US3010197A - Method of making hypodermic needles and like articles - Google Patents

Method of making hypodermic needles and like articles Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3010197A
US3010197A US712226A US71222658A US3010197A US 3010197 A US3010197 A US 3010197A US 712226 A US712226 A US 712226A US 71222658 A US71222658 A US 71222658A US 3010197 A US3010197 A US 3010197A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
mandrel
tube
articles
tubular
cannula
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US712226A
Inventor
Roehr Jan Kanty
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ROEHR ENGINEERING Co
Original Assignee
ROEHR ENGINEERING Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ROEHR ENGINEERING Co filed Critical ROEHR ENGINEERING Co
Priority to US712226A priority Critical patent/US3010197A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3010197A publication Critical patent/US3010197A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21GMAKING NEEDLES, PINS OR NAILS OF METAL
    • B21G1/00Making needles used for performing operations
    • B21G1/08Making needles used for performing operations of hollow needles or needles with hollow end, e.g. hypodermic needles, larding-needles
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61MDEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
    • A61M5/00Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
    • A61M5/178Syringes
    • A61M5/31Details
    • A61M5/32Needles; Details of needles pertaining to their connection with syringe or hub; Accessories for bringing the needle into, or holding the needle on, the body; Devices for protection of needles
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T29/00Metal working
    • Y10T29/49Method of mechanical manufacture
    • Y10T29/4981Utilizing transitory attached element or associated separate material

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method of making hypodermic needles and like articles having a tubular stem or cannula of small diameter formed of stainless steel or similar material.
  • the present practice is to draw stainless steel tubing stepwise down to the required diameter which is achieved after a long tube has been cut into a plurality of shorter lengths. From a coil of tubular wire, lengths of, say, eight feet are cut and a mandrel in the form of a metal rod is inserted into the tubelength and then each length is drawn down upon and with the mandrel to reduce the diameter. Sometimes this drawing-of the mandrel-carrying tube was performed more than oncegand, at other times there was only one drawing which wasfollowed by further reduction of diameter without a mandrel, which operation is known as sinking.
  • the tube is annealed and the reduction is continued until a very fine hollow tube is produced having the diameter desired for the finished cannula.
  • the mandrel, over which the wire is drawn must be removed for if this were done at a later stage with its incident length of wire there would be great difiiculty in removing the mandrel.
  • the first drawing operation or operations will very greatly increase the length of the wire that was in the original coil, making it very difiicult to handle. For these reasons the operation of drawing the original wire down to cannula diameter has not been a continuous one.
  • One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a process by which the reduction of the initial tubing to the diameter of the finished product, such as a needle cannula or other fine tube, can be performed in a continuous process or substantially continuous process with the elimination of the need for shortening the wire length in preparation for a subsequent drawing step or steps.
  • a further object is to cheapen the process of making cannulas and like articles and to expedite the production of such articles from tubular material that can be obtained in coils of any desired length.
  • FIG. 1 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a hypodermic needle
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a portion of a length of tubular wire encasing a tubular mandrel
  • FIG. 3 is a section on line 33 of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the mandrelsupported tube at a later stage in the process
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a further reduced mandrel-supported tube cut to the length of the finished article.
  • FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing one end portion in elevation.
  • a hypodermic needle having a tubular stem or cannula 10 sharpened at one end and threaded at the other end for connection with the customary handling piece or hub 11.
  • the cannula is provided with threads 12 engaging internal threads for example several hundred feet, may be used as an outer' element to be drawn 'upon a mandrel, the mandrel being a wire of soft carbon steel and preferably a tubular wire of such steel.
  • the mandrel-supported tube will be of sufiicient length for the manufacture of a multiplicity of small-diametered short tubes such as cannulas.
  • FIG. 2 shows a portion of the original outer wire after it has been drawn down to an extent upon the tubular mandrel.
  • the outer tube is shown at 15 and the mandrel at 16.
  • the outertube 15 may be formed of welded strip and the mandrel may be formed from welded strip.
  • FIG. 3 the welds of the tubes are indicated, but it may be pointed out here that so far as the mandrel is concerned, this may be in the form of a tubular strip having abutting edge portions and lacking a weld.
  • FIG. 4 shows the assembly of FIG. 2 after an additional drawing step has been performed, lengthening to an additional extent the tubular article.
  • annealing may be effected in the usual-manner.
  • the number of draws may be varied as required by the existing conditions but it may be assumed, for example, that following the first draw resulting in the article of FIG. 2, the second draw resulting in the article of FIG. 4, and a third draw reducing the article to the extent shown in FIG. 5 (which is another much enlarged view), there is no further drawing.
  • a straightening of the composite tube comprising the inner and outer members which may be done by means of straightening rollers in a manner well known in the art.
  • the next step is to cut the tube to lengths corresponding to that of the finished cannula, this being done by a suitable cutting device.
  • the cannula may have a length somewhat in excess of one and one-half inches, for example, and FIG. 5 shows a considerable enlargement.
  • the next step is to provide means for connecting the can nula to the hub, and for this purpose the threads 12 are 7 formed by rolling one end of the blank.
  • the blank is then in the condition shown in FIG. 6.
  • parallel ribs may be rolled upon the blank so that at a later stage the hub of the needle may be forced over such ribs to hold the hub on the cannula.
  • the cannula is preferably sharpened before the mandrel is removed.
  • the next step is to remove the mandrel or core from the article shown in FIG. 6 and this may be done by a mechanical means or by a chemical process. If this is done chemically, the article is subjected to the action of a strong acid which will dissolve the core without injuring the outer tube.
  • a suitable acid for this purpose is nitric acid and the procedure preferred is the boiling of the article in a bath of nitric acid, for example, which will dissolve the core and remove it from the outer tube. It is then advisable to clean the outer tube to remove any discoloration which may have resulted from the bath. After this treatment the distal end of the cannula is sharpened in the usual or any preferred manner.
  • the soft carbon steel wire used as a core or mandrel may be, in some cases, a solid wire rather than a tubular one. geous.
  • the use of a solid Wire requires a rather heavy outer stainless steel tube (provided with a rather thick wall.) since the reduction in the wall thickness during each drawing pass is considerable.
  • a tubular mandrel or core is used, as described above, made from carbon steel or any other suitable soft material, the resistance of the core is reduced and this permits less reduction of the outer wall during each drawing pass. Due to this, standard sizes of stainless steel tubing can be used as the initial material with considerable savings in time and expense. I
  • plastic materials are plastic materials.
  • the method of making small tubular metal articles such as cannulas comprises providing stainless steel tubing supported upon an interior tubular mandrel and of a length suitable for-the manufacture therefrom of a multiplicity of small tubes, said mandrel be ing of softer material than the outer tubing, drawing this assembly or composite workpiece a number of times to reduce its diameter progressively while the workpiece is continuous, then, after the outer tubing has been reduced to the diameter desired in the finished article, cutting the tubing and mandrel into sections corresponding substantially to the desired length of the finished article, then sharpening one end of each of said sections and rolling the other end of each of said sections to provide projections upon the outer tubing engageable with a needle hub, and then removing the mandrel portions from the cut-ott sections.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Hematology (AREA)
  • Anesthesiology (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Vascular Medicine (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metal Extraction Processes (AREA)

Description

Nov. 28, 196.1 .1. K. ROEHR 3,010,197
METHOD OF MAKING HYPODERMIC NEEDLES AND LIKE ARTICLES FiledJan. so, 1958 INVENTOR w/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent C 3,010,197 METHQD OF MAKING HYPODERMIC NEEDLES AND LIKE ARTICLES Jan Kanty Roehr, Waterbury, Conn., assignor to Roehr Engineering Company, Waterbury, Conn., a limited partnership Filed Jan. 30, 1958, Ser. No. 712,226 3 Claims. (Ci. 29-423) This invention relates to a method of making hypodermic needles and like articles having a tubular stem or cannula of small diameter formed of stainless steel or similar material.
In making cannulas for hypodermic needles, the present practice is to draw stainless steel tubing stepwise down to the required diameter which is achieved after a long tube has been cut into a plurality of shorter lengths. From a coil of tubular wire, lengths of, say, eight feet are cut and a mandrel in the form of a metal rod is inserted into the tubelength and then each length is drawn down upon and with the mandrel to reduce the diameter. Sometimes this drawing-of the mandrel-carrying tube was performed more than oncegand, at other times there was only one drawing which wasfollowed by further reduction of diameter without a mandrel, which operation is known as sinking. In connection with such operations the tube is annealed and the reduction is continued until a very fine hollow tube is produced having the diameter desired for the finished cannula. After the first drawing operation, the mandrel, over which the wire is drawn, must be removed for if this were done at a later stage with its incident length of wire there would be great difiiculty in removing the mandrel. Also the first drawing operation or operations will very greatly increase the length of the wire that was in the original coil, making it very difiicult to handle. For these reasons the operation of drawing the original wire down to cannula diameter has not been a continuous one.
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a process by which the reduction of the initial tubing to the diameter of the finished product, such as a needle cannula or other fine tube, can be performed in a continuous process or substantially continuous process with the elimination of the need for shortening the wire length in preparation for a subsequent drawing step or steps.
A further object is to cheapen the process of making cannulas and like articles and to expedite the production of such articles from tubular material that can be obtained in coils of any desired length.
To these and other ends the invention consists in the process and the sequence of steps as hereinafter described and defined in the claims.
In the accompanying drawing:
FIG. 1 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a hypodermic needle;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a portion of a length of tubular wire encasing a tubular mandrel;
FIG. 3 is a section on line 33 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the mandrelsupported tube at a later stage in the process;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a further reduced mandrel-supported tube cut to the length of the finished article; and
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing one end portion in elevation.
In FIG. 1, a hypodermic needle is shown having a tubular stem or cannula 10 sharpened at one end and threaded at the other end for connection with the customary handling piece or hub 11. At its rear end the cannula is provided with threads 12 engaging internal threads for example several hundred feet, may be used as an outer' element to be drawn 'upon a mandrel, the mandrel being a wire of soft carbon steel and preferably a tubular wire of such steel. The mandrel-supported tube will be of sufiicient length for the manufacture of a multiplicity of small-diametered short tubes such as cannulas. FIG;
2 shows a portion of the original outer wire after it has been drawn down to an extent upon the tubular mandrel. In this view the outer tube is shown at 15 and the mandrel at 16. The outertube 15 may be formed of welded strip and the mandrel may be formed from welded strip. In FIG. 3 the welds of the tubes are indicated, but it may be pointed out here that so far as the mandrel is concerned, this may be in the form of a tubular strip having abutting edge portions and lacking a weld.
FIG. 4 shows the assembly of FIG. 2 after an additional drawing step has been performed, lengthening to an additional extent the tubular article. Between the drawing operations annealing may be effected in the usual-manner. The number of draws may be varied as required by the existing conditions but it may be assumed, for example, that following the first draw resulting in the article of FIG. 2, the second draw resulting in the article of FIG. 4, and a third draw reducing the article to the extent shown in FIG. 5 (which is another much enlarged view), there is no further drawing. There is, however, a straightening of the composite tube comprising the inner and outer members which may be done by means of straightening rollers in a manner well known in the art. The next step is to cut the tube to lengths corresponding to that of the finished cannula, this being done by a suitable cutting device. In practice the cannula may have a length somewhat in excess of one and one-half inches, for example, and FIG. 5 shows a considerable enlargement. At this stage the ends of the blank are honed so that after cutting the ends are smooth. The next step is to provide means for connecting the can nula to the hub, and for this purpose the threads 12 are 7 formed by rolling one end of the blank. The blank is then in the condition shown in FIG. 6. Instead of forming threads upon the outer tube (FIG. 6) parallel ribs may be rolled upon the blank so that at a later stage the hub of the needle may be forced over such ribs to hold the hub on the cannula. The cannula is preferably sharpened before the mandrel is removed.
The next step is to remove the mandrel or core from the article shown in FIG. 6 and this may be done by a mechanical means or by a chemical process. If this is done chemically, the article is subjected to the action of a strong acid which will dissolve the core without injuring the outer tube. A suitable acid for this purpose is nitric acid and the procedure preferred is the boiling of the article in a bath of nitric acid, for example, which will dissolve the core and remove it from the outer tube. It is then advisable to clean the outer tube to remove any discoloration which may have resulted from the bath. After this treatment the distal end of the cannula is sharpened in the usual or any preferred manner.
While in the foregoing description the outer tube carrying the mandrel is subjected to three drawing operations, the results of which are shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, which operations take place upon the workpiece before cutting the workpiece to divide it into sections, the number of Patented Nov. 28, 1961 cannula assists in straightening the corresponding end of the tube.
The soft carbon steel wire used as a core or mandrel may be, in some cases, a solid wire rather than a tubular one. geous. The use of a solid Wire requires a rather heavy outer stainless steel tube (provided with a rather thick wall.) since the reduction in the wall thickness during each drawing pass is considerable. Where a tubular mandrel or core is used, as described above, made from carbon steel or any other suitable soft material, the resistance of the core is reduced and this permits less reduction of the outer wall during each drawing pass. Due to this, standard sizes of stainless steel tubing can be used as the initial material with considerable savings in time and expense. I
Among materials suitable for use in providing an inner core are plastic materials.
Instead of beginning the operation by drawing a mandrel-supported tube it may be begun with a small tape of stainless steel having the mandrel or core laid thereon. The tape may then be formed up around the mandrel and welded. This will be a preliminary step producing the same raw material with the core inside which Was mentioned above.
Various changes in the detailed procedure herein described may be made without departure from the principles of the invention and the Scope of the claims.
However, the use of a tube as a core is advanta What I claim is:
l. The method of making small tubular metal articles such as cannulas, which method comprises providing stainless steel tubing supported upon an interior tubular mandrel and of a length suitable for-the manufacture therefrom of a multiplicity of small tubes, said mandrel be ing of softer material than the outer tubing, drawing this assembly or composite workpiece a number of times to reduce its diameter progressively while the workpiece is continuous, then, after the outer tubing has been reduced to the diameter desired in the finished article, cutting the tubing and mandrel into sections corresponding substantially to the desired length of the finished article, then sharpening one end of each of said sections and rolling the other end of each of said sections to provide projections upon the outer tubing engageable with a needle hub, and then removing the mandrel portions from the cut-ott sections.
2. The method of claim 1 in which the mandrel portions are removed by chemical treatment.
3. The method of claim 1 in which the mandrel portions are removed by dissolving them in an acid solvent.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,568,369 Everett Jan. 5, 1920 1,891,304 Everett Dec. 20, 1932 1,913,206 Littler June 6, 1933 2,022,234 Everett Nov. 26, 1935 2,047,555 Gardner July 14, 1936 2,800,942 Parker et al. July 30, 1957 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,010,197 November 28, .1961
Jan Kanty Roehr It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.
In the grant, lines 2 and 3, for "assignor to Roehr Engineering Company, of Waterbury, Connecticut, a limited partnership," read assignor, by mesne assignments, to Brunswick Corporation, of Chicago, Illinois, a corporation of Delaware, line 12, for "Roehr Engineering Company, their heirs" read Brunswick Corporation, its successors in the heading to the printedspecification, lines 4 to 6, for "assignor to Roehr Engineering Company, Waterbury, Conn.,
a limited partnership" read assignor, by mesne assignments to Brunswick Corporation, Chicago, Ill. a corporation of Delaware,-.
Signed and sealed this 19th day of March 1963.
(SEAL) Attest:
ESTON G. JOHNSON DAVID L. LADD' Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents
US712226A 1958-01-30 1958-01-30 Method of making hypodermic needles and like articles Expired - Lifetime US3010197A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US712226A US3010197A (en) 1958-01-30 1958-01-30 Method of making hypodermic needles and like articles

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US712226A US3010197A (en) 1958-01-30 1958-01-30 Method of making hypodermic needles and like articles

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3010197A true US3010197A (en) 1961-11-28

Family

ID=24861251

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US712226A Expired - Lifetime US3010197A (en) 1958-01-30 1958-01-30 Method of making hypodermic needles and like articles

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (1) US3010197A (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3122424A (en) * 1961-12-13 1964-02-25 King L D Percival Graphite bonding method
FR2196144A1 (en) * 1972-08-17 1974-03-15 Baxter Laboratories Inc
EP0067260A1 (en) * 1981-06-08 1982-12-22 Luther Medical Products, Inc. Cannula needle for catheter
US6016595A (en) * 1998-11-04 2000-01-25 Dysarz; Edward D. Method and device to form a spring needle cannula
WO2011033102A1 (en) * 2009-09-21 2011-03-24 Novo Nordisk A/S A method for chemical etching of a needle cannula

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1568369A (en) * 1923-10-20 1926-01-05 Everett Samuel James Production of metal tubing and of tubular metal articles or instruments
US1891304A (en) * 1929-08-22 1932-12-20 Everett Samuel James Manufacture of pointed tubular metal articles
US1913206A (en) * 1931-11-10 1933-06-06 Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp Manufacture of tubes
US2022234A (en) * 1933-03-18 1935-11-26 Everett Norah Elizabeth Surgical and like needle and its manufacture
US2047555A (en) * 1933-05-31 1936-07-14 Parsons & Co Ltd C A Manufacture of hollow turbine blades
US2800942A (en) * 1954-10-08 1957-07-30 Parker Apparatus for performing multiple metal working operations on pipe

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1568369A (en) * 1923-10-20 1926-01-05 Everett Samuel James Production of metal tubing and of tubular metal articles or instruments
US1891304A (en) * 1929-08-22 1932-12-20 Everett Samuel James Manufacture of pointed tubular metal articles
US1913206A (en) * 1931-11-10 1933-06-06 Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp Manufacture of tubes
US2022234A (en) * 1933-03-18 1935-11-26 Everett Norah Elizabeth Surgical and like needle and its manufacture
US2047555A (en) * 1933-05-31 1936-07-14 Parsons & Co Ltd C A Manufacture of hollow turbine blades
US2800942A (en) * 1954-10-08 1957-07-30 Parker Apparatus for performing multiple metal working operations on pipe

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3122424A (en) * 1961-12-13 1964-02-25 King L D Percival Graphite bonding method
FR2196144A1 (en) * 1972-08-17 1974-03-15 Baxter Laboratories Inc
EP0067260A1 (en) * 1981-06-08 1982-12-22 Luther Medical Products, Inc. Cannula needle for catheter
US6016595A (en) * 1998-11-04 2000-01-25 Dysarz; Edward D. Method and device to form a spring needle cannula
WO2011033102A1 (en) * 2009-09-21 2011-03-24 Novo Nordisk A/S A method for chemical etching of a needle cannula
US9822455B2 (en) 2009-09-21 2017-11-21 Novo Nordisk A/S Method for chemical etching of a needle cannula

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3379000A (en) Metal filaments suitable for textiles
DE3001371C2 (en) Process for the production of a ceramic, binder-free hollow body
US3010197A (en) Method of making hypodermic needles and like articles
KR880001654B1 (en) An arrangement for producing double conical springs
US2663410A (en) Manufacture of smoothbore gun barrels
US2110965A (en) Reducing the diameter of hollow metal articles
GB1008709A (en) Process for the production of round hollow bodies from blooms
US1568369A (en) Production of metal tubing and of tubular metal articles or instruments
US5186035A (en) Tube loading sleeve for pilger mill
US3342648A (en) Production of tubing
US3717458A (en) Method of and apparatus for forming a tubular metal blank into a tapered tube on a tapered mandrel and stripping the tube from the mandrel
DE870539C (en) Process for the production of thin-walled seamless tubes
US3131804A (en) Method of drawing or extruding elongated metallic workpieces
USRE18418E (en) Op metal
US3713318A (en) Apparatus for and method of forming a tubular metal blank into a tapered tube on a tapered mandrel
DE3044004A1 (en) Longitudinally welded small calibre syringe needles tube mfr. - comprises shaping metal strip into slot tube, with subsequent electronic welding
US2010400A (en) Method of manufacturing tubes and pipes
US3811178A (en) Method for the manufacture of cored wire
SU1082504A1 (en) Mandrel for producing articles with internal spiral ribs
DE890635C (en) Process for the production of pipes from high-weight, in particular aluminum-Teftitic chromium-nickel steels
US2286045A (en) Method of making tubes of pyroxylin material or the like
US3713319A (en) Apparatus for and method of forming a tubular metal blank into a tapered tube on a tapered mandrel
DE478028C (en) Method for stretching hollow metal bodies
DE28606C (en) Methods and apparatus for making bent tubes
GB1034990A (en) Method of manufacturing heaters for electron tubes