Method for forming a urinary catheter tip

1 . A method of making a urinary catheter, the method comprising:

providing a tubular object made from plastic, the tubular object having a lumen located inside of a wall of the tubular object;

forming an indentation in the wall of the tubular object by pressing a shaping tool having a protrusion into the wall of the tubular object;

cutting the tubular object at a first predetermined distance proximal of the indentation and exposing the lumen and a proximal end of the wall of the tubular object;

cutting the tubular object at a second predetermined distance distal of the indentation and exposing the lumen and a distal end of the wall of the tubular object;

closing the proximal end of the tubular object and forming a rounded urinary catheter tip defining a proximal-most end of the tubular object;

providing eyelets in the tubular object distal of the indentation; and

attaching a connector handle to the distal end of the wall of the tubular object.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the closing the proximal end of the tubular object comprises heating and shaping the proximal end of the tubular object.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising extruding the tubular object with an extruder and feeding the extruded tubular object into the shaping tool.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising feeding the extruded tubular object into the shaping tool within 3 seconds after extruding the tubular object.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising positioning the shaping tool at a distance between 3 cm and 10 cm from the extruder.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the indentation in the wall of the tubular object by pressing a heated shaping tool having a heated protrusion into the wall of the tubular object.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the indentation in the wall of the tubular object by pressing a heated shaping tool heated to a temperature of between 50° C. and 160° C. into the wall of the tubular object.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the indentation in the wall of the tubular object by inserting the tubular object between two opposing rotatable wheels and pressing a first protrusion on a first of the two opposing rotatable wheels into the wall of the tubular object and pressing a second protrusion on a second of the two opposing rotatable wheels into the wall of the tubular object.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising symmetrically pressing the first protrusion on the first of the two opposing rotatable wheels into the wall of the tubular object while pressing the second protrusion on the second of the two opposing rotatable wheels into the wall of the tubular object.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising pressing the first protrusion on the first of the two opposing rotatable wheels into the wall of the tubular object by rotating the first of the two opposing rotatable wheels at a first speed and symmetrically pressing the second protrusion on the second of the two opposing rotatable wheels into the wall of the tubular object by rotating the second of the two opposing rotatable wheels at the first speed.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first protrusion on the first of the two opposing rotatable wheels is offset in position relative to the second protrusion on the second of the two opposing rotatable wheels, the method further comprising pressing the first protrusion on the first of the two opposing rotatable wheels into the wall of the tubular object at a first linear location along the tubular object and non-symmetrically pressing the second protrusion on the second of the two opposing rotatable wheels into the wall of the tubular object at a different second linear location along the tubular object.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the indentation in the wall of the tubular object by inserting the tubular object into a continuous corrugator belt wherein the shaping tool comprises a number of shaping elements positioned along a face of the continuous corrugator belt.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising forming the indentation in the wall of the tubular object by inserting the tubular object into the continuous corrugator belt wherein the shaping tool comprises a number of metal shaping elements spaced apart along the face of the continuous corrugator belt.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming in sequence along the tubular object:

1) the indentation in the wall of the tubular object,

2) a first bulb on the wall of the tubular object,

3) a break-indicator forming in the wall of the tubular object,

4) a second bulb on the wall of the tubular object,

5) a second indentation pressed in the tubular object;

spacing the indentation away from the second indentation by a third predetermined distance;

cutting the tubular object at the break-indicator and forming a first tip end and a second tip end; and

separating the first tip end away from the second tip end and forming a first urinary catheter having the first tip end and a second urinary catheter having the second tip end.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming in sequence along the tubular object:

1) the indentation in the wall of the tubular object,

2) a first bulb on the wall of the tubular object,

3) a break-indicator forming in the wall of the tubular object,

4) a second bulb on the wall of the tubular object,

5) a second indentation pressed in the tubular object;

spacing the indentation away from the second indentation by a third predetermined distance;

pulling the tubular object in opposite directions at the break-indicator and separating a first tip end away from a second tip end and producing a first urinary catheter having the first tip end and a second urinary catheter having the second tip end.