Thin-wall polytetrafluoroethylene tube

• US 6,025,044 A
• Filed: 03/02/1994
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Campbell, Carey V., Myers, David J., Lewis, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woodward, M Patrick
• Application Number:
  US08/204,708
• Time in Patent Office: 2,176 Days
• Field of Search: 623/900, 428/35.8, 428/36.1, 428/411.1, 428/421, 428/36.91
• US Class Current: 428/36.91
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3431 being collapsible, e.g. made of thin flexible material A61B17/3423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/072 Encapsulated stents, e.g. wire or whole stent embedded in lining
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/16 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/56 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/041 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/085 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/048 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds A61L31/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/10 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/38 by bending sheets or strips at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the article being formed and joining the edges
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/58 helically
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/10 around tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/207 arranged in parallel planes of fibres crossing at substantial angles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/30 Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/302 Details of the edges of fibre composites, e.g. edge finishing or means to avoid delamination
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 23/001 Pipes; Pipe joints pleated hoses B29D23/18
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 23/18 Pleated or corrugated hoses
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/18 : PTFE, i.e. polytetrafluorethene , e.g. ePTFE, i.e. expanded polytetrafluorethene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 : cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/048 : Expandable particles, beads or granules
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0827 : Braided fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/101 : Oriented
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2305/12 : Iron
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 : Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2022/022 : Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2023/005 : Hoses, i.e. flexible
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2023/007 : Medical tubes other than catheters catheters B29L2031/7542
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2023/18 : Pleated or corrugated hoses
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/14 : Filters optical filters B29L2011/0066, sieves or screens B29L2031/737
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/753 : Medical equipment; Accessories therefor bloodbags, medical bags B29L2031/7148; artificial eyes B29L2011/0008
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7542 : Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 1/08 : Tubular products
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/02 : Layer formed of wires, e.g. mesh
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/08 : of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/30 : comprising vinyl (co)polymers; comprising acrylic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/02 : characterised by features of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions non-uniform thickness B32B3/263
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/10 : characterised by a discontinuous layer, i.e. formed of separate pieces of material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 : characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/32 : at least two layers being foamed and next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 27/18 : Homopolymers or copolymers or tetrafluoroethene
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 11/085 : comprising one or more braided layers in combination with layers of a helically wound core or wire F16L11/088
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/90 : Stent for heart valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 : Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1355 : Elemental metal containing [e.g., substrate, foil, film, coating, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1362 : Textile, fabric, cloth, or pile containing [e.g., web, net, woven, knitted, mesh, nonwoven, matted, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/139 : Open-ended, self-supporting conduit, cylinder, or tube-type article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1393 : Multilayer [continuous layer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1397 : Single layer [continuous layer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 : Composite [nonstructural laminate]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 : Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31544 : Addition polymer is perhalogenated

Abstract

A thin-wall PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) tube in the form of a tube of porous expanded PTFE film wherein the porous PTFE film has a microstructure containing a multiplicity of fibrils oriented substantially parallel to each other. The tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.25 mm and is made from at least one first layer and at least one second layer of porous PTFE film, wherein the fibrils of the first and second layers are oriented substantially perpendicular to each other. Preferably the fibrils of the at least one first layer are oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube and the fibrils of the at least one second layer of porous PTFE film are oriented substantially circumferential to the tube. The first and second layers may be inner and outer layers respectively, or alternatively their relationship may be reversed. Alternatively, either of the first and second film layers may be replaced with alternative reinforcing components such as a braid or at least one reinforcing rib.

Claims

1. A thin-wall tube comprising a tube having a longitudinal axis and a wall thickness of less than about 0.25 mm, said tube being comprised of at least one first layer and at least one second layer of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene film wherein the porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene film has a microstructure having fibrils oriented substantially parallel to each other and wherein the fibrils of the first layer of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene film are oriented substantially perpendicular to the fibrils of the second layer of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene film.

2. A thin-wall tube according to claim 1 wherein the thin-wall tube is porous.

3. A thin-wall tube according to claim 1 wherein the thin-wall tube is non-porous.

4. A thin-wall tube according to claim 1 wherein the fibrils of the first layer of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene film are oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube and wherein the fibrils of the second layer of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene film are oriented substantially circumferential to the tube.

5. A thin-wall tube according to claim 4 wherein the thin-wall tube is porous.

6. A thin-wall tube according to claim 4 wherein the thin-wall tube is non-porous.

7. A thin-wall tube according to claim 4 wherein the first layer is located inside the second layer.

8. A thin-wall tube according to claim 4 wherein the first layer is located outside the second layer.

9. A thin-wall tube according to claim 4 wherein the second layer is a helically wrapped layer.

10. A thin-wall tube according to claim 7 wherein the second layer is a helically wrapped layer.

11. A thin-wall tube according to claim 8 wherein the second layer is a helically wrapped layer.

12. A thin-wall tube according to claim 4 wherein the first layer is secured to the second layer by an adhesive.

13. A thin-wall tube according to claim 12 wherein the adhesive is a discontinuously coated adhesive.

14. A thin-wall tube according to claim 12 wherein the adhesive is a continuously coated adhesive.

15. A thin-wall tube according to claim 12 wherein the adhesive is a thermoplastic.

16. A thin-wall tube according to claim 15 wherein the adhesive is a thermoplastic fluoropolymer.

17. A thin-wall tube according to claim 16 wherein the thermoplastic fluoropolymer is fluorinated ethylene propylene.

18. A thin-wall tube according to claim 4 wherein the tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.10 mm.

19. A thin-wall tube according to claim 18 wherein the tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.06 mm.

20. A thin-wall tube according to claim 7 wherein the tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.10 mm.

21. A thin-wall tube according to claim 20 wherein the tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.06 mm.

22. A thin-wall tube according to claim 8 wherein the tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.10 mm.

23. A thin-wall tube according to claim 22 wherein the tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.06 mm.

24. A thin-wall tube according to claim 9 wherein the tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.10 mm.

25. A thin-wall tube according to claim 24 wherein the tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.06 mm.

26. A thin-wall tube according to claim 4 wherein the thin-wall tube incorporates a layer of braided reinforcing material.

27. A thin-wall tube according to claim 26 wherein the layer of braided reinforcing material is between the first and second layers.

28. A thin-wall tube according to claim 26 wherein the layer of braided reinforcing material is exterior to the first and second layers.

29. A thin-wall tube according to claim 9 wherein a layer of braided reinforcing material is incorporated between the first and second layers.

30. A thin-wall tube according to claim 9 wherein a layer of braided reinforcing material is incorporated exterior to the first and second layers.

31. A thin-wall tube according to claim 4 wherein the tube has at least one substantially longitudinally-oriented reinforcing rib.

32. A thin-wall tube according to claim 12 wherein the tube has at least one substantially longitudinally-oriented reinforcing rib.

33. A thin-wall tube according to claim 17 wherein the tube has at least one substantially longitudinally-oriented reinforcing rib.

34. A thin-wall tube according to claim 18 wherein the tube has at least one substantially longitudinally-oriented reinforcing rib.

35. A thin-wall tube according to claim 19 wherein the tube has at least one substantially longitudinally-oriented reinforcing rib.

36. A thin-wall tube according to claim 24 wherein the tube has at least one substantially longitudinally-oriented reinforcing rib.

37. A thin-wall tube according to claim 12 wherein the tube has a wall thickness less than about 0.10 mm.

38. A thin-wall tube according to claim 37 wherein the tube has a wall thickness less than about 0.06 mm.

39. A thin-wall tube according to claim 17 wherein the tube has a wall thickness less than about 0.10 mm.

40. A thin-wall tube according to claim 39 wherein the tube has a wall thickness less than about 0.06 mm.