A protective braided sleeve and method of construction thereof is provided. The sleeve includes a seamless, circumferentially continuous, tubular braided wall having a cavity extending lengthwise along a central longitudinal axis between opposite ends. The wall includes a plurality of yarns braided with one another, with at least one or more of the yarns including a bicomponent yarn including a core and an outer adhesive sheath adapted to be selectively melted to bond the wall to an elongate member extending through the cavity.

A protective braided sleeve and method of construction thereof is provided. The sleeve includes a seamless, circumferentially continuous, tubular braided wall having a cavity extending lengthwise along a central longitudinal axis between opposite ends. The wall includes a plurality of yarns braided with one another, with at least one or more of the yarns including a bicomponent yarn including a core and an outer adhesive sheath adapted to be selectively melted to bond the wall to an elongate member extending through the cavity.

A support core for an elastic sleeve comprises a first cylindrical section disengagably connected to a second cylindrical section. Each cylindrical section has an annular sidewall made up of a plurality of interlocking concave plates extending longitudinally along a portion of the support core between a abutment end and a distal end. The abutment end of each cylinder section includes a generally helical edge. The plurality of concave plates comprises a top and bottom surfaces, having two opposing longitudinal edges extending between said surfaces on opposite sides of the concave plate. Each of the longitudinal edges comprises an interlocking feature that configure to connect to a mating feature of at least one other concave plate to form one of cylindrical sections of the support core.

A support core for an elastic sleeve comprises a first cylindrical section disengagably connected to a second cylindrical section. Each cylindrical section has an annular sidewall made up of a plurality of interlocking concave plates extending longitudinally along a portion of the support core between a abutment end and a distal end. The abutment end of each cylinder section includes a generally helical edge. The plurality of concave plates comprises a top and bottom surfaces, having two opposing longitudinal edges extending between said surfaces on opposite sides of the concave plate. Each of the longitudinal edges comprises an interlocking feature that configure to connect to a mating feature of at least one other concave plate to form one of cylindrical sections of the support core.

A process for arranging a protective sheath on a drug-coated balloon catheter in a machine. The protective sheath is transported via a transport system into a holding device. A drug coated area of the balloon catheter from contact with the machine. The protective sheath is arranged on a drug-coated area of the balloon catheter by machine relative motion between the balloon catheter and the protective sheath. The protecting can be placing at least one first and one second flexible film between the balloon catheter and a guide of the machine during the relative motion or can be holding the balloon catheter at a position on the catheter away from the drug-coated area during the relative motion.

A process for arranging a protective sheath on a drug-coated balloon catheter in a machine. The protective sheath is transported via a transport system into a holding device. A drug coated area of the balloon catheter from contact with the machine. The protective sheath is arranged on a drug-coated area of the balloon catheter by machine relative motion between the balloon catheter and the protective sheath. The protecting can be placing at least one first and one second flexible film between the balloon catheter and a guide of the machine during the relative motion or can be holding the balloon catheter at a position on the catheter away from the drug-coated area during the relative motion.

A plasma treatment apparatus has a dielectric with an inner cavity and having a cylindrical shape, a coiled inner electrode positioned on the inner peripheral surface side of the dielectric and wound along the axial direction, an outer electrode positioned on the outer peripheral surface side of the dielectric and applying an AC voltage between the outer electrode and the inner electrode, and a gas supply part supplying to the inner cavity a gas to generate plasma by applying the AC voltage.

A plasma treatment apparatus has a dielectric with an inner cavity and having a cylindrical shape, a coiled inner electrode positioned on the inner peripheral surface side of the dielectric and wound along the axial direction, an outer electrode positioned on the outer peripheral surface side of the dielectric and applying an AC voltage between the outer electrode and the inner electrode, and a gas supply part supplying to the inner cavity a gas to generate plasma by applying the AC voltage.

A winding core with improved beam and hoop strength and diminished friability and method for manufacturing such a core are provided, the method for making the winding core comprising: providing a wood fiber core, applying an adhesive to the wood fiber core, and sliding a tube or sheath onto the wood fiber core.

A winding core with improved beam and hoop strength and diminished friability and method for manufacturing such a core are provided, the method for making the winding core comprising: providing a wood fiber core, applying an adhesive to the wood fiber core, and sliding a tube or sheath onto the wood fiber core.