A method of making a flexible medical article or tube, for example, a sheath for a vascular access device, is provided. The method can include extruding a polymer, for example, a polycarbonate-urethane copolymer, to form a tube and annealing the extruded polymer. The method can further include cutting the extruded tube to a desired length before or after annealing, flaring one end of the annealed tube and over-molding the flared portion onto a hub, and forming the other end of the tube into a tip. A sheath formed by such a method is also provided.

An apparatus for internal heating of end portions of pipes made of thermoplastic material having a central axis including a heating element, designed to be inserted at least partially inside an end portion of a pipe made of thermoplastic material for heating an inner cylindrical surface of the portion, the heating element including an infra-red radiation unit designed to face at least partially the inner cylindrical surface.

An apparatus for internal heating of end portions of pipes made of thermoplastic material having a central axis including a heating element, designed to be inserted at least partially inside an end portion of a pipe made of thermoplastic material for heating an inner cylindrical surface of the portion, the heating element including an infra-red radiation unit designed to face at least partially the inner cylindrical surface.

An expansion tool includes a housing and a collar rotatably coupled to the housing. The collar includes a plurality of slots. The expansion tool further includes a plurality of jaws, each jaw having a projection received in a corresponding one of the plurality of slots such that the jaws are coupled for co-rotation with the collar. The expansion tool also includes a mandrel movable relative to the housing between a retracted position and an extended position, the mandrel engageable with the jaws to expand the jaws in response to movement of the mandrel to the extended position, and a drive mechanism including a rotatable cam. Rotation of the cam moves the mandrel between the retracted position and the extended position. The expansion tool further includes a rotation mechanism configured to incrementally rotate the collar.

A pipe connection comprises a connecting piece, a pipe and a clamping ring. The pipe and the clamping ring are made of a material having memory properties. An end of the pipe and the clamping ring have been reversibly expanded co-jointly and firmly and sealingly shrunk to the connecting piece by back shrinkage. Preferably the clamping ring is made from a cross-linked polyolefin by injection molding.

A receptacle, particularly a closed plastic ampoule produced in a blow molding method and filled in the mold, has a sleeve-type neck part (1) connected to a receptacle body (3) as an axial extension. The neck part forms a seat (11) for a pre-shaped insert (5) and is integrally molded in the mold onto a circumferential surface (9) of the insert (5). The circumferential surface (9) is equipped with at least one surface irregularity (21) having an enclosed base surface such that, due to the integral molding of the neck part (1) onto the circumferential surface (9) of the insert (5), a positive fit is present between the insert and the neck part (1). The fit forms a fixing element. The axial extension of the base surface of the surface irregularity (21) is only a small fraction of the axial extension of the circumferential surface (9).

A machine for conditioning pipes made of thermoplastic material, including a station for accumulating pipes made of thermoplastic material, at which the pipes are positioned side by side and parallel to one another and with a first predetermined direction of longitudinal extension, a plurality of operational stations for conditioning respective ends of the pipes made of thermoplastic material, positioned side by side along a second predetermined direction at right angles to the first direction, these operational stations including a station for forming bells on the ends, a positioning device designed to pick up a group of pipes for transferring it from one to the other of the above-mentioned stations.

An expansion tool includes a housing and an expansion head having a casing and jaws. The jaws are movable between a closed position and an expanded position relative to a longitudinal axis. Each jaw includes a first tapered portion defining a first length along the longitudinal axis, a first sizing portion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis from the first tapered portion and defining a second length along the longitudinal axis, a second tapered portion defining a third length along the longitudinal axis, and a second sizing portion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis from the second tapered portion and defining a fourth length along the longitudinal axis. The first sizing portions define a first diameter and the second sizing portions define a second diameter greater than the first diameter when the jaws are in the closed position. The third length is greater than the fourth length.

An expansion tool includes a housing and an expansion head having a casing and jaws. The jaws are movable between a closed position and an expanded position relative to a longitudinal axis. Each jaw includes a first tapered portion defining a first length along the longitudinal axis, a first sizing portion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis from the first tapered portion and defining a second length along the longitudinal axis, a second tapered portion defining a third length along the longitudinal axis, and a second sizing portion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis from the second tapered portion and defining a fourth length along the longitudinal axis. The first sizing portions define a first diameter and the second sizing portions define a second diameter greater than the first diameter when the jaws are in the closed position. The third length is greater than the fourth length.

An expansion tool includes a housing and an expansion head coupled to the housing. The expansion head includes a casing and a plurality of jaws extending from the casing. The plurality of jaws is movable between a closed position and an expanded position relative to a longitudinal axis. Each jaw of the plurality of jaws includes a first sizing portion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and a second sizing portion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis. The first sizing portions of the plurality of jaws collectively define a first diameter when the plurality of jaws is in the closed position, the second sizing portions of the plurality of jaws collectively define a second diameter when the plurality of jaws is in the closed position, and the second diameter is greater than the first diameter.