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US5300048A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Flexible, highly radiopaque plastic material catheter

Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies LLC
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Filing: 1993-05-12
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Granted: 1994-04-05
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Expires: 2013-05-12
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Abstract

Abstract A flexible plastic material catheter having a distal tubular member portion with a greater than 75 weight percent loading of a radiopaque agent for radiographic viewing. The catheter comprises an elongated member having a proximal portion and a distal end portion with a flexible, radiopaque plastic material having a durometer lower than that of the proximal portion. The plastic material of the distal end portion comprises a homogeneous and evenly dispersed composition of a 20 weight percent base thermoplastic, elastomer material such as a polyether block amide and 80 weight percent loading of a radiopaque agent such as tungsten. This distal end portion plastic material exhibits a durometer of approximately 47 on the Shore D scale, whereas the polyether block amide material exhibits a durometer of approximately 40 on the Shore D scale. The flex modulus of the polyether block amide material is in a range of 23,000 to 75,000 pounds per square inch. The proximal end portion comprises a base thermoplastic material such as a polyamide elastomer material and a radiopaque agent of bismuth oxychloride.

Inventors

  • 👤 David A. Drewes, Jr.
  • 👤 Fred T. Parker

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 17:52
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0108; A61M25/0133; A61M2025/0163

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim 73 words
A flexible plastic catheter comprising: an elongated member having a passage therein and including a proximal portion of a second, flexible, radiopaque plastic material and a distal end portion of a first, flexible, radiopaque plastic material having a durometer lower than said second, flexible, radiopaque plastic material, said first, flexible, radiopaque plastic material of said distal end portion comprising a homogeneous composition containing by weight greater than 75 percent of a radiopaque agent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 73 words
A flexible plastic catheter comprising: an elongated member having a passage therein and including a proximal portion of a second, flexible, radiopaque plastic material and a distal end portion of a first, flexible, radiopaque plastic material having a durometer lower than said second, flexible, radiopaque plastic material, said first, flexible, radiopaque plastic material of said distal end portion comprising a homogeneous composition containing by weight greater than 75 percent of a radiopaque agent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 37 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein said first, flexible, radiopaque plastic material of said distal end portion has a higher weight percent of a radiopaque agent than said second, flexible, radiopaque plastic material of said proximal portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein said homogeneous composition of said distal end portion comprises a range of approximately 76 to 95 weight percent of said radiopaque agent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 19 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein said radiopaque agent has a density greater than 10 grams per cubic centimeter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 22 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein said radiopaque agent is from a group consisting of tungsten, platinum, gold, silver, lead, and tantalum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein said second, flexible, radiopaque plastic material comprises a thermoplastic material from a group consisting of a polyester elastomer, a polyurethane, a polyamide elastomer, and a polyether block amide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 16 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein said second, flexible, radiopaque plastic material comprises a nylon elastomer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 32 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein said second, flexible, radiopaque plastic material comprises an other radiopaque agent from a group consisting of bismuth oxychloride, bismuth subcarbonate, bismuth trioxide, barium sulfate, and tungsten.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 15 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein said homogeneous composition includes a base thermoplastic, elastomer material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 26 words
The catheter of claim 9 wherein said base thermoplastic, elastomer material has a durometer in a range of 25 to 72 on the Shore D scale.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 26 words
The catheter of claim 10 wherein said base thermoplastic, elastomer material is from a group consisting of a polyether block amide and a polyamide terpolymer material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 26 words
The catheter of claim 11 wherein said base thermoplastic, elastomer material has a flex modulus in a range of 23,000 to 75,000 pounds per square inch.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 24 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein said first, flexible, radiopaque plastic material has a composite durometer of approximately 47 on the Shore D scale.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 110 words
A flexible plastic catheter comprising: a proximal tubular member of a second, flexible, radiopaque material including a base thermoplastic material from a group consisting of a polyester elastomer, a polyurethane, a polyamide elastomer, and a polyether block amide, and a second radiopaque agent from a group consisting of bismuth oxychloride, bismuth subcarbonate, bismuth trioxide, barium sulfate, and tungsten; and a distal tubular member attached to said proximal tubular member and having a durometer lower than said proximal tubular member, said distal tubular member comprising a first, flexible, radiopaque material of a homogeneous composition containing a base thermoplastic, elastomer material and greater than 75 weight percent of a first radiopaque agent.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 110 words
A flexible plastic catheter comprising: a proximal tubular member of a second, flexible, radiopaque material including a base thermoplastic material from a group consisting of a polyester elastomer, a polyurethane, a polyamide elastomer, and a polyether block amide, and a second radiopaque agent from a group consisting of bismuth oxychloride, bismuth subcarbonate, bismuth trioxide, barium sulfate, and tungsten; and a distal tubular member attached to said proximal tubular member and having a durometer lower than said proximal tubular member, said distal tubular member comprising a first, flexible, radiopaque material of a homogeneous composition containing a base thermoplastic, elastomer material and greater than 75 weight percent of a first radiopaque agent.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 26 words
The catheter of claim 14 wherein said base thermoplastic, elastomer material has a durometer in a range of 25 to 72 on the Shore D scale.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 26 words
The catheter of claim 15 wherein said base thermoplastic, elastomer material is from a group consisting of a polyether block amide and a polyamide terpolymer material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 26 words
The catheter of claim 16 wherein said base thermoplastic, elastomer material has a flex modulus in a range of 23,000 to 75,000 pounds per square inch.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 20 words
The catheter of claim 14 wherein said distal tubular member includes a preformed pigtail configuration proximate a distal end thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 20 words
The catheter of claim 14 wherein said distal tubular member includes a sideport communicating with a passage extending longitudinally therein.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 131 words
A flexible plastic catheter comprising: a proximal tubular member of a second, flexible, radiopaque material including a base thermoplastic, elastomer material of a polyamide elastomer and a second radiopaque agent of approximately 25 weight percent of bismuth oxychloride; and a distal tubular member attached to said proximal tubular member and having a pigtail configuration proximate a distal end thereof, said distal member comprising a first, flexible, radiopaque material of a homogeneous composition having a composite durometer of approximately 47 on the Shore D scale and lower than the durometer of said proximal tubular member and containing a base thermoplastic, elastomer material of polyether block amide having a flex modulus in a range from 23,000 to 75,000 pounds per square inch, said homogeneous composition also containing approximately 80 weight percent of tungsten.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 131 words
A flexible plastic catheter comprising: a proximal tubular member of a second, flexible, radiopaque material including a base thermoplastic, elastomer material of a polyamide elastomer and a second radiopaque agent of approximately 25 weight percent of bismuth oxychloride; and a distal tubular member attached to said proximal tubular member and having a pigtail configuration proximate a distal end thereof, said distal member comprising a first, flexible, radiopaque material of a homogeneous composition having a composite durometer of approximately 47 on the Shore D scale and lower than the durometer of said proximal tubular member and containing a base thermoplastic, elastomer material of polyether block amide having a flex modulus in a range from 23,000 to 75,000 pounds per square inch, said homogeneous composition also containing approximately 80 weight percent of tungsten.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-04-04 1997-10-04 1998-04-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-04-04 2001-10-04 2002-04-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-04-04 2005-10-04 2006-04-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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