A pipe doping system for applying pipe dope to the external threads of a pin end member may comprise a pump fluidly coupled to a dope-containing reservoir and a dope manifold, the pump positioned to pump pipe dope from the reservoir to the dope manifold; an ejector coupled to the dope manifold and positioned to supply a fixed volume of pipe dope from the dope manifold to a dope distribution line; a dope applicator, the dope applicator fluidly coupled to a dope distribution line positioned to deposit pipe dope on the external threads, the dope applicator being located apart from the ejector and including a nozzle positioned to receive a flow of pipe dope from the dope distribution line and apply the pipe dope onto the threaded connection. The system may include a power source to increase the pressure of the pipe dope as it is dispensed by the ejector.

The present invention deals with a process for producing a coated pipe. The process comprises (i) homopolymerising ethylene or copolymerising ethylene and an -olefin comonomer in a first polymerisation step in the presence of a polymerisation catalyst to produce a first ethylene homo- or copolymer having a density of from 940 to 980 kg/m.sup.3 and a melt flow rate MFR.sub.2 of from 1 to 2000 g/10 min; (ii) homopolymerising ethylene or copolymerising ethylene and an -olefin comonomer in a second polymerisation step in the presence of a first ethylene homo- or copolymer to produce a first ethylene polymer mixture comprising the first ethylene homo- or copolymer and a second ethylene homo- or copolymer, said first ethylene polymer mixture having a density of from 940 to 980 kg/m.sup.3 and a melt flow rate MFR.sub.2 of from 10 to 2000 g/10 min; (iii) copolymerising ethylene and an -olefin comonomer in a third polymerisation step in the presence of the first ethylene polymer mixture to produce a second ethylene polymer mixture comprising the first ethylene polymer mixture and a third ethylene copolymer, said second ethylene polymer mixture having a density of from 915 to 965 kg/m.sup.3, preferably from 930 to 955 kg/m.sup.3 and a melt flow rate MFR.sub.5 of from 0.2 to 10 g/10 min; (iv) providing a pipe having an outer surface layer; (v) applying a coating composition onto the pipe outer surface layer to form a top coat layer, wherein the coating composition comprises the second ethylene polymer mixture.

Minimum Federal Safety Standards for corrosion control on buried oil & gas pipelines stipulate that metallic pipes should be properly coated and have impressed-current cathodic protection (ICCP) systems in place to control the electrical potential field around a protected pipe. In certain examples described herein, electrically-conductive composites can be used and provide intrinsically-safe materials without the dielectric shielding issues of existing materials used with pipelines. As reacted by customary spray applications, the nanocomposite foams described herein are directly compatible with ICCP functionality wherever foam contacts the metallic pipe. Various compositions and their use with underground and/or above ground pipelines are described.

A metallic bottle can including a metallic base material of the bottle shape that has a mouth portion having a threaded portion, a shoulder portion, a body portion and a bottom portion, wherein, on the outer surface of said mouth portion, a finishing varnish layer is provided directly on said metallic base material, and said finishing varnish layer has an MEK extractability of 2 to 8% by mass.

The invention provides an assembly for processing a pipe section for a pipeline, in particular for coating said pipe section, said assembly having a longitudinal axis which in use functionally coincides with a rotational axis of said pipe section, said assembly comprising a surface-heating device for heating a surface, said surface-heating device comprising at least one heating module, said heating module comprising at least one infrared (IR) radiation laser device, said surface-heating device arranged for projecting a beam of said at least one infrared (IR) radiation laser device at said longitudinal axis for in use heating a ring-section of a surface of said pipe section.

Disclosed are a drug-coated balloon and a method for preparing the same. The drug-coated balloon comprises a surface liquefied drug coating and a balloon, wherein the drug coating comprises a lipophilic excipient and a drug. The balloon can reduce the loss of the drug during delivery and increase efficiency in transferring the drug to a lesion site.

An expandable attachment for securing a beverage container to a turner can include a linkage with arms, each of the arms having opposite ends, a grip pad pivotably attached to an end of each of the arms, the grip pad being configured to grip an interior surface of the beverage container, a threaded member, a base, the threaded member being rigidly secured to the base, and an end of an arm being pivotably attached to the base, another base, the threaded member being axially displaceable through the second base, and an end of the other arm being pivotably attached to the second base, and an adjustment wheel having threads therein engaged with threads of the threaded member. A method can include inserting an expandable attachment into a beverage container, and rotating a portion of the expandable attachment, thereby radially outwardly displacing grip pads of the expandable attachment.

Drug eluting stents, methods of making, using, and verifying long-term stability of the drug eluting stents, and methods for predicting long term stent efficacy and patient safety after implantation of a drug eluting stent are disclosured. In one embodiment, a drug eluting stent may include a stent framework; a drug-containing layer; a drug embedded in the drug-containing layer; and a biocompatible base layer disposed over the stent framework and supporting the drug-containing layer. The drug-containing layer may have an uneven coating thickness. In addition or in alternative, the drug-containing layer may be configured to significantly dissolve/dissipate/disappear between 45 days and 60 days after stent implantation. Stents may reduce, minimize, or eliminate patient risks associated with the implantation of a stent, including, for example, restenosis, thrombosis, and/or MACE.

A surface treatment assembly for treating a contoured surface includes a surface treatment array formed from a plurality of base structures, each base structure operably coupled to a first phalange structure and a first phalange structure first end. A second phalange structure operatively coupled to each first phalange structure and a phalange joint disposed between each first phalange structure and each second phalange, thereby forming a finger structure. Moreover, at least one applicator head is coupled to a second phalange structure second end of each finger structure and configured to treat the contoured surface. A base structure actuator and a phalange joint actuator operatively coupled to and configured to manipulate the first phalange structure and the second phalange of each finger structure to adjust the surface treatment array relative to the contoured surface.

Apparatus for coating a pipe. The apparatus includes a first frame to be mounted on a pipe and a second frame rotatably mounted on the first frame. An induction heating coil comprised of electrical conductors is mounted on the apparatus. A coating applicator is mounted on the second frame and is arranged to apply coating onto a surface of the pipe on which the apparatus is mounted. The first frame, second frame and coating applicator are arranged such that when the apparatus is mounted on the pipe, the applicator is disposed to one side of the induction heating coil and able to apply coating to a surface of the pipe alongside the surface of the pipe underlying the induction heating coil. The first frame may be operable between an open state in which the frame may be placed over and removed from a pipe and a closed state in which the frame may capture a pipe thereby to mount the apparatus on the pipe.