Elastomer thin sleeve folding mechanism
AssigneeDevicor Medical Products, Inc.
InventorAndrew P. Nock
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A folding device for placing an elastomer thin sleeve on a retainer includes a mandrel, one or more rollers, and a drive system. The mandrel is configured to translate relative to a portion of the folding device. The mandrel is adapted to releasably receive the retainer. The one or more rollers are configured to rotate relative to the mandrel. The rotation of the one or more rollers being configured to fold the sleeve onto the retainer. The drive system is configured to translate the mandrel and turn the one or more rollers.
Claims20
A folding device for placing an elastomer thin sleeve on a retainer, the folding device comprising:
- (a) a mandrel configured to translate relative to a portion of the folding device, the mandrel being adapted to releasably receive the retainer;
- (b) one or more rollers configured to rotate relative to the mandrel, the rotation of the one or more rollers being configured to fold the sleeve onto the retainer;
- and
- (c) a drive system configured to translate the mandrel and turn the one or more rollers.
A sleeve folding system comprising:
- (a) a flexible sterile cover;
- (b) a retainer, the retainer having greater rigidity than the cover;
- and
- (c) a folding mechanism configured to fold the cover onto the retainer, the folding mechanism including:
- (i) a mandrel configured to receive the retainer,
- (ii) one or more rollers configured to rotate while in contact with the flexible sterile cover, the mandrel being configured to translate the flexible sterile cover relative to the one or more rollers while the flexible sterile cover is being folded over the retainer by the one or more rollers, and
- (iii) a drive system configured to rotate the one or more rollers and translate the mandrel.
A method for providing a flexible sterile cover folded on a retainer, the retainer including a proximal end and a distal end, the method comprising:
- (a) positioning the cover and the retainer onto a mandrel;
- (b) rotating a plurality of rollers in synchronization with each other relative to the cover to thereby fold the cover onto the retainer;
- and
- (c) translating the mandrel relative to the plurality of rollers while rotating the rollers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.