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