Conduit

A method for forming a conduit which comprises the steps of:

• providing a wire, the wire having a cross-section with a major axis and a minor axis, wherein a thickness of the wire along the major axis is greater than a thickness of the wire along the minor axis;
• and
• coiling the wire to form the conduit;
• wherein the wire has opposed first and second sides on opposite sides of the major axis and extending along the major axis and wherein after the step of providing the wire, a coating is provided on only the first side of the wire so that in the step of coiling the wire when the wire is coiled to form the conduit, the first side of the wire forms an inner passageway of the conduit so that the coating is provided on the inner passageway of the conduit.

A method for forming a control cable which comprises the steps of:

• providing a wire, the wire having a cross-section with a major axis and a minor axis, wherein a thickness of the wire along the major axis is greater than a thickness of the wire along the minor axis;
• providing an actuation cable;
• coiling the wire to form a conduit;
• and
• inserting the actuation cable through the conduit;
• wherein the conduit is flexible between a straight configuration and a bent configuration;
• wherein the conduit includes a plurality of windings defined by the wire;
• wherein adjacent windings of the plurality of windings contact each other in the straight configuration and become spaced apart when the conduit is in the bent configuration;
• wherein the wire of the conduit defines an inner diameter of the conduit and an outer diameter of the conduit, the conduit has a length, and wherein the inner diameter is constant along substantially the entire length of the conduit;
• wherein the wire has opposed first and second sides on opposite sides of the major axis and extending along the major axis and wherein after the step of providing the wire, a coating is provided on only the first side of the wire so that when the wire is coiled to form the conduit, the first side of the wire forms an inner passageway of the conduit so that the coating is provided on the inner passageway of the conduit.

A method for forming a flexible conduit for use in a weld wire dispensing system which comprises the steps of:

• providing a wire, the wire having a cross-section with a major axis and a minor axis, wherein a thickness of the wire along the major axis is greater than a thickness of the wire along the minor axis;
• providing an outer sleeve;
• providing a spatter resistant jacket;
• coiling the wire to form a spring liner;
• mounting the outer sleeve over the spring liner;
• and
• mounting the spatter resistant jacket over the outer sleeve and the spring liner;
• wherein the conduit is flexible between a straight configuration and a bent configuration;
• wherein the conduit includes a plurality of windings defined by the wire;
• wherein adjacent windings of the plurality of windings contact each other in the straight configuration and become spaced apart when the conduit is in the bent configuration;
• wherein the wire of the conduit defines an inner diameter of the conduit and an outer diameter of the conduit, the conduit has a length, and wherein the inner diameter is constant along substantially the entire length of the conduit;
• wherein the wire has opposed first and second sides on opposite sides of the major axis and extending along the major axis and wherein after the step of providing the wire, a coating is provided on only a first side of the wire so that in the step of coiling the wire when the wire is coiled to form the spring liner, the first side of the wire forms an inner passageway of the spring liner so that the coating is provided on the inner passageway of the spring liner.