Patent ID: 7175734

Claim:
A method of making a joint between an end of a first tube of an impermeable thermoplastic material and an end of a second tube of an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) material to form an end-to-end connection of the first and second tubes such that the first tube is in fluid communication with the second tube, comprising the steps of: preimbibing the second tube by pre-wetting the end of the second tube via application of a solvent to a pore structure of the second tube, wherein the solvent is co-compatible with the ePTFE, introducing a solution of the solvent and a dissolved polymer resin into the pore structure of the second tube; and evaporating the solvent to provide a resin-based interstitial residue; placing the end of the first tube in contact with the resin-based interstitial residue on the end of the second tube; and applying heat to fuse the first tube to the second tube via the resin-based interstitial residue after the solvent has been substantially evaporated.