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US 6,673,291 B1Granted
Methods of manufacturing medico-surgical tubes
AssigneeSmiths Group PLC
InventorsStephen James Field, Kester Julian Batchelor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An epidural catheter with a soft tip is formed by extruding a two-layer tube where the inner layer is stiffer than the outer layer. The inner layer is then removed, such as by machining, from a short length at the tip, which is subsequently end-formed closed and a side opening cut into it.
Claims11
A method of making a medico-surgical tube comprising:
- forming an inner tubular member;
- forming an outer tubular member coaxial with said inner tubular member;
- and subsequently
- mechanically removing at least a part of said inner tubular member from said outer tubular member along a region at one end of said medico-surgical tube such as to reduce the stiffness of said medico-surgical tube along said region.
1 more element
A method of forming a medico-surgical tube comprising:
- forming an inner tubular member;
- forming an outer tubular member coaxial with said inner tubular member;
- subsequently
- mechanically removing a part at least of said inner tubular member from said outer tubular member along a length at one end of said medico-surgical tube;
- closing said tube at said one end to leave a region at said one end from which said part has been removed that is less stiff than the remainder of said medico-surgical tube;
- and
- forming a side opening in said medico-surgical tube towards said one end.
4 more elements
A method of forming a medico-surgical comprising:
- forming an inner tubular member;
- forming an outer tubular member coaxial with said inner tubular member;
- machining away a part at least of the thickness of the inner tubular member from one end of said medico-surgical tube to remove a part at least of said inner tubular member from a predetermined length of the medico-surgical tube at said one end;
- closing said tube at said one end to leave a region at said one end that is less stiff than the remainder of the medico-surgical tube;
- and
- forming a side opening in said medico-surgical tube towards said one end.
3 more elements
A method of forming a medico-surgical comprising:
- forming a continuous inner tubular member;
- forming a tubular interlayer member coaxial with said inner tubular member;
- forming a continuous outer tubular member coaxial with said inner tubular member and said tubular interlayer member, wherein said interlayer member prevents bonding between said inner and outer tubular members;
- inserting a cutting machine into one end of said medico-surgical tube;
- cutting a circular cut with said cutting machine through the complete thickness of said inner tubular member to separate a length of said inner tubular member from the remainder of said inner tubular member;
- pulling out said separated length of the inner tubular member from said medico-surgical tube;
- closing said medico-surgical tube at said one end to leave a region of said medico-surgical tube without an inner tubular member that is less stiff than the remainder of said medico-surgical tube;
- and
- forming a side opening in said medico-surgical tube towards said one end.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.