What is claimed is:
1. A method of manufacturing an electric motor, comprising:
disposing a stator having a plurality of stator leads into a lead separating assembly;
gathering the plurality of stator leads together into a bundle; and
driving a lead separator through the stator into engagement with the plurality of stator leads gathered together to separate each of the plurality of stator leads gathered together.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein disposing comprises securing the stator to a pallet adapted to position the stator within a stator lead separating device.
3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of stator leads extend freely from the stator.
4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein gathering comprises placing the plurality of stator windings extending freely from the stator into a lead collector and rotating the lead collector to wind the stator leads together.
5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein gathering comprises securing a clamp to the plurality of stator leads gathered together.
6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein gathering comprises utilizing the clamp to apply tension to the plurality of stator leads gathered together.
7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein driving comprises utilizing a motorized apparatus to drive the lead separator through the stator.
8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing a lead separator with a plurality of outwardly extending teeth disposed circumferentially around the lead separator, wherein each tooth is adapted to penetrate the plurality of stator leads gathered together and to separate each the plurality of stator leads gathered together.
9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein providing comprises providing a lead separator adapted to individually restrain each of the plurality of stator leads gathered together.
10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the plurality of teeth cooperate to direct each of the plurality of stator leads towards the flexible material.
11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein providing comprises identifying the number of stator leads in the plurality of stator leads and providing a lead separator with the same number of teeth as the number of stator leads.
12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising securing the lead separator to a stator clamp secured to the stator to maintain each stator lead separated.
13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising removing the stator, stator clamp, and lead separator from the lead separating device for movement to another electric motor manufacturing device.
14. A method of separating stator winding leads of an electric motor during manufacture, comprising:
operating a rotating lead collector to gather a plurality of stator winding leads extending from a stator into a bundle; and
driving a lead separator through the stator into the bundle of stator winding leads to separate each stator winding lead tooth of the multi-toothed lead separator between a pair of stator winding leads in the bundle of stator winding leads.
15. The method as recited in claim 14, comprising driving a clamp against the bundle of stator winding leads to maintain the bundle of stator windings bundled.
16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein driving a multi-toothed lead separator into the bundle of stator winding leads comprises driving the lead separator through the stator core.
17. The method as recited in claim 14, comprising affixing the stator core to a pallet.
18. The method as recited in claim 14, comprising securing a lead identifier to each of the stator winding leads.
19. A method of manufacturing an electric motor, comprising:
operating a rotating lead collector to collect a plurality of stator winding leads extending from a stator into a bundle;
driving a lead separator into the bundle of stator leads to individually separate each of the plurality of stator leads gathered together; and
securing the lead separator to the stator to maintain the plurality of stator leads separated.
20. The method as recited in claim 19, comprising securing the stator to a pallet.
21. The method as recited in claim 20, comprising disposing the stator and pallet into a lead separating assembly to enable the lead separator to be driven into the stator.
22. The method as recited in claim 21, comprising removing the stator, pallet, and lead separator from the lead separating mechanism after securing the lead separator to the stator to maintain the plurality of stator leads separated.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An internal bolster assembly for attachment to a catheter including a bolster control lumen and an enteral lumen, the internal bolster comprising:
a stiffening tip including a passage formed therein, the stiffening tip attached to a distal end portion of the catheter so that the passage is at least partially aligned with the enteral lumen, an outer diameter of the stiffening tip matching an outer diameter of the catheter where attached; and
an elongate body including:
a first end portion extending through a portion of the passage such that a first end of the elongate body is interposed within the passage between the distal end portion of the catheter and the stiffening tip when the stiffening tip is attached to the catheter such that the first end of the elongate body is held in place by the distal end portion of the catheter and the stiffening tip,
a second end portion for attachment to a bonding site, the bonding site being located between a distal end of the stiffening tip and a proximal end of the catheter, and
an inflatable portion extending entirely from the distal end of the stiffening tip to the bonding site to define an inflation chamber, the inflation chamber being configured to be in fluid communication with the bolster control lumen of the catheter so that the inflatable portion distends in response to an inflation pressure delivered by the bolster control lumen.
2. The internal bolster assembly of claim 1 wherein the first end portion of the elongate body overlays the distal end portion of the catheter and is attached thereto.
3. The internal bolster assembly of claim 1 wherein an aperture is formed in the stiffening tip and the distal end portion of the catheter to provide the fluid communication between the inflation chamber and the bolster control lumen.
4. The internal bolster assembly of claim 1 wherein the first end portion is folded upon itself to define an overfolded end portion and the stiffening tip is interposed between the overlapping portions of the overfolded end portion and wherein the overfold portion includes an angled portion interposed between the distal end portion of the catheter and the stiffening tip.
5. The internal bolster assembly of claim 1 wherein the inflatable portion distends beyond the distal end of the stiffening tip upon inflation such that the inflatable portion extends a distance distally before arching proximally.
6. The internal bolster assembly of claim 1 wherein the stiffening tip is configured such that an internal diameter of the passage and an internal diameter of the enteral lumen remain constant upon inflation.
7. The internal bolster of assembly claim 1 wherein the stiffening tip is more rigid than the catheter.
8. The internal bolster of assembly claim 1 wherein the stiffening tip includes a radiopaque material, wherein the catheter further comprises wire reinforcement, and wherein the inflatable portion further comprises one or more concentric rings.
9. The internal bolster assembly of claim 1, wherein the first end of the elongated body is sandwiched between the distal end portion of the catheter and the stiffening tip and wherein the bolster control lumen is occluded by a plug.