Abstract: An apparatus is for forming a balloon layer, such as on an expanded base balloon. The apparatus includes a mandrel supporting the expanded base balloon. At least one gripper is provided for gripping the balloon layer, and an actuator is for stretching the balloon layer over the expanded base balloon, such as by moving the at least one gripper. Related methods for forming a balloon layer are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a balloon catheter having a high-quality balloon, the method enabling an entire mold to be uniformly heated. A method for producing a balloon catheter having a shaft extending in a distal-proximal direction and a balloon provided on a distal side of the shaft, the method comprising: a tubular body placement step of placing a resin tubular body (10) inside a mold (20); a mold placement step of placing the mold (20) inside a heating jacket (30); a heating start step of starting heating the heating jacket (30); an elongation start step of starting elongating the resin tubular body (10) in a lengthwise direction thereof an elongation end step of ending elongating the resin tubular body (10); and a heating end step of ending heating the heating jacket (30), wherein the heating end step is performed before the elongation end step.

Abstract: Providing a method for producing a balloon catheter, that is capable of uniformly heating and cooling the entire mold and less likely to cause temperature unevenness. A method for producing a balloon catheter which comprises a shaft extending in a longitudinal direction and a medical resin balloon provided at a distal end portion of the shaft, comprising the steps of inserting a resin tubular body (10) into a mold (20), and placing the mold (20) inside a thermal jacket (30) wherein a porous metal body (50) is disposed outside the mold (20) and inside the thermal jacket (30).

Abstract: Installation for heating the bodies (1) of thermoplastic preforms (2) with a view to manufacturing containers by blow-molding or stretch-blow-molding, while the preforms (2) are being moved along with their bodies (1) following a predetermined path (T), this installation comprising at least one directional source (5) of electromagnetic radiation directed towards a location (E) on the path (T); the source (5) is inclined by an angle (?) of between about 60° and 10° and preferably less than about 45°, with respect to the tangent (6) to the path (T) at the location (E); thus, the electromagnetic radiation can pass through several preform bodies or parts of bodies without being appreciably reflected back towards the source (5).

Abstract: A heat treatment method is provided for a panel. The panel includes a plastic housing composition, in which semiconductor chips are embedded by their rear sides and edge sides, and the top sides of the semiconductor chips form a coplanar area with the plastic housing composition. The panel is fixed by its underside on a holder, and a temperature gradient (?T) is then generated between top side and the underside of the panel. The temperature gradient (?T) is then maintained for at least one delimited or selected time period. The panel is then cooled to room temperature (TR).

Abstract: A catheter having an elongated shaft with a tubular member which forms at least a portion of the shaft and which is formed of a biaxially oriented thermoplastic polymeric material, and a method of forming the catheter shaft by radially and longitudinally expanding the tubular member to biaxially orient the polymeric material. A catheter of the invention has an improved combination of low bending stiffness, high rupture pressure, and high tensile strength, for improved catheter performance.

Abstract: A finish on a hollow plastic preform or container includes a neck that is at least partially of crystallizable polymer construction and is at least partially crystallized, and a finish ring externally secured over the neck. The neck preferably is of molded plastic construction, and preferably is stretched subsequent to molding but prior to external securement of the finish ring. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the preform or container has an integral body, and the neck is integrally molded with the body. The finish ring preferably has at least one external thread for securement of a closure to the container after molding.

Abstract: Balloon especially useful for dilatation of gastrointestinal lesions have a burst pressure of at least 9 atmospheres, a diameter at 3 atmospheres of about 5 mm or more, and an average compliance over the range of from 3 atmospheres to burst of at least 3% per atmosphere. Such balloons and balloons having other combinations of burst strength, compliance and diameter may be prepared by a method wherein a tubing of a thermoplastic polymer material is radially expanded under a first elevated pressure at an elevated temperature to form the balloon at a first diameter and then annealing the balloon at a second elevated temperature and a second pressure less than the first elevated pressure for a time sufficient to shrink the formed balloon to a second diameter less than the first diameter. The thermoplastic polymer material may be a block copolymer material. Catheters bearing balloons prepared by this method have low withdrawal force requirements, especially catheters used in through-the-scope applications.

Abstract: A high density polyethylene (HDPE) film is provided having high-biaxial orieniation. The film includes HDPE having a density of at least about 0.940, and a melt index of from about 0.5 to about 10. The film is stretched in the machine (longitudinal) direction to a degree of from about 5:1 to about 8:1, preferably from about 6:1 to about 7:1. The film is also stretched in the transverse (lateral) direction to a degree of from about 6:1 to about 15:1, preferably from about 9:1 to about 13:1. Preferably, the film has an orientation imbalance, with a higher degree of transverse orientation than machine orientation. Skin layers such as heat seal layers can be provided. Preferably, the film contains one or more layers of a casting promoter material employed to promote casting of a high gauge HDPE sheet subsequently high biaxially oriented to provide the film. The film can also be cavitated, or otherwise modified (e.g., corona-treated, coated, metallized, etc.) to provide films suitable for special applications.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to apparatus and method for forming balloons with improved dimensional stability and balloons formed by the same. The method of the present invention provides for a very accurate control of the temperature profile of the balloon material during its making. The attributes of the balloon can be affected by how the balloon is treated during the blowing stage and after the initial blowing, i.e., heat-setting. Using the present method, the balloon will form more uniformly and evenly (e.g., wall thickness and outer diameter of the balloon). The present method significantly increases the dimensional stability of the balloon which provides a balloon that is more predictable, in use. The present heat-set process also provides the means for the working length to be located more accurately on dilation catheters and stent delivery systems.

Abstract: A method for producing a heat set plastic container including: providing a mold cavity having sidewall surfaces and base surfaces; providing a plastic preform within the mold cavity; expanding and stretching the preform into conformity with the sidewall surfaces and the base surfaces to form a plastic container having a sidewall and a base; and inducing crystallinity in the base of the plastic container by applying heat from the base surfaces of the mold cavity to the base of the plastic container and by applying heat from an interior portion of the plastic container to an interior surface of the base of the plastic container.

Abstract: A method for producing a biaxially oriented, heat set plastic container, including the steps of providing a plastic preform within a mold cavity; expanding and stretching the plastic preform into conformity with the surfaces defining the mold cavity to form a biaxially oriented plastic container; inducing crystallinity in the plastic container by using convection heat transfer to heat a surface of the plastic container to a temperature of at least 120° C.; and removing the plastic container from the mold cavity. The PET containers produced by the method have an average sidewall crystallinity greater than about 30%, which allows the PET container to maintain its material integrity during any subsequent pasteurization or retort process of the contents in the PET container, and during shipment of the PET container.

Abstract: A method for producing a biaxially oriented, heat set plastic container, including the steps of providing a plastic preform within a mold cavity; expanding and stretching the plastic preform into conformity with the surfaces defining the mold cavity to form a biaxially oriented plastic container; inducing crystallinity in the plastic container by using convection heat transfer to heat a surface of the plastic container to a temperature of at least 120° C.; and removing the plastic container from the mold cavity. The PET containers produced by the method have an average sidewall crystallinity greater than about 30%, which allows the PET container to maintain its material integrity during any subsequent pasteurization or retort process of the contents in the PET container, and during shipment of the PET container.

Abstract: A method of forming a wide mouth blow molded thermoplastic container comprising the steps of i) stretch blow molding from a preform, an intermediate article defining the container with the mouth being threaded and/or flanged, the mouth terminating in an accommodation element having a neck finish that supports the preform in the blow mold; ii) heat setting the intermediate article including the entire container while still in the mold, and iii) removing the intermediate article of manufacture from the mold and severing the accommodation element to produce the container, and an article when made by the method. The method also includes post forming of a rim portion of the container following separation of the container from the accommodation element.

Abstract: A method of forming a wide mouth blow molded thermoplastic container comprising the steps of i) stretch blow molding from a preform, an intermediate article defining the container with the mouth being threaded and/or flanged, the mouth terminating in an accommodation element having a neck finish that supports the preform in the blow mold; ii) heat setting the intermediate article including the entire container while still in the mold, and iii) removing the intermediate article of manufacture from the mold and severing the accommodation element to produce the container, and an article when made by the method.

Abstract: The omnidirectional work table fixture for printed circuit board repair that enables the operator to both laterally and rotationally position the printed circuit board. This is accomplished by providing a mounting plate on one major surface of which is affixed a printed circuit board fixture to hold the printed circuit board in place. On the other major surface is mounted a plurality of omnidirectional rollers which enable smooth movement of the omnidirectional work table fixture in any direction, both laterally (X-Y direction) as well as rotationally.

Abstract: A self-sustaining container made of a saturated polyester resin, formed by biaxial stretch blow molding and comprising a mouth and cervical portion, a shoulder, a body and a bottom, wherein said bottom has a self-sustaining structure with a plurality of legs radially bulged around the center of the bottom and valley lines formed between the adjacent legs, and the following portions (A) to (E) are low stretched portions and at least portions (B) and (C) among the following portions (A) to (E) are crystallized portions:(A) center of the bottom(B) peripheral portion of the center of the bottom(C) portion of each valley line close to the center of the bottom(D) portion of each leg from the edge of the peripheral portion of the center of the bottom to a ground contact portion(E) portion between said portions (C) and (D).

Abstract: A biaxially-stretch-blow-molded container and a method of producing the same. Redraw ratio at the bottom portion is small in the secondary blow molding without employing a complex heating system but in which a secondary article obtained by subjecting a preform article to the primary blow molding is preferentially shrunk at its bottom portion, and a tertiary article or a quaternally article before being subjected to the secondary blow molding is obtained having a bottom of a flat shape or in which the central portion is recessed inwardly of the container and the periphery thereof is flattened. The bottle obtained by this method has a thickness and crystallinity in the bottom portion which are nearly the same as those of the center of the barrel and are highly oriented. The heat-resistant bottle exhibits excellent strength in the bottom portion and symmetrical panel-sinking stability in the vacuum pressure.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for annealing biaxially oriented articles is disclosed, particularly blow molded articles prepared from unique tapered preforms which are immediately annealed using warm fluid in a segmented mold. Portions of the segment mold, used to form the articles, are temperature controlled at various temperatures by passing warm water through conduits in the neck-shoulder portion and body portion of the mold segment and cold water through the bottom and shoulder portion of the mold to bring the temperature of the article wall to about 65.degree. C. to 85.degree. C. for PET bottles. The body wall temperature is preferably lowered to about 80.degree. C. while the neck-shoulder and bottom and shoulder portions are lowered to at least 70.degree. C. The annealing increases the articles structural strength, removes temperature and biaxial stress, reduces gas permeability, retains transparency and allows for multiple reuse of the article including hot washing thereof.