Patent ID: 7670521

Claim:
A method for performing a manufacturing operation at a plurality of locations along the length of a flexible conduit to thereby fabricate a conduit assembly, the method comprising: providing a length of previously fabricated flexible conduit having a longitudinally extending sidewall defining an enclosed inner cavity; moving the conduit along a path of travel through a manufacturing station adapted to perform said manufacturing operation; periodically operating said manufacturing station to perform said manufacturing operation at a plurality of locations along the length of the conduit; positioning an elongated support device within said inner cavity of said flexible conduit and at the manufacturing station to support the sidewall and maintain the integrity of the conduit while the manufacturing operation is being performed, said support device being bent along its length to define at least two offset segments and not being attached to any other structure via the inner cavity; and positioning a plurality of mechanical restraints outside of the conduit sidewall, at least one of the restraints acting through the conduit sidewall on each of the support device segments to restrain the axial movement of the support device while allowing said flexible conduit to continue to move through said manufacturing station.