Patent ID: 8859934
Filing Date: 2014-10-14
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M,B23K,B26F,D04C,D10B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of removing slag formed during laser cutting a hypotube, the method comprising: flowing cooling gas onto an external surface of the hypotube using a gas cooling system, injecting water into an inner lumen of the hypotube at a velocity to inhibit a portion of slag from adhering to the inner lumen of the hypotube, wherein injecting the water into the inner lumen of the hypotube includes controlling the velocity, wherein controlling the velocity includes delivering the water from a water supply to the inner lumen of the hypotube through a plurality of water injection tubes arranged in series proximate to the hypotube to distant to the hypotube, each of the plurality of water injection tubes having a diameter, the diameter of each of the plurality of water injection tubes more proximate to the hypotube being smaller than the diameter of each of the plurality of water injection tubes distant to the hypotube, wherein flowing the cooling gas and injecting the water removes the slag from the external surface of the hypotube; and collecting the removed slag in a slag collecting device, wherein the method is performed during laser cutting of the hypotube.