US 6,485,776 B2 · Apparatus and process for making prosthetic suction sleeve

Abstract

The method of making a tubular member having a continuous and uninterrupted cured elastomeric resin coating on an outer surface of the member includes forming a continuous uninterrupted tubular layer of uncured elastomeric resin and drawing the resin layer against the surface of the tubular member to be coated by applying suction between the resin layer and the surface of the tubular member so that the resin adheres to the surface of the tubular member. The elastomeric resin may then be continuously heated and cured to produce the final product. Apparatus for carrying out the process is disclosed and includes, in sequence, a coating zone including a sub-atmospheric chamber, a heating zone and a feed mechanism for advancing the tubular member relative to the coating and heating zones.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method for making a tubular member having a continuous and uninterrupted cured elastomeric resin coating on one of two opposed surfaces of the tubular member comprising:

forming a continuous vertically extending uninterrupted tubular layer of uncured elastomeric resin;
drawing the layer of resin against one of said surfaces of the tubular member to be coated by applying suction below atmospheric pressure between the resin layer and the said one surface of the tubular member to which the resin layer is to be applied while continuously moving the tubular member relative to the continuously formed resin layer with the tubular member generally vertically oriented and in generally coaxial relationship with the tubular layer of the elastomeric resin until said one surface is coated with said uncured resin layer and said layer of uncured resin is adhered to said one surface;
and
continuously heating and curing said elastomeric resin while it is adhered to the one surface of the tubular member.

1 more element

A process for forming a length of a continuous tubular member with an uninterrupted continuous layer of elastomeric resin covering and adhered to one of two opposing sides thereof, comprising:

continuously feeding a tubular member in a generally longitudinal and vertically downward direction relative to and through a coating zone maintained at a sub-atmospheric pressure;
while carrying out said feeding step, applying and adhering a continuous, uninterrupted tubular uncured elastomeric resin layer to said one side of said tubular member within said coating zone by applying sub-atmospheric pressure between said elastomeric resin layer and said one side of said tubular member;
and
continuously heating and curing said elastomeric resin while it is adhered to said one side of said tubular member.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and process for making prosthetic suction sleeve

Life of this patent

Apparatus and process for making prosthetic suction sleeve

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10