Various improved designs for expansion tool heads are disclosed herein that are structured (1) to provide improved and more-evenly distributed strain in the pipe during the expansion strokes of the tool head which can include more gradually inducing the strain in the pipe and/or (2) to avoid the induction of plastic deformation of the pipe in regions of seal formation between the radial-inwardly facing surface of the pipe and the radially-outward facing surface of the fittings (i.e., the ribs of the fitting) especially in instances in which the tool head is not rotated between separate expansion steps. This may be achieved, for example, by the use of convexly curved outer profiles that limit initial insertion depth of the tool in the pipe prior to expansions and/or by the use of a hybrid toothed profile.

A method, and an apparatus associated therewith, for detecting plastic tube ends clamped in a butt welding machine, the plastic tube ends being planed by means of a plane, which can be introduced between the plastic tube ends, and subsequently being heated by means of a heating mirror, which can be introduced between the plastic tube ends, and the plastic tube ends are welded together after removal of the heating mirror, the plane and/or the heating mirror being tilted in between the plastic tube ends by means of a controlled movement, wherein detection or sensing of the plastic tube ends during the controlled movement of tilting in the plane and/or the heating mirror is carried out by means of at least one sensor arranged on the plane and/or on the heating mirror.

Described is a heating means for thermally connecting two objects each having a plastic material, wherein, during the connecting, a first inner object is surrounded at least partially by a second outer object, and the heating means surrounds the first inner object at least partially along a complete circumferential course around the first inner object, and is located between the first inner object and the second outer object. The heating means has a ribbon-type structure. The ribbon-type structure has an auxiliary heating material, which is inductively heatable, wherein the auxiliary heating material is spatially distributed or arranged along the circumferential course such that an electrical conductivity is interrupted at at least one position along the complete circumferential course around the first inner object. Further described are an arrangement and a system each having such a heating means as well as a method for thermally connecting two plastic objects.

A method of manufacturing a connector for a fluid transfer conduit comprises: manufacturing a tube which runs parallel to a central axis C from fibre-reinforced polymer, said tube comprising a hub portion 206 and a flange-forming portion 208 located adjacent to the hub portion 206, wherein the hub portion 206 comprises continuous circumferentially oriented fibre-reinforcement 210; and the hub portion 206 and the flange-forming portion 208 comprise longitudinally oriented fibre-reinforcement 212 which runs continuously from the hub portion 206 into the flange-forming portion 208; and bending the flange-forming portion 208 away from the central axis C such that it extends from the hub portion 206 at an angle to the central axis C.

The present disclosure relates to a fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) tube, the tube comprising a plurality of concentric layers of an FRP material forming a shell of the tube. At least one blind threaded longitudinal bolt hole is provided from a transverse end surface of the shell. The bolt hole extends in at least three of the plurality of layers, a middle layer encompassing a plane passing through a center of the bolt hole, an inner layer encompassing a plane of an innermost extent of the bolt hole, and an outer layer encompassing a plane of an outermost extent of the bolt hole. The fibre filament of each of the inner and outer layers has been wound at a first angle to the longitudinal axis and the fibre filament of the middle layer has been wound at a second angle to the longitudinal axis.

A flow diversion device for treating branch point aneurysms that includes a wire stent frame comprising a plurality of wire elements, the wire stent comprising a proximal limb and two distal limbs, wherein the proximal limb and the two distal limbs converge at a crotch of the wire stent frame. The plurality of wire elements may be braided together. The flow diversion device may have a substantially Y-shape or T-shape. The flow diversion device may be manufactured by using two tubular flow diversion devices to make a Y-shaped flow diversion device.

A manufacturing method for manufacturing a pipe joint including a circular tube-shaped housing and an elastically deformable circular tube-shaped seal member provided at an inner peripheral side of the housing. The pipe joint manufacturing method includes a process of placing the seal member inside a mold in a state in which the seal member is fitted to an outer periphery of a retaining pin, and a process of causing a molten resin to flow into the mold so as to mold the housing in a state in which the seal member is cooled through the retaining pin.

An apparatus and method for joining pipes includes a plate for melting mating surfaces of the pipes to be joined. Additionally, the apparatus utilizes a vacuum in order to push the first and second pipes together in lieu of hand or mechanical pressure which may be inconsistent. Additionally, the vacuum allows the pipes to be joined to settle on each other in order to create a pressure about a periphery of the end of the pipe being joined to the other pipe. The consistent pressure creates a very strong joint between the first and second pipes.

A tube connector made from a polyamide composition, the polyamide composition including at least one first polyamide A having an average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom C.sub.A and at least one second polyamide B having an average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom C.sub.B, wherein C.sub.A8.5 and C.sub.B7.5, and wherein C.sub.A<C.sub.B. The composition may include a third polyamide C having an average number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom C.sub.C, wherein C.sub.BC.sub.C.

An air duct system for transferring air or the like from one component to another includes a tubular body with an exterior surface, an interior surface, and an end which connects the exterior surface to the interior surface. The end has a diameter no larger than the exterior surface. The internal cuff connects to the exterior surface and extends axially from the end of the tubular body. The external cuff connects to the internal cuff and the exterior surface, and extends axially and radially from the internal cuff and the exterior surface. The external cuff is made from a material relatively harder than a material used for the internal cuff.