Pull wire with coated fibers
AssigneeAcclarent, Inc.
InventorsGeorge L. Matlock, John H. Thinnes, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is provided for making a fiber wire having a fiber bundle core and a polymer jacket. The method includes rotating a spool of fiber bundle about a first rotational axis to progressively unwind the fiber bundle from the spool. The fiber bundle includes a plurality of continuous synthetic fiber filaments. While the spool is rotated about the first rotational axis, the spool is simultaneously rotated about a second rotational axis to thereby twist the unwound fiber bundle about its longitudinal axis. The method further includes coating the twisted fiber bundle with a molten polymer, and permitting the molten polymer to cool to define a flexible outer jacket that encapsulates the twisted fiber bundle.
Claims20
A method of making a fiber wire having a fiber bundle core and a polymer jacket, the method comprising:
- (a) rotating a single spool of fiber bundle about a first rotational axis to progressively unwind the fiber bundle from the single spool, wherein the fiber bundle comprises a plurality of continuous synthetic fiber filaments;
- (b) while rotating the single spool about the first rotational axis, simultaneously rotating the single spool about a second rotational axis to thereby twist the unwound fiber bundle about a longitudinal axis of the unwound fiber bundle;
- (c) coating the twisted fiber bundle with a molten polymer;
- and
- (d) permitting the molten polymer to cool to define a flexible outer jacket that encapsulates the twisted fiber bundle.
A system for making a fiber wire having a fiber bundle core and a polymer jacket, comprising:
- (a) a single spool of fiber bundle, wherein the fiber bundle comprises a plurality of continuous synthetic fiber filaments;
- (b) a support frame, wherein the support frame rotatably supports the single spool about a first rotational axis;
- (c) a base structure, wherein the base structure rotatably supports the support frame about a second rotational axis, wherein the support frame and the base structure are operable to cooperate to rotate the single spool about the first and second axes simultaneously to thereby unwind fiber bundle from the single spool and simultaneously twist the unwound fiber bundle about a longitudinal axis of the unwound fiber bundle;
- and
- (d) a die positioned downstream of the single spool, wherein the die is operable to apply a molten polymer coating to the twisted fiber bundle, wherein the molten polymer coating is configured to cool to define a jacket that encapsulates the twisted fiber bundle.
A method of making a fiber wire having a fiber bundle core and a polymer jacket with an apparatus including a spool of fiber bundle, a spool shaft, a support frame, and a base structure, wherein the spool of fiber bundle is mounted to the spool shaft, wherein the support frame extends distally from a first frame end to a second frame end along a first rotational axis, wherein the spool shaft is rotatably mounted within the support frame along a second rotational axis transverse to the first rotational axis, wherein the base structure rotatably supports the support frame, the method comprising:
- (a) rotating the spool of fiber bundle relative to the support frame about the second rotational axis to progressively unwind the fiber bundle from the spool, thereby creating an unwound fiber bundle, wherein the fiber bundle comprises a plurality of continuous synthetic fiber filaments;
- (b) while rotating the spool about the first rotational axis, simultaneously rotating the support frame about the second rotational axis to thereby twist the unwound fiber bundle about a longitudinal axis of the unwound fiber bundle;
- (c) heating the twisted fiber bundle before coating the twisted fiber bundle;
- and
- (c) coating the twisted fiber bundle with a molten polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.