APPARATUS FOR EXTRUSION OF THIN-WALLED TUBES

• Main Authors: BRODEUR, CHRISTOPHER, B, WOLEK, HOWARD, GIRTON, TIMOTHY, S, HILL, JASON, P, SOGARD, DAVID, J, VENDITTI, JAMES, WONG, ALICE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 17.10.2007
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULARARTICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for manufacturing polymeric thin-walled tubular members, which are well-suited for use as vascular grafts. The apparatus of the present invention enables extrusion of a tubular member having an extremely thin wall thickness so as to facilitate passage through tortuous vascular passageways. The apparatus achieves uniform wall thickness in a tubular member by establishing and maintaining axial alignment of a ram having a concentrically disposed guide rod therein with a die supported in concentric relation to the guide rod.