Patent US4544516A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4544516A
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Collagen orientation
Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute Inc
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Filing: 1983-06-30
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Granted: 1985-10-01
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Expires: 2003-06-30
Abstract
Abstract Monomeric collagen is oriented in solution and the orientation is retained in the resulting gel by setting up convective flow paths in the solution during gelation. The convection is induced by uniform peripheral heating of the cold, collagen solution in a small-diameter cylinder. Oriented collagen produced in this manner has excellent wet strength for use in implants for natural reconstruction of body collagen.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth E. Hughes
- 👤 Timothy B. Hutson
- 👤 David J. Fink
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 22:48
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08L; C08L89/00; C08L89/04; C08L89/06; A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/04; A61F2/06; A61F2/08; A61L; A61L27/00; A61L27/14; A61L27/22; A61L27/24; A61L27/50; A61L27/52; A61F2310/00; A61F2310/00005; A61F2310/00365; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A method for producing a biomaterial implant having oriented collagen fibrils therein comprising (a) providing a collagen solution comprising substantially monomeric collagen, (b) inducing a substantially laminar flow in the collagen solution thereby orienting the monomeric collagen molecules in the flow direction, (c) thermally gelling the collagen solution into a collagen gel while the molecules are oriented in the flow direction, (d) stabilizing the collagen gel by crosslinking, (e) drying the stabilized collagen gel to below the point of irreversible shrinkage, (f) rehydrating the dried collagen gel, and (g) forming a biomaterial implant from the rehydrated collagen gel.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
98 words
A method for producing a biomaterial implant having oriented collagen fibrils therein comprising (a) providing a collagen solution comprising substantially monomeric collagen, (b) inducing a substantially laminar flow in the collagen solution thereby orienting the monomeric collagen molecules in the flow direction, (c) thermally gelling the collagen solution into a collagen gel while the molecules are oriented in the flow direction, (d) stabilizing the collagen gel by crosslinking, (e) drying the stabilized collagen gel to below the point of irreversible shrinkage, (f) rehydrating the dried collagen gel, and (g) forming a biomaterial implant from the rehydrated collagen gel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method for producing a biomaterial implant as in claim 1 wherein the flow is induced in the collagen solution by the steps of introducing the collagen solution into a cylindrical tube having a cross sectional area of less than about 120 square millimeters, and heating the outer surface of the cylindrical tube at a rate which results in convective flow within the collagen solution.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the cylindrical tube has a width of less than about two times the thickness and a height of greater than about four times the thickness.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the tube is circular in cross section and has an internal diameter no greater than about 12 mm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the fibrillogenesis is induced by contacting the outer surface of the tube with a fluid having a temperature of between about 20° C. and 40° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the longitudinal axis of the tube is maintained in a substantially vertical orientation during fibrillogenesis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method for producing a biomaterial implant as in claim 1 wherein flow is induced in the collagen by extruding the collagen solution through a small-diameter, elongated tube.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the length of the tube and the flow velocity of the collagen solution are such that the solution is gelled in approximately the time required for the solution to traverse the tube.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the flow rate of the collagen solution is less than about 6 cm/min.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for continuously producing collagen-based material having oriented collagen fibrils therein comprising (a) continuously forcing a solution of predominantly monomeric collagen at a flow rate of less than about 6 cm/min through an elongated tube, (b) heating the outer surface of the tube at a rate which causes thermal gellation in the tube, (c) continuously removing gelled collagen from the tube, and (d) stabilizing the collagen gel by cross-linking.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for continuously producing collagen-based material having oriented collagen fibrils therein comprising (a) continuously forcing a solution of predominantly monomeric collagen at a flow rate of less than about 6 cm/min through an elongated tube, (b) heating the outer surface of the tube at a rate which causes thermal gellation in the tube, (c) continuously removing gelled collagen from the tube, and (d) stabilizing the collagen gel by cross-linking.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
112 words
A method for producing collagen-based material having oriented collagen fibrils therein comprising (a) introducing a solution of predominantly monomeric collagen into a cylindrical tube having a width of less than about two times the thickness, a height of greater than about four times the thickness, and a cross-sectional area of less than about 120 square millimeters, (b) heating the outer surface of the cylindrical tube and, at a rate which results in convective flow within the collagen solution and a temperature therein which induces fibrillogenesis of the monomeric collagen to a collagen gel, and (c) stabilizing the collagen gel by chemical cross-linking, and (d) removing the stabilized collagen gel from the tube.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
112 words
A method for producing collagen-based material having oriented collagen fibrils therein comprising (a) introducing a solution of predominantly monomeric collagen into a cylindrical tube having a width of less than about two times the thickness, a height of greater than about four times the thickness, and a cross-sectional area of less than about 120 square millimeters, (b) heating the outer surface of the cylindrical tube and, at a rate which results in convective flow within the collagen solution and a temperature therein which induces fibrillogenesis of the monomeric collagen to a collagen gel, and (c) stabilizing the collagen gel by chemical cross-linking, and (d) removing the stabilized collagen gel from the tube.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the cylindrical tube cross section is substantially circular or square.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the tube is circular in cross section and has an internal diameter no greater than about 12 mm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the fibrillogenesis is induced by contacting the outer surface of the tube with a fluid having a temperature of between about 20° C. and 40° C.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the longitudinal axis of the tube is maintained in a substantially vertical orientation during fibrillogenesis.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the collagen is present in solution at between about 0.6 and 3.0 mg/ml.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-09-30 | 1989-04-01 | 1989-10-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-09-30 | 1993-04-01 | 1993-10-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-09-30 | 1997-04-01 | 1997-10-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |