Patents Represented by Attorney Burns, Doane, Stewart & Mathis, L.L.P.
  • Patent number: 7090792
    Abstract: A group of multiple hollow fibers may be shaped to introduce angular divergence among the fibers, or to introduce a selected longitudinal oscillation into the fibers. In one shaping technique, the fibers are held in parallel while upper and lower crimping assemblies of parallel crimping bars are drawn together on opposite sides of the parallel fibers. When bars of the opposing assemblies draw sufficiently close, they sandwich the fibers in between them, causing each fiber to assume a shape that oscillates as the fiber repeatedly goes over and then under successive bars. Since the crimping bars are aligned at oblique angles to the fibers, the peaks and troughs of successive fibers are offset. While in this position, the fibers are heated and then cooled to permanently retain their shapes. A different shaping technique utilizes a lattice of criss-crossing tines defining multiple apertures. In this technique, the lattice and fibers are positioned so that each fiber passes through one of the apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Alsius Corporation
    Inventors: David P. Balding, Steven C. Foster