Method for bending a plastic pipe including arranging a bending portion of a plastic pipe in a heating zone of a heater and performing contactless local heating of the bending portion, wherein the heater is adapted to provide a first predetermined temperature difference between a neutral zone of the bending portion and a compression zone of the bending portion and a second predetermined temperature difference between the neutral zone and the compression zone, of the bending area and an expansion zone of the bending area, introducing bending forces on holding regions arranged on the plastic pipe at a distance from the bending area and/or introducing bending forces on the bending area for deforming the plastic pipe into a deformation position and cooling the plastic pipe in the deformation position.

A device for holding a bend area of an elongated flexible element, such as an electric cable, a rope, a plastic tube or the like has two through-holes placed side by side in a shaped body. At least one of the two holes has a side opening extending to the corresponding peripheral edge of the shaped body, thereby making the hole accessible from the outside.

System for curving an elongated medical device including a curving apparatus, and a curve database corresponding to at least one curve shape. The curving apparatus is configured to impart a permanent curve according to the curve shape on a distal portion of an elongated medical device that is greater than that on a proximal portion of the elongated medical device while maintaining sterility of the elongated medical device.

Curved heat shrink tubing and methods of making the same are described herein. An example method includes inserting heat shrink tubing into a tube, curving the tube, and deforming the heat shrink tubing, inside of the tube, to have a curved shape along a length of the heat shrink tubing where a first length of the heat shrink tubing along an outer radius of the curved shape is longer than a second length of the heat shrink tubing along an inner radius of the curved shape.

An expandable sheath may include an inelastic compliant membrane having a lumen therethrough, and a discontinuous outer member bonded to the membrane. The membrane may include one or more folds formed therein. At least a portion of the outer member may extend continuously around a circumference of the membrane in a first configuration. The outer member may be configured to separate to a second configuration when subjected to a radially outward force from within the membrane. The outer member may taper from a first diameter adjacent a proximal hub to a second smaller diameter at a distal end. A method of manufacturing an expandable sheath may include forming one or more folds in a compliant membrane, cutting a plurality of apertures through a wall of an outer covering; and laminating the outer covering onto the membrane, wherein the plurality of apertures is disposed over the one or more folds.

The invention relates to a long tubular pipe comprising an outer tube, an inner fluid-transporting tube mounted in the outer tube, and a separating member designed to transmit bending efforts between said outer tube and said inner tube when said outer tube is bent, the separating member comprising means for the longitudinal passage of fluid between the inner tube and the outer tube, the separating member comprising a first edge and a second edge together defining an assembly slot, the first edge and the second edge respectively comprising a first connecting element and a second connecting element designed to cooperate mechanically on the outer periphery of the inner tube.

A method of making a tank for storing fluid that includes generating a resinated braid layer on an elongated liner having a plurality of successively alternating rigid and flexible portions along the length of the liner. Generating the resinated braid layer on the liner includes feeding the liner into a braiding machine and applying resin to a plurality of fibers during a braiding process to generate a resinated plurality of fibers and generating, over a length of the liner, by the braiding machine, the resinated braid layer defined by the resinated plurality of fibers.

A medical device includes a balloon expanded scaffold (or stent) crimped to a catheter having a balloon. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes using protective polymer sheaths or sheets during crimping, and resetting the sheaths or sheets during the crimping to avoid or minimize interference between the polymer material and scaffold struts as the scaffold is reduced in size. Balloon pressure is adjusted when the polymer material is reset.

The present invention provides a system for enriching a flowing liquid with a dissolved gas inside a conduit. The system comprises two or more capillaries, each capillary delivering a stream of a gas-enriched liquid to the flowing liquid. The first ends of the capillaries are positioned to form an intersecting angle with respect to the effluent streams such that these streams of gas-enriched liquid collide with each other upon exit from the first ends of the capillaries, effecting localized convective mixing within the larger liquid conduit before these gas-enriched streams are able to come into close contact with the boundary surfaces of the conduit, whereby the gas-enriched liquid mixes with the flowing liquid to form a gas-enriched flowing liquid. In the preferred embodiment, no observable bubbles are formed in the gas-enriched flowing liquid. Methods of making and using such system are also provided.

An expandable sheath may include an inelastic compliant membrane having a lumen therethrough, and a discontinuous outer member bonded to the membrane. The membrane may include one or more folds formed therein. At least a portion of the outer member may extend continuously around a circumference of the membrane in a first configuration. The outer member may be configured to separate to a second configuration when subjected to a radially outward force from within the membrane. The outer member may taper from a first diameter adjacent a proximal hub to a second smaller diameter at a distal end. A method of manufacturing an expandable sheath may include forming one or more folds in a compliant membrane, cutting a plurality of apertures through a wall of an outer covering; and laminating the outer covering onto the membrane, wherein the plurality of apertures is disposed over the one or more folds.