Method for insert molding bendable position-retaining tubing
View Patent ↗A hollow conduit and process for manufacturing therefore which includes steps of extruding a first polymer conduit; cutting said conduit to a pre-determined length; inserting said length into a split mold having a cavity defined therein; inserting at least one flexible position retaining means into said mold; injection molding at least one overmolded polymer onto said plastic conduit and at least partially onto said position retaining means to form a position retaining tube, wherein a portion of the length of said position retaining means is completely embedded within said overmolded polymer and a portion of the length is not embedded within said overmolded polymer; and opening said mold and removing said position retaining tube.
1. A process which comprises:
extruding a first polymer conduit;
cutting said conduit to a pre-determined length;
inserting said length into a split mold having a cavity defined therein;
inserting at least one flexible position retaining means at least partially into said mold;
injection molding at least one overmolded polymer onto said plastic conduit and at least partially onto said position retaining means to form a position retaining tube, wherein a portion of the length of said position retaining means is completely embedded within said overmolded polymer and a portion of the length is not embedded within said overmolded polymer;
opening said mold and removing said position retaining tube, said at least one flexible position retaining means extending at least partially along a length of said overmolded polymer.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein said flexible position retaining means is a metallic wire.
3. The process of claim 2 wherein said first polymer conduit is a thermoset; and
said overmolded polymer is a thermoplastic.
4. The process of claim 1 wherein said cavity in said mold is corrugated.
5. The process of claim 1 , wherein said flexible position retaining means is completely inserted into said mold.
6. The process in claim 1 wherein said first polymer conduit is n-sided where n is greater than or equal to three.
7. The process in claim 1 wherein said position retaining tube is an n-sided conduit where n is greater than or equal to three.
8. A process which comprises: extruding a first polymer conduit; cutting said conduit to a pre-determined length; inserting at least one flexible position retaining means at least partially into a split mold having a cavity defined therein; injection molding at least one overmolded polymer at least partially onto said position retaining means to form a position retaining tube, wherein a portion of the length of said position retaining means is completely embedded within said overmolded polymer and a portion of the length is not embedded within said overmolded polymer; opening said mold and removing said position retaining tube; and positioning said position retaining tube at least partially around said length of said first polymer conduit, said at least one flexible position retaining means extending at least partially along a length of said overmolded polymer.
9. The process of claim 8 wherein said flexible position retaining means is a metallic wire.
10. The process of claim 9 wherein said first polymer conduit is a thermoset; and said overmolded polymer is a thermoplastic.
11. The process of claim 8 wherein said cavity in said mold is corrugated.
12. The process of claim 8 , wherein said flexible position retaining means is completely inserted into said mold.
13. The process in claim 8 wherein said first polymer conduit is n-sided where n is greater than or equal to three.
14. The process in claim 8 wherein said position retaining tube is an n-sided conduit where n is greater than or equal to three.