Patent ID: 8387426

Claim:
A method of forming a flexible conduit comprising: providing an elongated flexible metallic strip having a central portion disposed between a first and a second end portion, said first and said second end portions extending generally outwardly from said central portion on generally opposite sides of said central portion and including first and second planar outer surfaces of said strip, respectively, said first and second planar outer surfaces being generally parallel to each other, wherein the center of said central portion includes a cross-sectional thickness T C which is less than a maximum cross-sectional thickness T M of said elongated shaped strip and wherein a cross-sectional thickness of said first end portion and a cross-sectional thickness of said second end portion are both greater than said cross-sectional thickness T C , said central portion including a top and a bottom surface extending from said first and said second planar outer surfaces of said strip, said bottom surface being generally perpendicular to said first and second planar outer surfaces; distorting said elongated shaped strip such that said first end portion is provided in a first direction and said second end portion is provided in a second direction generally opposite said first direction to form a shaped flexible strip; and helically winding said shaped flexible strip upon itself.