US5819807A — Braided conduit and method of making a braided co…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 132 words

A method of covering a flexible convoluted conduit with a braid, the conduit comprising an end with an outer surface, the method comprising: assembling the braid, the conduit, and a grip ring such that an outer surface of the end is substantially surrounded by a portion of the braid, and wherein at least part of the portion of the braid is surrounded by a portion of the grip ring; and cold forming the assembled braid, end, and grip ring such that a portion of the grip ring is compressed onto at least part of the portion of the braid, and such that at least part of the portion of the braid is held by friction between the an outer surface of the end and at least a portion of the grip ring.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 132 words

A method of covering a flexible convoluted conduit with a braid, the conduit comprising an end with an outer surface, the method comprising: assembling the braid, the conduit, and a grip ring such that an outer surface of the end is substantially surrounded by a portion of the braid, and wherein at least part of the portion of the braid is surrounded by a portion of the grip ring; and cold forming the assembled braid, end, and grip ring such that a portion of the grip ring is compressed onto at least part of the portion of the braid, and such that at least part of the portion of the braid is held by friction between the an outer surface of the end and at least a portion of the grip ring.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the cold forming thickens the grip ring.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the cold forming is by magneforming.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the braid is at least partially embedded into the conduit or grip ring.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 100 words

The method of claim 1, further comprising preparing the flexible convoluted conduit by: assembling a section of convoluted conduit by placing it onto a part of an end conduit with fill material placed between the section of convoluted conduit and the part of the end conduit; cold forming the assembled section of convoluted conduit, end conduit, and fill material such that the section of convoluted conduit is compressed onto a part of the end conduit and held by friction with the end conduit, the fill material being held by friction between the section of convoluted conduit and the end conduit.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 5, wherein the cold forming of the assembled section of convoluted conduit, end conduit, and fill material bends the convoluted conduit onto the fill material to form a raised ridge in a portion of the convoluted conduit.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 5, wherein the cold forming is by magneforming.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 5, further comprising heating the fill material to form a substantially airtight seal between the end conduit and the section of convoluted conduit, the heating being at temperatures low enough to prevent the convoluted conduit from annealing.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the conduit and the braid comprise metal, and wherein neither the braid nor any portion of the conduit is annealed when making the covered conduit.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the convoluted conduit and the braid comprise metal, and wherein neither the braid nor any portion of the convoluted conduit which is subject to flexing is annealed when making the covered convoluted conduit.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the cold forming bends the braid, and this bending increases the frictional hold on the braid.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 11, wherein a portion of the end comprises a raised ridge, and wherein the cold forming bends the braid onto the raised ridge.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method of claim 11, wherein the conduit comprises an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the end, and wherein the cold forming bends the braid such so that it lies against both the outer diameter of the conduit and the outer diameter of the end.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 13 wherein the braid is bent so that it substantially conforms to the shape of an interface region between the conduit and the end.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1, further comprising cold forming additional material onto at least a portion of the grip ring.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 1, further comprising cold forming additional material onto at least a portion of the grip ring and at least a portion of the braid.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 16 wherein the cold forming of the additional material holds the braid by friction between the additional material and the conduit.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 15 wherein the cold forming of the additional material holds the grip ring by friction against the braid.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 162 words

A method of making convoluted conduit covered with a braid, the method comprising: assembling a section of convoluted conduit against an end conduit with fill material placed between the section of convoluted conduit and the end conduit; cold forming the assembled convoluted conduit, end conduit, and fill material such that the convoluted conduit is held by friction against the end conduit with the fill material being placed therebetween, the convoluted conduit bending onto the fill material to form a raised ridge; assembling a braid and a grip ring such that at least a portion of the end conduit is covered by a portion of the braid, and wherein at least part of the portion of the braid is covered by at least a portion of the grip ring; and cold forming the assembled braid, conduit, and grip ring such that the portion of the braid is held by friction between a portion of the conduit and a portion of the grip ring.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 162 words

A method of making convoluted conduit covered with a braid, the method comprising: assembling a section of convoluted conduit against an end conduit with fill material placed between the section of convoluted conduit and the end conduit; cold forming the assembled convoluted conduit, end conduit, and fill material such that the convoluted conduit is held by friction against the end conduit with the fill material being placed therebetween, the convoluted conduit bending onto the fill material to form a raised ridge; assembling a braid and a grip ring such that at least a portion of the end conduit is covered by a portion of the braid, and wherein at least part of the portion of the braid is covered by at least a portion of the grip ring; and cold forming the assembled braid, conduit, and grip ring such that the portion of the braid is held by friction between a portion of the conduit and a portion of the grip ring.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 19, wherein the cold forming is by magneforming.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 19, further comprising heating the fill material to form a substantially airtight seal between the end conduit and the section of convoluted conduit, the heating being at temperatures low enough to prevent the convoluted conduit from being annealed.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 19 wherein neither the braid nor any portion of the conduit is annealed when making the covered convoluted conduit.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 19 wherein the convoluted conduit and the braid comprise metal, and wherein neither the braid nor any portion of the convoluted conduit which is subject to flexing is annealed when making the covered convoluted conduit.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 16 words

A conduit covered by a braid which is made according to the method of claim 1.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 17 words

A convoluted conduit covered by a braid which is made according to the method of claim 19.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-10-12	2002-04-13	2002-10-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-10-12	2006-04-13	2006-10-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-10-12	2010-04-13	2010-10-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Braided conduit and method of making a braided conduit

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