Endoscopic working channel and method of making same
First Claim
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1. A method of making an endoscopic working channel including:
- placing a first fixed length of tubing made of sintered non-expanded polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) on a mandrel;
placing a second fixed length of tubing made of un-sintered expanded polytetraflouroethylene (ePTFE) over the first fixed length of tubing;
spiral winding a wire about the exterior of the second fixed length of tubing to form an intermediate assembly;
heating the intermediate assembly to sinter the second fixed length of tubing and bond the first and second fixed of lengths of tubing together; and
removing the wire from the exterior of the second fixed length of tubing.
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Abstract
An endoscopic working channel is made of an inner length of sintered polytetraflouroethylene heat bonded to an outer tubular length of sintered expanded polytetraflouroethylene.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of making an endoscopic working channel including:
- placing a first fixed length of tubing made of sintered non-expanded polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) on a mandrel;
placing a second fixed length of tubing made of un-sintered expanded polytetraflouroethylene (ePTFE) over the first fixed length of tubing;
spiral winding a wire about the exterior of the second fixed length of tubing to form an intermediate assembly;
heating the intermediate assembly to sinter the second fixed length of tubing and bond the first and second fixed of lengths of tubing together; and
removing the wire from the exterior of the second fixed length of tubing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- placing a first fixed length of tubing made of sintered non-expanded polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) on a mandrel;
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15. An endoscopic working channel capable of retrofit into a pre-existing endoscope including in combination:
- an inner sintered polytetraflouroethylene tubular member having an, internal diameter and an external diameter and having first and second opposing ends; and
an outer tubular member over the interior tubular member and made of sintered expanded polytetraflouroethylene with first and second opposing ends and having an internal diameter substantially the same as the external diameter of the inner polytetraflouroethylene tubular member, with the outer expanded polytetraflouroethylene tubular member bonded to the inner polytetraflouroethylene tubular member. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- an inner sintered polytetraflouroethylene tubular member having an, internal diameter and an external diameter and having first and second opposing ends; and
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23. A method of making an endoscopic working channel including:
- placing a first fixed length of tubing made of sintered non-expanded polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) on a mandrel;
placing a second fixed length of tubing made of un-sintered expanded polytetraflouroethylene (ePTFE) over the first fixed length of tubing to form an intermediate assembly; and
heating the intermediate assembly to sinter the second fixed length of tubing and bond the first and second fixed of lengths of tubing together. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
- placing a first fixed length of tubing made of sintered non-expanded polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) on a mandrel;
Specification