HELICAL GRAFT
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A graft comprising flow tubing having a tubing portion defining a flow lumen, the flow lumen of said tubing portion being substantially free of ribs or grooves, wherein the centre line of the flow lumen follows a substantially helical path with a helix angle less than or equal to 65°
- , and wherein the amplitude of the helix is less than or equal to one half of the internal diameter of the tubing portion.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A graft includes a flow tubing having a tubing portion defining a flow lumen. The flow lumen of the tubing portion is substantially free of ribs or grooves. A centre line of the flow lumen follows a substantially helical path with a helix angle less than or equal to 65°. The amplitude of the helix is less than or equal to one half of the internal diameter of the tubing portion.
12 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A graft comprising flow tubing having a tubing portion defining a flow lumen, the flow lumen of said tubing portion being substantially free of ribs or grooves, wherein the centre line of the flow lumen follows a substantially helical path with a helix angle less than or equal to 65°
- , and wherein the amplitude of the helix is less than or equal to one half of the internal diameter of the tubing portion.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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3. A graft comprising flow tubing having a tubing portion defining a flow lumen, wherein the centre line of the flow lumen follows a substantially helical path with a helix angle less than or equal to 65°
- , wherein the amplitude of the helical centre line is less than or equal to one half of the internal diameter of the tubing portion, and wherein the amplitude of the helical centre line is more than or equal to 0.05 of the internal diameter of the tubing portion.
- 4. A graft comprising flow tubing having a tubing portion, the tubing portion comprising a wall defining a longitudinally extending flow lumen which is substantially free of ribs or grooves, the flow lumen having a centre line following a substantially helical path, and the wall having a helical portion extending longitudinally and circumferentially so as to resist reduction of the amplitude of the helical centre line.
- 14. A method of making a graft, the method comprising positioning a generally tubular, flexible wall adjacent to a further flexible member, twisting the tubular flexible wall and the flexible member around each other, and causing the tubular flexible wall to retain, at least partly, the twisted shape.
- 17. A method of making a graft, the method comprising providing a helical mandrel having a centre line following a substantially helical path, providing a generally tubular, flexible wall, having a longitudinally extending cavity, positioning the tubular wall adjacent to the helical mandrel to cause the longitudinally extending cavity to have a centre line following a substantially helical path, and causing the tubular wall to retain, at least partly, the shape with the longitudinally extending helical cavity.
- 20. A method of making a graft, the method comprising providing a mandrel, providing a generally tubular, flexible wall having a longitudinally extending cavity, winding the tubular wall around the mandrel to extend circumferentially and longitudinally thereof so as to cause the tubular wall to define a first shape in which its longitudinally extending cavity has a centre line following a substantially helical path, setting the tubular wall, and separating the tubular wall from the mandrel so as to allow the amplitude of the helical centre line to reduce whereby the tubular wall adopts a second shape in which the amplitude of the helical centre line is less than or equal to one half of the internal diameter of the tubular wall.
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22. A method of making a graft, the method comprising arranging an elongate member helically along a generally tubular, flexible wall so that the elongate member extends longitudinally and circumferentially of the tubular wall, tensioning the elongate member to cause the wall to define a longitudinally extending cavity having a centre line following a substantially helical path, and causing the wall to retain, at least partly, the shape with the longitudinally extending helical cavity.
- 25. A method of making a graft, the method comprising providing a generally tubular wall with a helical portion extending longitudinally and circumferentially, the helical portion being less extensible than adjacent portions of the wall, and radially expanding the wall, whereby the helical portion causes the wall to define a longitudinally extending cavity having, a centre line following a substantially helical path.
Specification