Patent US4234250A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4279245A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4279245A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Flexible tube

Assignee: Olympus Corp
•
Filing: 1979-09-10
•
Granted: 1981-07-21
•
Expires: 1999-09-10
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A flexible tube and a method of manufacturing same are provided. The flexible tube comprises a tubular body of a crystalline polymer material having a porous microstructure including a number of micro-nodes which are coupled together by fibrils. A synthetic resin material having gas tightness and stretchability is filled into the pores of the porous microstructure.

Inventors

  • 👤 Takeji Takagi
  • 👤 Kiyokazu Hosaka

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 20:46
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16L; F16L11/00; F16L11/04; F16L11/12; F16L11/125; A; A61; A61B; A61B1/00; A61B1/005; A61B1/0051; A61B1/0055; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/14

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 51 words
A flexible endoscope tube comprising a tubular body of a crystalline polymer material having a porous microstructure which include a number of micro-nodes which are coupled together by fibrils, and a synthetic resin material having water or gas tightness and stretchability which is filled into the pores of the porous microstructure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 51 words
A flexible endoscope tube comprising a tubular body of a crystalline polymer material having a porous microstructure which include a number of micro-nodes which are coupled together by fibrils, and a synthetic resin material having water or gas tightness and stretchability which is filled into the pores of the porous microstructure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
A flexible tube according to claim 1 in which the crystalline polymer material comprises a fluorine resin or polyolefin.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
A flexible tube according to claim 2 in which the fluorine resin comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 14 words
A flexible tube according to claim 2 in which the polyolefin comprises polypropylene resin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 33 words
A flexible tube according to claim 2 in which the fluorine resin comprises polytetrafluoroethylene containing extractable silicate, carbonate, metal, metal oxide, sodium chloride, ammonium chloride, copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene, starch or sugar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 25 words
A flexible tube according to claim 1 in which the synthetic resin material comprises a fluorine resin, polyurethane, polyimide, polyester, nylon, polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3953566A Cited
US4082893A Cited
US4208745A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-07-20 1985-01-19 1985-07-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-07-20 1989-01-19 1989-07-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-07-20 1993-01-19 1993-07-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag