Patent ID: 6558396
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A collapsing device in combination with a collapsible/restorable elastic appliance, comprising:a collapsing device having: a first wrapping member which is generally flat when spread and a first retaining member which keeps the first wrapping member in a condition of being rolled and a second wrapping member which is generally flat when spread and a second retaining member which keeps the second wrapping member in a condition of being rolled; and a collapsible/restorable elastic appliance having a tubular body portion and a tubular branch portion which branches from a part of the tubular body portion, with the internal space of the branch portion communicating with the internal space of the tubular body portion, wherein the appliance is arranged so that the body portion is contained in a collapsed condition inside the first wrapping member held in a rolled condition by the first retaining member and the branch portion is contained in a collapsed condition inside the second wrapping member held in a rolled condition by the second retaining member, and the collapsing device keeps the appliance in a collapsed condition for transport to a target position and permits restoration of the appliance into a predetermined shape by releasing the appliance from the collapsed condition when the retaining members are separated from the wrapping members.