Self-Bonding Fluoropolymers and Methods of Producing the Same
AssigneeAtrium Medical Corporation
InventorThomas M. SWANICK
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of making expanded fluoropolymer articles thermally bonds portions of expanded fluoropolymers together, without using an adhesive or crushing force, to produce stronger bonds at the joint between the expanded fluoropolymers than the bonds within the constituent expanded fluoropolymers. The method involves placing the portions of expanded fluoropolymers to be thermally bonded together in intimate contact with each other after wet-stretching the expanded fluoropolymers, and removing the wetting agent used to wet-stretch the expanded fluoropolymers, without subsequent expansion or stretching, to yield an expanded fluoropolymer article exhibiting unexpected and superior properties that can be used in a variety of medical and industrial applications.
Claims24
1-39. (canceled)
A method of making an expanded fluoropolymer article thermally bonded to itself without an adhesive, comprising:
- providing a wet stretched fluoropolymer article by stretching a wetted expandable fluoropolymer article while wet with a wet stretch wetting agent;
- placing two portions of the wet stretched fluoropolymer article in intimate contact with each other while wet with the wet stretch wetting agent;
- and
- while the two portions of the wet stretched fluoropolymer article are in intimate contact with each other, removing at least the wet stretch wetting agent from at least the two portions of the wet stretched fluoropolymer article in intimate contact;
- and
- subsequent to or simultaneous with removing at least the wet stretch wetting agent from at least the two portions of the wet stretched fluoropolymer article, heating at least the two portions of the wet stretched fluoropolymer article while in intimate contact with each other.
62-118. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.