A tapered implantable device includes an ePTFE tubular member having a tapered length portion. The tapered length portion provides rapid recovery properties. The tapered length portion can feature a microstructure that includes a multiplicity of bent fibrils.

A bending method and a bending device, wherein a composite bar comprising a bundle of reinforcing fibres embedded in a polymer matrix is bent at a bending point. To make it bendable, the composite bar is heated locally at the bending point using an ultrasonic device with a sonotrode. After the bending point has been heated, an infeeding movement between the composite bar and the sonotrode is used to deform a region of the composite bar at the bending point to create a deformed portion of which the outer dimensions are different from the outer dimensions of the bar portions of the composite bar adjoining the bending point. The two bar portions are then moved or angled away in relation to one another, and so the composite bar is curved at the bending point. Once the desired bending has been achieved, the composite bar is cured at the bending point.

A nylon tube automatic thermoforming apparatus includes a main body, a conveying assembly, a heating assembly and a tube bending assembly. The heating assembly includes an oven communicated with the conveying assembly and an electrically heated cylinder arranged between the oven and the tube bending assembly. A heating coil is arranged in the electrically heated cylinder. A nylon tube is conveyed from the conveying assembly and enters the tube bending assembly via the oven and the heating coil. The electrically heated cylinder and the tube bending assembly are arranged outside the main body. A nylon tube shaping process includes the steps of drawing, heating inside a main body, heating outside the main body, bending, staying, feeding, angle adjusting, repeating the above steps until the length and the curvature of the nylon tube meet the requirements, and cutting off.

A nylon tube automatic thermoforming apparatus includes a main body, a conveying assembly, a heating assembly and a tube bending assembly. The heating assembly includes an oven communicated with the conveying assembly and an electrically heated cylinder arranged between the oven and the tube bending assembly. A heating coil is arranged in the electrically heated cylinder. A nylon tube is conveyed from the conveying assembly and enters the tube bending assembly via the oven and the heating coil. The electrically heated cylinder and the tube bending assembly are arranged outside the main body. A nylon tube shaping process includes the steps of drawing, heating inside a main body, heating outside the main body, bending, staying, feeding, angle adjusting, repeating the above steps until the length and the curvature of the nylon tube meet the requirements, and cutting off.

An object of the present invention is to propose a bending die capable of creating a product without causing buckling, even if the shape of the product is long or bent freely in three-dimensional space. The bending die according to the present invention is a bending die having a smooth shape formed by virtually and continuously moving, in three-dimensional space, a profile including a substantially circular-shaped first closed curve having a recess portion, wherein an opening width b of the recess portion is shorter than a groove width a of the recess portion, a tube insetting portion is formed by the recess portion, and the smooth shape is realized and created in real space using a three-dimensional printing technique.

A method of manufacturing a tube assembly includes surrounding an outer surface of a cured rubber hose with a thermoplastic layer, the cured rubber hose extending along a length between a first end and a second end and having a first shape along its length, the thermoplastic layer surrounding the cured rubber hose along at least a portion of the length. The cured rubber hose surrounded with the thermoplastic layer is molded into a second shape different than the first shape. The cured rubber hose is retained in the second shape by the thermoplastic layer. A tube assembly includes a cured rubber hose and thermoplastic layer surrounding the rubber hose along at least a portion of the length of the cured rubber hose. The cured rubber hose has been cured in a first shape along its length and the thermoplastic layer retains the cured rubber hose in a second shape.

A machine and a process for bending filiform thermoplastic material, such as a tube, by using a machine for bending tubes provided with a heating apparatus governed by a programmable control unit with a core body positionable inside the portion of the tube to be bent, suitable for being heated in a sector-by-sector basis, said sectors being independent of each other and heatable independently of each other.

A method for making a preformed thermoplastic tube having a tube wall and including at least one bend formed by thermoforming, characterized in that on an inner curve of the bend the tube wall is provided with a pattern of corrugations with minimal dimensions in terms of number of and heights of corrugations such that a wall length reduction resulting from the corrugations along the inner curve is kept at a minimal value necessary to absorb overlength on the inner curve resulting from forming the bend, and in that on an outer curve of the bend the tube wall is smooth and free of corrugations.

An object is to provide a thermoplastic tube bending method that suppresses springback after the processing by a highly safe and short bending step. The thermoplastic tube bending method includes a step S1 of preheating the thermoplastic tube, a step S2 of bending the preheated thermoplastic tube by using a forming mold, and a step S3 of forming the bent thermoplastic tube by temperature control of an electric heater provided to the forming mold.

In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for producing microfibers comprising the steps of: (a) providing a base material; (b) forming the base material in a ring; (c) gripping opposing ends of the ring; (d) flipping one of the opposing ends relative to the other of the opposing ends, forming an upper portion and a lower portion; (e) folding the upper portion onto the lower portion; (f) stretching the folded upper and lower portions; and (g) repeating steps (d)-(f) as desired.