METHOD OF SELECTIVELY SHAPING HOLLOW FIBERS OF HEAT EXCHANGE CATHETER

摘要

A group of multiple hollow fibers (600) are shaped to introduce angular divergence (608) among the fibers, or to introduce a selected oscillation into the fibers. In one case, the fibers (800) are held in parallel while upper, and lower crimping assemblies of parallel crimping bars (904) are drawn together on opposite sides of the parallel fibers, sandwiching the fibers between them causing each fiber to assume a shape that oscillates as the fiber repeatedly goes over, and under successive bars. Since the crimping bars are aligned at oblique angles to the fibers, the peaks, and valleys of the successive fibers are offset. In this position, the fibers are heated, and then cooled to permanently retain their shape. In another case, a shaping technique utilizes a lattice of criss-crossing tines (300) defining multiple apertures which results in the fibers having a prescribed outward divergence relative to each other.