Atex Technologies, Inc.

Paul Louis Van Hulle

Timothy Warner

Danny Severino

Mark Wesley Jessup

Stephanie Booz Norris

Colleen Kaiser

An integrally woven textile, such as a tubular graft or sheet, includes a base textile layer and at least one pouch, tab, or flap. The at least one pouch, tab, or flap is integrally woven from at least a portion of a same set of yarns as the base textile layer to define a single opening for access to an open inner space of the pouch, tab, or flap. Methods of making the same are also disclosed.

Integrally woven or knitted textile with pouch and methods of making the same

An integrally woven or knitted textile, such as a tubular graft or sheet, includes a base textile layer and at least one pouch or flap. In the case of a graft, the textile has at least one longitudinal tubular graft portion, and at least one pouch or flap integrally woven from at least a portion of the same set of yarns. Methods of making the same are also disclosed.

A braided structure that includes a core and a sheath is provided. The core includes a yarn formed at least in part from an aromatic polymer (e.g., an aromatic polyester/liquid crystalline polymer or an aramid polymer), and the sheath, which includes a plurality of ultra high molecular weight polyolefin yarns, is braided around the core. The sheath has an overall diameter ranging from about 60 micrometers to about 650 micrometers. Despite its small diameter, the braided structure can be creep resistant and abrasion resistant while at the same time exhibiting low elongation, a high load at break, and high stiffness. The braided structure can be used in medical applications such as sutures, load bearing orthopedic applications, artificial tendons/ligaments, fixation devices, actuation cables, components for tissue repair, etc.

Small diameter, high strength, low elongation, creep resistant, abrasion resistant braided structure

A fabric cutting system and/or method can include a mandrel having a body and first and second legs, a chuck, the chuck configured to receive either one of the legs or body to rotatingly support the mandrel. The mandrel can be rotated and the fabric mounted on the mandrel can be cut about the leg at a location beyond the end of the other leg. One of the legs can include a leg extension removable from a leg base that when removed allows the other leg to be cut beyond the end of the leg base. The fabric can be cut with a cutting laser, which may be a multi-axis laser, and/or have low power.

Fabric cutting system and method

An integrally woven or knitted textile, such as a tubular graft or sheet, having a base textile layer, in the case of a graft, it has at least one longitudinal tubular graft portion, and at least one pouch or flap integrally woven from at least a portion of the same set of yarns. Methods of making the same are also disclosed.

Fabric cutting system

A fabric cutting system and/or method can include a mandrel having a body and first and second legs, a centered chuck, and an offset chuck, each chuck configured to receive either one of the legs or body to rotatingly support the mandrel between the chucks. When one of the legs is inserted into the centered chuck and the mandrel body is inserted into the offset chuck, the mandrel can be rotated and the fabric mounted on the mandrel can be cut about the leg at a location beyond the end of the other leg. One of the legs can include a leg extension removable from a leg base that when removed allows the other leg to be cut beyond the end of the leg base. The fabric can be cut with a cutting laser, which may be a multi-axis laser, and/or have low power.

Growing community of inventors

Pinehurst, NC, United States of America

Paul Louis Van Hulle