The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 14, 1990
Filed:
Apr. 10, 1989
David B Montgomery, Cary, NC (US);
Joel L Williams, Cary, NC (US);
Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for generating a plasma in the lumen of a small diameter tube includes a housing having a diaphragm which separates the housing into a first chamber equipped with a gas inbleed assembly and a second chamber connected to a vacuum source. Parallel plate electrodes in the first chamber are encased in a dielectric which prevents substantially all plasma discharge external of a plasma zone between the electrodes. A conduit maintains gas flow between the chambers. A bore through the dielectric includes the plasma zone and receives the tube to be plasma treated. A method for treating the luminal wall of a plastic tube includes positioning a tube in the plasma zone, evacuating the chambers, bleeding a gas into the chambers, and delivering radiofrequency power to the electrodes. A long tube may be drawn through the plasma zone, or the dielectric and electrodes may be moved past the tube.