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US 10,828,456 B2Granted
Conduit and method of forming
AssigneeFisher & Paykel Heathcare Limited
InventorsDaniel John Smith, Nathan Lee Gray, Blair Victor Skelton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thin ribbon spirally wound polymer conduit and method of forming, wherein a helical reinforcing bead is interposed adjacent overlapping layers of ribbon. Further, a method of continuously forming spirally wound conduit wherein a sacrificial layer, preferably having a different base polymer to that of the conduit, is first applied to the former before the conduit is formed overtop.
Claims23
An apparatus for continuously forming conduit, the apparatus comprising:
- a former configured to receive at least one ribbon, and to draw the ribbon around and advance the ribbon along to form a helical arrangement of the ribbon, a pitch of the helical arrangement being less than width of the ribbon,
- a first assembly configured to deliver a first ribbon comprising a plastic material to the former at a first position on the former,
- a second assembly configured to deliver continuously a molten bead to the former at a second position less than one turn pitch from the first position of delivery of the first ribbon, the second position corresponding to an expected position of a trailing edge of the first ribbon delivered by the first assembly, and
- a reel configured to deliver a sacrificial layer to the former in an overlapping pattern at a third position, wherein the third position is located in front of the first position so that the sacrificial layer is delivered to the former before the first ribbon is delivered to the former.
1 more element
An apparatus for continuously forming conduit, comprising:
- a former configured to receive a ribbon, the former configured to draw the ribbon around and advance the ribbon along, to form an overlapping helical arrangement of the ribbon, pitch of the helical arrangement being less than width of the ribbon,
- a first assembly configured to deliver a first ribbon to the former, at a first location,
- a second assembly configured to deliver a second ribbon to the former, at a location after the first ribbon,
- a bead assembly configured to continuously deliver a molten reinforcement bead to the former at a position less than one turn pitch from a position of delivery of the second ribbon, the position corresponding to an expected position of a trailing edge of the second ribbon, wherein the molten reinforcement bead is configured to provide reinforcement to the conduit, and
- a reel configured to deliver a sacrificial layer to the former in an overlapping pattern at a third position, wherein the third position is located in front of the first position so that the sacrificial layer is delivered to the former before the first ribbon is delivered to the former;
- wherein the first ribbon and the second ribbon each have a thickness of less than about 50 microns.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.