Apparatus and methods are provided for creating tubular devices, e.g., as components for catheters, sheaths, and or other devices sized for introduction into a patient. In one embodiment, a method is provided for making a tubular device using a sheet of material including a coated first surface. The sheet is rolled around a mandrel until longitudinal edges of the sheet are disposed near or adjacent one another, e.g., without attaching the longitudinal edges together. A tubular braid is positioned over the sheet-wrapped mandrel, one or more tubular segments are positioned over the tubular braid, and heat shrink tubing is positioned over the tubular segments. The resulting assembly is heated to cause the tubular segments to at least partially reflow and/or otherwise laminate the tubular segments to the tubular braid and sheet. The heat shrink tubing and mandrel are then removed to create the tubular device.

A process for manufacturing a composite structure includes: providing first mandrels, each first mandrel including a base and a plurality of projections arranged longitudinally along and projecting vertically out from the base; providing second mandrels; providing first ribbon plies, each first ribbon ply including a sheet of fibrous material; arranging each first ribbon ply with a respective first mandrel, the arranging of each first ribbon ply including substantially covering each surface of each of the projections of one of the first mandrels with a respective first ribbon ply; mating each second mandrel with a respective first mandrel such that each first ribbon ply is sandwiched between a respective first mandrel and a respective second mandrel; and curing resin disposed with the first ribbon plies to consolidate the first ribbon plies together and form a fiber-reinforced composite core structure of an acoustic panel.

A process for manufacturing a composite structure includes: providing first mandrels, each first mandrel including a base and a plurality of projections arranged longitudinally along and projecting vertically out from the base; providing second mandrels; providing first ribbon plies, each first ribbon ply including a sheet of fibrous material; arranging each first ribbon ply with a respective first mandrel, the arranging of each first ribbon ply including substantially covering each surface of each of the projections of one of the first mandrels with a respective first ribbon ply; mating each second mandrel with a respective first mandrel such that each first ribbon ply is sandwiched between a respective first mandrel and a respective second mandrel; and curing resin disposed with the first ribbon plies to consolidate the first ribbon plies together and form a fiber-reinforced composite core structure of an acoustic panel.

A method for forming a heated thermoplastic composite material into a closed profile using a tooling includes a) forming, during a first forming stage, a heated thermoplastic composite in a first space between a male tooling part and a female tooling part, b) forming, during a second forming stage, the thermoplastic composite material by engaging a first segment and/or second segment of the thermoplastic composite material with at least one auxiliary tooling part to thereby bring the first and second segments closer together, and c) forming, during a third forming stage, the thermoplastic composite material by pressing, using a pressing tooling part, the thermoplastic composite material around the male tooling part thereby creating a seam between the first and second segment.

A method for forming a heated thermoplastic composite material into a closed profile using a tooling includes a) forming, during a first forming stage, a heated thermoplastic composite in a first space between a male tooling part and a female tooling part, b) forming, during a second forming stage, the thermoplastic composite material by engaging a first segment and/or second segment of the thermoplastic composite material with at least one auxiliary tooling part to thereby bring the first and second segments closer together, and c) forming, during a third forming stage, the thermoplastic composite material by pressing, using a pressing tooling part, the thermoplastic composite material around the male tooling part thereby creating a seam between the first and second segment.

The multilayer container includes a container body having a multilayer structure and a multilayer head of the container. The multilayer body of the container has at least one barrier layer connected, on one side, to at least one thermoplastic layer and heat sealed in a longitudinal overlapping joint formed of the edges of these layers. The body has its external surface covered with a polymeric coating, and the multilayer head of the container includes at least one non-metallic barrier layer connected, on one side, to at least one thermoplastic layer and is wholly extruded in the co-extrusion process. The essence of the invention is also a method for producing such a container.

Apparatus and methods are provided for creating tubular devices, e.g., as components for catheters, sheaths, and or other devices sized for introduction into a patient. In one embodiment, a method is provided for making a tubular device using a sheet of material including a coated first surface. The sheet is rolled around a mandrel until longitudinal edges of the sheet are disposed near or adjacent one another, e.g., without attaching the longitudinal edges together. A tubular braid is positioned over the sheet-wrapped mandrel, one or more tubular segments are positioned over the tubular braid, and heat shrink tubing is positioned over the tubular segments. The resulting assembly is heated to cause the tubular segments to at least partially reflow and/or otherwise laminate the tubular segments to the tubular braid and sheet. The heat shrink tubing and mandrel are then removed to create the tubular device.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to apparatuses and methods for fabricating tubular structures from a combination of fibrous materials for use in, for example, tissue engineering scaffold applications. These materials may also be useful in other biological or non-biological applications in which such tubular fibrous structures may be applicable, examples including conventional medical devices, filters, fiber optics, cable wraps, geotextiles, batteries, fuel cells, armor, and other diverse applications.

A system for labeling a container includes a label forming section, a buffer section, and a bonding section. The label forming section includes a first rotatable turret having a plurality of forming mandrels. The buffer section includes a second rotatable turret having a plurality of buffer receptacles. The bonding section includes a third rotatable turret having a plurality of bonding stations. The label forming section forms a label in a frustoconical shape using one of the forming mandrels and transfers the label to one of the buffer receptacles of the buffer section. The buffer section receives, in a buffer receptacle, the label followed by a container blank, and transfers the label and the container blank together to one of the bonding stations of the bonding section. The bonding section bonds the label to the container blank in the bonding station.

Provided herein is a method of manufacturing a product having a complex shape by using at least one jig and at least one mandrel. The method of manufacturing a product having a complex shape by using at least one jig and at least one mandrel is configured to include: a preparation step of preparing a prepreg sheet and a cylindrical first mandrel around which the prepreg sheet is wound; a first rolling step of forming a first stacking surface by winding the prepreg sheet around the first mandrel; a second mandrel preparation step of locating a second mandrel on the outer circumferential surface of the first stacking surface; a second rolling step of forming a second stacking surface by winding the first stacking surface and the second mandrel with the prepreg sheet; and a core removal step of removing the first mandrel and the second mandrel.