摘要 |
A moldless method for commercially producing intravenous catheters which are formed with geometrically identical catheter bevels. The method includes positioning an unbeveled catheter mounted on a central cylindrical support between first and second bevel profile blades. Each bevel profile blade has a blade surface in the shape of bevels to be imparted to the surface of the catheter, including a relatively steep bevel angle blade surface at the distal end of the catheter, which is the end to be inserted into a patient, and an adjacent relatively shallow bevel angle blade surface. The blade surfaces of the first and second bevel profile blades are positioned on opposite sides of the unbeveled catheter along a first axis. The first and second bevel profile blades are heated, and are translated in opposite directions towards the unbeveled catheter along a second axis which is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. During this operation, the translating blades squeeze and rotate the unbeveled catheter therebetween to pinch off and shape the catheter with the beveled surfaces defined by the bevel profile blades. The first and second bevel profile blades are then retracted from the beveled catheter, and the finished beveled catheter is removed from the beveling station.
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