An attachment configuration for a vascular filter assembly including a self-expanding filter member attached to a catheter body and constrained from expansion in a first configuration by a constraining sheath is presented. The attachment configuration includes an outer tube of material that is overlaid over an end of the filter member and bonded to the catheter body through cutouts disposed through the end of the filter member.

Provided is a laser welded body which can be manufactured without undergoing complicated steps and maintain the characteristics of a resin contained in a resin member, which exhibits high welding strength even when scanned with a laser beam at a high speed, and which can be manufactured at high production efficiency.

The laser welded body 10 comprises a first resin member 1 which is a laser-irradiated subject which contains a thermoplastic resin and nigrosine sulfate and has an absorbance a.sub.1 of 0.09 to 0.9; and a second resin member 2 which contains a thermoplastic resin as the same kind as or different kind from the thermoplastic resin and a laser beam absorbent, and has an absorbance a.sub.2 of 3.0 to 15, wherein the first resin member 1 and the second resin member 2 are laser-welded at a part at which the both resin members are overlapped and/or butted.

A method of creating a weld between a liner of a section of lined pipe and an electrofusion fitting. The fitting comprises at least one heating element, which is suitably disposed on or in an outer surface of the electrofusion fitting and is electrically isolated from an inner surface of the fitting. The method comprises locating an end of the electrofusion fitting within an end of the section of lined pipe, locating an induction coil within a bore of the electrofusion fitting in the vicinity of the at least one heating element, and supplying electrical power to the induction coil to energise the at least one heating element by electromagnetic induction.

Described is a heating means for thermally connecting two objects each having a plastic material, wherein, in the connecting, a first inner object is surrounded at least partially by a second outer object, and the heating means is located between the first inner object and the second outer object. The heating means has a ribbon-type structure, in which a plurality of openings is formed. These openings are dimensioned such that molten-on plastic material of the first inner object and/or of the second outer object can intrude and can connect to molten-on plastic material of the respective other object. Alternatively or in combination, the openings are filled with a plastic material, which can connect to molten-on plastic material of the first inner object and/or of the second outer object. The ribbon-type structure has a ferromagnetic material, which is inductively heatable and which has a Curie temperature that is lower than 460 C. and/or that is adapted to the melting temperature of the first inner object and/or of the second outer object. There is further described a welded arrangement as well as a welding system having such a heating means as well as a method for thermally connecting two objects each having a plastic material.

A method for assembling two tubes (1, 2) made from thermoplastic materials, that involves welding by heating two applied rotational contact surfaces of two parts of two tubes (1, 2), respectively, arranged end to end or overlapping coaxially (XX). The method involves induction heating of at least one conductive welding element (4), arranged at the interface (3) between the two contact surfaces, by generating a magnetic field at said conductive welding element or elements, such that the melting of the thermoplastic materials constituting said contact surfaces produces a continuous and sealed weld at said interface on at least one closed loop along the entire perimeter of said interface.

Described is a heating device for thermally connecting a pipe, which has a first plastic material, to a bushing, which has a second plastic material, and which surrounds at least a section of the pipe, wherein an inductively heatable heating means is located between the pipe and the bushing and/or integrated in the pipe and/or the bushing. The heating device has a coil arrangement, which is excitable by a generator, and which has a first coil, which has at least one complete winding within a first cross-sectional area, and a second coil, which is electrically coupled to the first coil, and which has at least one complete winding within a second cross-sectional area. The first cross-sectional area is different from the second cross-sectional area. Furthermore, a heating system having such a heating device as well as a method for thermally connecting a pipe to a bushing are described.

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.

An elongate medical device having an axis comprises an inner liner, a jacket radially outward of the liner, a braid comprising metal embedded in the jacket, a sensor, and at least one wire electrically connected to said sensor. The at least one wire is one of: embedded in the jacket and optionally disposed helically around the braid; extending longitudinally within a tube which extends generally parallel to the device axis and wherein the tube is embedded in the jacket; and disposed within a lumen, wherein the lumen extends longitudinally within the jacket.

A composite transmission shaft includes a shaft portion, and a flanged end fitting. The flanged end fitting comprises a flared sleeve comprising a tubular portion and a flared portion, and a reinforcement portion fixed to the flared portion of the sleeve. The flanged end fitting and shaft portion have been resin transfer moulded together to form the transmission shaft.

Methods for preparing oriented polymer tubes, such as biodegradable polymer tubes suitable for in vivo use, are provided herein. The disclosed methods provide alternatives to the typical extrusion/expansion methods by which oriented polymeric tubes for such uses are commonly produced. Advantageously, the disclosed methods can provide more homogeneous molecular orientation of crystallizable polymers within the tube walls, which can endow such polymeric tubes with enhanced strength (e.g., resistance to compression) and toughness.