembly until a predefined force value is sensed by a sensor located in the welding assembly.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first anvil is approximated towards the welding assembly a predefined distance subsequent to the predefined torque value being sensed.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first anvil is approximated towards the welding assembly a predefined distance subsequent to the predefined force value being sensed.

17 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising the steps of

receiving the joined first and second lengths of thread between the trimming assembly and the second anvil;

approximating the second anvil towards the trimming assembly;

removing excess thread from the joined first and second lengths of thread; and

approximating the second anvil away from the trimming assembly.