At least one infrared element arrangement having at least one infrared element (3) comprising a plurality of infrared radiators (4) is mounted on a frame moveable with respect to a synthetic filter fabric mounted to a filtering surface. The frame may have wheels or the like such that the infrared radiators may be moved along the length of the filtering surface to heat the synthetic filter fabric (6) to a temperature of 100 to 160 C. for shrinking the fabric (6) on the filtering surface (5).

Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a guidewire. The guidewire may include a core wire having a body region and a distal tip region. A distal tip member may be disposed along the distal tip region. The distal tip member may have a proximal end. A sleeve may be disposed along the body region. The sleeve may be disposed adjacent to the proximal end of the distal tip member and extending proximally therefrom. The sleeve may include a first member and a heat shrink member. The first member may have an uneven outer surface.

A decorated strip of coated, heat-shrinkable, plastic sheet material is placed on a mold comprising a cylindrical mold body, and attachment means, preferably in the form of two parallel pins extending toward the cylindrical mold body from a pin-supporting wall, and with their ends remote from the wall spaced a short distance from the cylindrical mold body. Holes adjacent the ends of the strip are engaged with the pins. Upon heating in an oven, the strip shrinks, forming a resiliently expansible finger ring, which can be removed from the mold by disengagement from the pins.

A decorated strip of coated, heat-shrinkable, plastic sheet material is placed on a mold comprising a cylindrical mold body, and attachment means, preferably in the form of two parallel pins extending toward the cylindrical mold body from a pin-supporting wall, and with their ends remote from the wall spaced a short distance from the cylindrical mold body. Holes adjacent the ends of the strip are engaged with the pins. Upon heating in an oven, the strip shrinks, forming a resiliently expansible finger ring, which can be removed from the mold by disengagement from the pins.

A medical device, such as an electrophysiology catheter, has an elongate body including a wall. A reinforcing layer is encapsulated in the wall. The reinforcing layer includes one or more reinforcing fibers having glass cores and polymer cladding. In embodiments, the reinforcing fibers are non-magnetically-susceptible and non-electrically-conductive, facilitating the use of the medical device in connection with procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

A process for forming a sheet of thermoplastic material into a three-dimensional shape comprising at least one vertex, the process comprising the steps of (i) forming the sheet by means of a former having a profile such as to produce a first formed shape in the sheet, followed by (ii) positioning a male former within the first formed shape, the male former having a profile within the first formed shape comprising at least one vertex and (iii) raising the temperature of the first formed shape above that of forming in step (i), thereby causing the first formed shape to shrink back towards its original sheet form and thereby adopting the profile of the male former.

A process for forming a sheet of thermoplastic material into a three-dimensional shape comprising at least one vertex, the process comprising the steps of (i) forming the sheet by means of a former having a profile such as to produce a first formed shape in the sheet, followed by (ii) positioning a male former within the first formed shape, the male former having a profile within the first formed shape comprising at least one vertex and (iii) raising the temperature of the first formed shape above that of forming in step (i), thereby causing the first formed shape to shrink back towards its original sheet form and thereby adopting the profile of the male former.

A shoe has an upper portion with an outer surface, a sole and a closure. A heat shrinkable plastic material is formed into a shoe cover that defines a recess complementary in shape to an upper portion of the shoe. The shoe cover defines a bottom opening having dimensions so as to expose the sole of the shoe when the shoe is placed within the recess. The shoe cover also defines a top opening having dimensions so as expose the closure while still covering the substantially all of the upper portion except for the closure. The heat shrinkable plastic material includes a material that causes the shoe cover to shrink to the outer surface of the shoe when subjected to heat at a predetermined temperature.

A shoe has an upper portion with an outer surface, a sole and a closure. A heat shrinkable plastic material is formed into a shoe cover that defines a recess complementary in shape to an upper portion of the shoe. The shoe cover defines a bottom opening having dimensions so as to expose the sole of the shoe when the shoe is placed within the recess. The shoe cover also defines a top opening having dimensions so as expose the closure while still covering the substantially all of the upper portion except for the closure. The heat shrinkable plastic material includes a material that causes the shoe cover to shrink to the outer surface of the shoe when subjected to heat at a predetermined temperature.

A decorated strip of coated, heat-shrinkable, plastic sheet material is placed in a spiral slot formed in a silicone rubber mold. The spiral slot is defined by a spiral wall having a uniform wall thickness. Upon heating in an oven, the material shrinks, forming a resiliently expansible arc-shaped band that can be worn as a bracelet or wristband.