Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for forming a self-lubricating fill tube which can be readily inserted through a retention valve, the method comprising the steps of: (a) cleaning the surface of a fill tube by exposing the fill tube to a fluorocarbon in an ultrasonic sound field; (b) irradiating the fill tube with gamma radiation to provide a radiation dosage of about at least 0.5 Mrad; (c) immersing the fill tube in a solution comprising an ethylenically unsaturated monomer and oxidizable metal ion at a temperature of about 75° C. for about 45 minutes under a nitrogen atmosphere; (d) rinsing the fill tube with deionized water leaving a hydrophilic lubricious coating of the polymerized monomer on the surface of the fill tube.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for forming a self-lubricating fill tube which can be readily inserted through a retention valve, the method comprising the steps of: (a) cleaning the surface of a fill tube by exposing the fill tube to a fluorocarbon in an ultrasonic sound field; (b) irradiating the fill tube with gamma radiation to provide a radiation dosage of about at least 0.5 Mrad; (c) immersing the fill tube in a solution comprising an ethylenically unsaturated monomer and oxidizable metal ion at a temperature of about 75° C. for about 45 minutes under a nitrogen atmosphere; (d) rinsing the fill tube with deionized water leaving a hydrophilic lubricious coating of the polymerized monomer on the surface of the fill tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprises a monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylamide, sodium methacrylate, citraconic acid, methylolacrylamide, 2-hydroxy-ethyl acrylate, potassium acrylate, sodium acrylate, calcium acrylate, cobalt acrylate, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid, acrylamide, 2-hydroxy-ethyl methacrylate, glycidylmethacrylate, vinyl pyrrolidone, acrylic acid, and methacrylic acid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprises acrylamide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein after the irradiating step the method further comprises the step of cooling the fill tube to a temperature of about 0° centigrade and holding the fill tube at such temperature until the fill tube is immersed in the monomer solution.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the rinsing step comprises rinsing the outer surface and lumen of the fill tube.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of drying the fill tube after rinsing.