Apparatus for reinforcing a breathing circuit component

Abstract

A breathing circuit component includes an inlet, an outlet and an enclosing wall. The enclosing wall defines a gases passageway between the inlet and the outlet. At least a region of the enclosing wall is formed from a breathable material that allows the passage of water vapour without allowing the passage of liquid water or respiratory gases. The breathing circuit component is the expiratory limb of a breathing circuit.

1 . Apparatus for forming a breathing circuit conduit comprising: 
 a former, onto which a tube wall can be deposited and which advances said deposited tube wall in an advance axis and rotates said deposited tube wall about said advance direction, the speed of said advance and the speed of said rotation together defining a pitch,    at least one film laying head which deposits a film on said former, the combined width of said film deposited by said film laying heads being wider than said pitch such that adjacent turns of laid film overlap to form an overlap seam,    a bead laying head for each said film laying head, each said bead laying head laying a reinforcing bead on an overlap seam,    an axial thread laying head, said thread laying head fitted over and around said former and carrying a plurality of thread feeds, each thread feed allowing the drawing of a thread from a reserve, and    a rotator to rotate said axial thread laying head at substantially the same speed as the expected rotation speed of said tube.    
   
   
       2 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein, in said advance direction, said bead laying head precedes said thread laying head.  
   
   
       3 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein, in said advance direction, said bead laying head succeeds said thread laying head.  
   
   
       4 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  including at least one, but less than the number of said bead laying heads, reinforcement laying head, between said thread laying head and said bead laying head in said advance direction, said reinforcement laying head depositing a mesh tape onto said former, the combined width of said mesh tapes deposited by said mesh laying heads being greater than said pitch.