A pipe joining system and pipe joint are shown in which two sections of plastic pipe, particularly molecularly oriented pipe, are joined. A first section of plastic pipe has a female, belled pipe end with a mouth opening and having an exterior surface, an interior surface and having an interior circumferential recess formed in the belled pipe end adjacent the mouth opening on the interior surface thereof. A second section of plastic pipe having a mating male plastic pipe end has an interior surface and exterior surface. The exterior surface has a circumferential groove formed at one circumferential location thereof which is alignable with the interior recess formed within the mouth opening of the belled pipe end as the pipe joint is made-up. The circumferential groove is formed during the manufacture of the plastic pipe by expanding the pipe against a restraining element located in the interior of an expansion mold. The respective grooves contain elements of a restraint system which form a restrained joint when the male and female pipe sections are assembled.

A pipe joining system and pipe joint are shown in which two sections of plastic pipe, particularly molecularly oriented pipe, are joined. A first section of plastic pipe has a female, belled pipe end with a mouth opening and having an exterior surface, an interior surface and having an interior circumferential recess formed in the belled pipe end adjacent the mouth opening on the interior surface thereof. A second section of plastic pipe having a mating male plastic pipe end has an interior surface and exterior surface. The exterior surface has a circumferential groove formed at one circumferential location thereof which is alignable with the interior recess formed within the mouth opening of the belled pipe end as the pipe joint is made-up. The circumferential groove is formed during the manufacture of the plastic pipe by expanding the pipe against a restraining element located in the interior of an expansion mold. The respective grooves contain elements of a restraint system which form a restrained joint when the male and female pipe sections are assembled.

Disclosed herein are expandable introducer sheaths and methods of making and using the same. The sheaths minimize trauma to a patient's vasculature by allowing for temporary expansion of a portion of the sheath to accommodate passage of a delivery system for a cardiovascular device, then return to a non-expanded state after the passage of the device. The sheath includes an elongated annular member having longitudinally extending channels that facilitate the sheath's temporary expansion. The channels are positioned in such a way that, upon expansion, they enable the movement of protruding contact surfaces toward the inner and outer surfaces of the annular member, reducing friction between the surface and the passing device. Some embodiments of the expandable sheath include an elastic outer layer that pushes the protruding contact surfaces back towards their original positions after the passage of the device.

Disclosed herein are expandable introducer sheaths and methods of making and using the same. The sheaths minimize trauma to a patient's vasculature by allowing for temporary expansion of a portion of the sheath to accommodate passage of a delivery system for a cardiovascular device, then return to a non-expanded state after the passage of the device. The sheath includes an elongated annular member having longitudinally extending channels that facilitate the sheath's temporary expansion. The channels are positioned in such a way that, upon expansion, they enable the movement of protruding contact surfaces toward the inner and outer surfaces of the annular member, reducing friction between the surface and the passing device. Some embodiments of the expandable sheath include an elastic outer layer that pushes the protruding contact surfaces back towards their original positions after the passage of the device.

Described is a method for chamfering the end of a pipe (2) made from thermoplastic material, comprising the following steps: localized and circumferential heating of an axial portion (3) of the pipe (2) at a predetermined temperature; plastic deformation of the heated axial portion (3) using a tool (4) for forming a chamfer on the axial portion (3).

Described is a method for chamfering the end of a pipe (2) made from thermoplastic material, comprising the following steps: localized and circumferential heating of an axial portion (3) of the pipe (2) at a predetermined temperature; plastic deformation of the heated axial portion (3) using a tool (4) for forming a chamfer on the axial portion (3).

A plastic tube is bent by advancing the tube to position a desired first bend location of the tube at a bending/cooling station, the bend location of the tube having been previously heated by a tube heating assembly sufficiently for bending. The tube heating assembly is moved to a next desired bend location of the tube. Bending and cooling the tube at the first bend location, and heating the next desired bend location, take place in overlapping time windows, before advancing the tube to position the next desired bend location of the tube at the bending/cooling station. Total cycle time for heating, bending and cooling is thereby substantially reduced compared to carrying out heating, bending and cooling sequentially. The apparatus is controlled by PLC or PC-based programs, which effect movement via servomotors and also control other parameters such as heating and cooling times and temperatures.

Disclosed herein are expandable introducer sheaths and methods of making and using the same. The sheaths minimize trauma to a patient's vasculature by allowing for temporary expansion of a portion of the sheath to accommodate passage of a delivery system for a cardiovascular device, then return to a non-expanded state after the passage of the device. The sheath includes an elongated annular member having longitudinally extending channels that facilitate the sheath's temporary expansion. The channels are positioned in such a way that, upon expansion, they enable the movement of protruding contact surfaces toward the inner and outer surfaces of the annular member, reducing friction between the surface and the passing device. Some embodiments of the expandable sheath include an elastic outer layer that pushes the protruding contact surfaces back towards their original positions after the passage of the device.

A resin tube is prepared. Further, a formation tool having a pressing surface and a projection that projects from the pressing surface and is insertable into the resin tube is prepared. The projection of the formation tool is inserted from an end of the resin tube into the resin tube. The pressing surface of the formation tool is pressed against an end surface of the resin tube. Thermal energy is applied to the end of the resin tube, whereby a shape of the pressing surface of the formation tool is transferred to the end surface of the resin tube, and the end of the resin tube is formed into a flange shape.

A working element operable to expand an end of a tube includes a main body configured to rotate about an axis, a plurality of roller supports movably coupled to the main body, the roller supports movable relative to the main body between a retracted position and an expanded position, and a plurality of rollers coupled to the roller supports such that a distance between a first roller of the plurality of rollers and a second roller of the plurality of rollers increases when the roller supports move toward the expanded position. The rollers are configured to be inserted into the end of the tube when the roller supports are in the retracted position, and the rollers are engageable with an inner circumference of the tube when the main body rotates about the axis to expand the end of the tube.