US5221270A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Soft tip guiding catheter
Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies LLC
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Filing: 1991-06-28
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Granted: 1993-06-22
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Expires: 2011-06-28
Abstract
Abstract A soft tip guiding catheter (10) for atraumatic insertion into delicate, tortuous coronary vessels and introduction of an angioplasty balloon catheter therethrough. The guiding catheter includes a main tubular portion (11) and a soft tubular tip (12) with respective, matching external and internal tapers (13,14) for increasing the contact area of the thermal bond. The outer and inner diameters of the main portion are uniform and match the respective outer and inner diameters of the soft tip for providing a uniform outer catheter surface and a continuous, uniform catheter passageway surface. The tapers further provide for a gradual change in durometer between the main portion and soft tip. The main portion preferably includes an inner layer of lubricous material (19), an outer layer (27) of a polyether block amide, and a reinforcing braid positioned therebetween (26). The layers of the main portion provide a thin catheter wall with pushability, torquability, and kink resistance. The composite durometer of the main portion is harder than the durometer of the soft tip, which comprises a combination of polyether block amide material and tungsten for increasing the radiopacity thereof. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Fred T. Parker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 02:24
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/0067; A61M25/0068; A61M25/0069; A61M25/0043; A61M25/0045; A61M25/005; A61M25/0053; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0108
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A soft tip guiding catheter comprising: a main, tubular portion having a distal end and a first passageway extending longitudinally therethrough, said portion further including a first outer surface, a first inner passageway surface, and a wall having a composite durometer therebetween, said distal end having an external taper extending between said first inner passageway surface and said first outer surface, said wall including an outer material layer forming the entire length of said external taper and an inner material layer longitudinally extending partially into a region of the external taper and bonded to said outer material layer; and a tubular tip comprising a material having a durometer softer than said composite durometer, said tip having a proximal end and a second passageway extending longitudinally therethrough communicating with said first passageway, said proximal end having an internal taper bonded to said external taper of said distal end of said main tubular portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
A soft tip guiding catheter comprising: a main, tubular portion having a distal end and a first passageway extending longitudinally therethrough, said portion further including a first outer surface, a first inner passageway surface, and a wall having a composite durometer therebetween, said distal end having an external taper extending between said first inner passageway surface and said first outer surface, said wall including an outer material layer forming the entire length of said external taper and an inner material layer longitudinally extending partially into a region of the external taper and bonded to said outer material layer; and a tubular tip comprising a material having a durometer softer than said composite durometer, said tip having a proximal end and a second passageway extending longitudinally therethrough communicating with said first passageway, said proximal end having an internal taper bonded to said external taper of said distal end of said main tubular portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein said tubular tip includes a second outer surface having a diameter approximating that of said first outer surface and further includes a second inner passageway surface having a diameter approximating that of said first inner passageway surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 further including a thermal bond between said external and internal tapers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein said wall has a thickness in the range of 0.006" to 0.0155".
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein said wall further includes a braid positioned around and along said inner layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The guiding catheter of claim 5 wherein said braid comprises stainless steel wire.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein said taper extends longitudinally in a range of 2 to 3 mm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The guiding catheter of claim 7 wherein said inner material layer longitudinally extends approximately in a range of 1 to 2 mm along said external taper.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein said inner layer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The guiding catheter of claim 9 wherein said outer layer comprises a first polyether block amide material having a first durometer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The guiding catheter of claim 10 wherein said material of said tubular tip comprises a second polyether block amide material having a second durometer softer than said first durometer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The guiding catheter of claim 11 wherein said material of said tubular tip further comprises tungsten.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The guiding catheter of claim 10 wherein said outer layer further includes bismuth.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
174 words
A soft tip guiding catheter comprising: a main, tubular portion having a distal end and a first passageway extending longitudinally therein, said portion further including a first outer surface, a first inner passageway surface, and a wall therebetween, said distal end having an external taper extending between said first inner passageway surface and said first outer surface, said wall having an inner layer of a first material having a first durometer and longitudinally extending partially into a region of the external taper, an outer layer of a second material having a second durometer softer than said first durometer and forming the entire length of said external taper, and a reinforcing braid positioned between said inner and outer layers; and a tubular tip comprising a third material having a third durometer softer than said second durometer, said tip having a proximal end and a second passageway extending therein and communicating with said first passageway, said proximal end having an internal taper bonded to said external taper of said distal end of said main tubular portion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
174 words
A soft tip guiding catheter comprising: a main, tubular portion having a distal end and a first passageway extending longitudinally therein, said portion further including a first outer surface, a first inner passageway surface, and a wall therebetween, said distal end having an external taper extending between said first inner passageway surface and said first outer surface, said wall having an inner layer of a first material having a first durometer and longitudinally extending partially into a region of the external taper, an outer layer of a second material having a second durometer softer than said first durometer and forming the entire length of said external taper, and a reinforcing braid positioned between said inner and outer layers; and a tubular tip comprising a third material having a third durometer softer than said second durometer, said tip having a proximal end and a second passageway extending therein and communicating with said first passageway, said proximal end having an internal taper bonded to said external taper of said distal end of said main tubular portion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
The guiding catheter of claim 14 wherein said tubular tip includes a second outer surface having a diameter approximating that of said first outer surface and includes a second inner passageway surface having a diameter approximating that of said first inner passageway surface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The guiding catheter of claim 14 further including a thermal bond between said eternal and internal tapers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The guiding catheter of claim 14 wherein said outer layer includes by weight in a range of 10 to 30 percent bismuth and a remaining percentage of polyether block amide.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The guiding catheter of claim 17 wherein said third material comprises by weight in a range of 35 to 65 percent tungsten and a remaining percentage of polyether block amide.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
The guiding catheter of claim 17 wherein said first material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
261 words
A soft tip guiding catheter comprising: a main, tubular portion having a distal end and a first passageway extending longitudinally therein, said portion further including a wall having a thickness in the range of 0.006" to 0.0155" between a first outer surface and a first inner passageway surface thereof, said distal end having an external taper extending between said first inner passageway surface and said first outer surface, said wall having an inner layer of polytetrafluoroethylene having a first durometer and longitudinally extending partially into a region of the external taper and an outer layer by weight of approximately 90 percent polyether block amide and 10 percent bismuth having a second durometer softer than said first durometer and forming the entire length of said external taper, said wall further including a stainless steel wire braid longitudinally extending partially into a region of the external taper and positioned between said inner and outer layers and around said inner layer; and a tubular tip comprising by weight approximately 50 percent polyether block amide and 50 percent tungsten and having a third durometer softer than said second durometer, said tip having a proximal end and a second passageway extending therein and communicating with said first passageway, said proximal end having an internal taper thermally bonded to said external taper of said distal end of said main tubular portion, said tubular tip including a second outer surface having a diameter approximating that of said first outer surface and including a second inner passageway surface having a diameter approximating that of said first inner passageway surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
261 words
A soft tip guiding catheter comprising: a main, tubular portion having a distal end and a first passageway extending longitudinally therein, said portion further including a wall having a thickness in the range of 0.006" to 0.0155" between a first outer surface and a first inner passageway surface thereof, said distal end having an external taper extending between said first inner passageway surface and said first outer surface, said wall having an inner layer of polytetrafluoroethylene having a first durometer and longitudinally extending partially into a region of the external taper and an outer layer by weight of approximately 90 percent polyether block amide and 10 percent bismuth having a second durometer softer than said first durometer and forming the entire length of said external taper, said wall further including a stainless steel wire braid longitudinally extending partially into a region of the external taper and positioned between said inner and outer layers and around said inner layer; and a tubular tip comprising by weight approximately 50 percent polyether block amide and 50 percent tungsten and having a third durometer softer than said second durometer, said tip having a proximal end and a second passageway extending therein and communicating with said first passageway, said proximal end having an internal taper thermally bonded to said external taper of said distal end of said main tubular portion, said tubular tip including a second outer surface having a diameter approximating that of said first outer surface and including a second inner passageway surface having a diameter approximating that of said first inner passageway surface.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-06-21 | 1996-12-21 | 1997-06-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-06-21 | 2000-12-21 | 2001-06-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-06-21 | 2004-12-21 | 2005-06-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |