US5349964A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device having an electrically actuatable section with a portion having a current shunt and method
Assignee: Avantec Vascular Corp
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Filing: 1993-05-05
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Granted: 1994-09-27
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Expires: 2013-05-05
Abstract
Abstract Device comprising an elongate tubular member having proximal and distal extremities and having a section with a plurality of lumens extending from the proximal extremity to the section. At least two conductive elements are disposed in the lumens in said section of the elongate tubular member. The conductive elements are formed of a conductive metal alloy having a recoverable strain in excess of 1% and exhibiting a martensitic phase transformation. Electrical current is supplied to the at least one conductive element. The section has at least one portion. A current conductor is carried by said at least one conductive element for shunting current flow around the at least one portion of said at least one conductive element.
Inventors
- 👤 Mir A. Imran
- 👤 Gholam-Reza Zadno-Azizi
- 👤 Mark L. Pomeranz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 06:41
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61M25/0158; A61M2025/0161; A61M25/09; A61M25/09016; A61M25/09033
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
A steerable catheter or guide wire device comprising an elongate tubular member having proximal and distal extremities and having a section with a plurality of lumens extending from the proximal extremity to the section, at least two conductive elements disposed in said lumens in said section of the elongate tubular member, at least one of said conductive elements being formed of a conductive metal alloy having a recoverable strain in excess of 1% and exhibiting a martensitic phase transformation, means coupled to the conductive elements for applying electrical current to at least one conductive element, said section having at least one portion and current conductive means carried by said at least one conductive element for shunting current flow around said at least one portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
124 words
A steerable catheter or guide wire device comprising an elongate tubular member having proximal and distal extremities and having a section with a plurality of lumens extending from the proximal extremity to the section, at least two conductive elements disposed in said lumens in said section of the elongate tubular member, at least one of said conductive elements being formed of a conductive metal alloy having a recoverable strain in excess of 1% and exhibiting a martensitic phase transformation, means coupled to the conductive elements for applying electrical current to at least one conductive element, said section having at least one portion and current conductive means carried by said at least one conductive element for shunting current flow around said at least one portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device as in claim 1 wherein said current conductive means is in the form of a conductive material having a conductivity which is substantially greater than the conductivity of said at least one conductive element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A device as in claim 2 wherein said current conductive means is in the form of a metallic plating adherent to and extending around the conductive element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device as in claim 3 wherein said plating is a noble metal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as in claim 4 wherein said noble metal is selected from gold and silver.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as in claim 3 wherein said metallic plating has a portion thereof with a thickness ranging from 50 to 300 microinches.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as in claim 3 wherein said metallic plating is stepped to provided at least two steps in which one step has a thickness greater than the other step.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device as in claim 3 wherein said metallic plating is tapered in thickness.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as in claim 8 wherein the taper of the metallic plating increases in thickness in a direction towards the proximal extremity of the at least one conductive element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as in claim 3 wherein said plating is disposed in spaced-apart portions of the section of the at least one conductive element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device as in claim 1 wherein said section is at the distal extremity.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device as in claim 11 wherein said section is flexible and wherein at least three circumferentially spaced-apart conductive elements are disposed in said lumens.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
121 words
A flexible elongate steerable catheter or guide wire device comprising a flexible elongate tubular member having proximal and distal extremities and having a plurality of lumens extending therethrough from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity, at least three circumferentially spaced-apart conductive elements disposed in said lumens in the distal extremity of the flexible elongate tubular member, said conductive elements being formed of a conductive metal alloy having a recoverable strain in excess of 1% and which exhibits a martensitic phase transformation, means coupled to the conductive elements for selectively applying electrical current to the conductive elements and current conductive means carried by said conductive elements for shunting current flow around at least a portion of each of the conductive elements.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
121 words
A flexible elongate steerable catheter or guide wire device comprising a flexible elongate tubular member having proximal and distal extremities and having a plurality of lumens extending therethrough from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity, at least three circumferentially spaced-apart conductive elements disposed in said lumens in the distal extremity of the flexible elongate tubular member, said conductive elements being formed of a conductive metal alloy having a recoverable strain in excess of 1% and which exhibits a martensitic phase transformation, means coupled to the conductive elements for selectively applying electrical current to the conductive elements and current conductive means carried by said conductive elements for shunting current flow around at least a portion of each of the conductive elements.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device as in claim 13 wherein said current conductive means is in the form of a conductive material having a conductivity which is substantially greater than the conductivity of the conductive element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as in claim 14 wherein said current conductive means is in the form of a plating adherent to and extending around the conductive element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device as in claim 15 wherein said plating is a noble metal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as in claim 16 wherein said noble metal is selected from gold and silver.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device as in claim 15 wherein said plating has a thickness ranging from 50 to 300 microinches.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
A device as in claim 15 wherein said plating is stepped to provide at least two steps in which one step of the at least two steps has a thickness greater than the other step of the at least two steps.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device as in claim 15 wherein said plating is tapered in thickness.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as in claim 20 wherein the taper of the plating increases in thickness in a direction towards the proximal extremity of the conductive element.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device as in claim 15 wherein said plating is disposed on spaced-apart portions of the conductive element.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for reducing the I 2 R heating losses in the distal extremity of a flexible elongate tubular member used in a steerable catheter or guide wire and formed of a material and having a conductive element therein formed of a conductive metal alloy having recoverable strain in excess of 1% and exhibiting a martensitic phase transformation comprising the steps of passing an electrical current through the conductive element to cause heating of the same, and shunting the current around a predetermined portion of the conductive element to reduce the I 2 R heating of the conductive element to thereby reduce the transfer of heat to the material of the flexible elongate tubular member carrying the conductive element.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for reducing the I 2 R heating losses in the distal extremity of a flexible elongate tubular member used in a steerable catheter or guide wire and formed of a material and having a conductive element therein formed of a conductive metal alloy having recoverable strain in excess of 1% and exhibiting a martensitic phase transformation comprising the steps of passing an electrical current through the conductive element to cause heating of the same, and shunting the current around a predetermined portion of the conductive element to reduce the I 2 R heating of the conductive element to thereby reduce the transfer of heat to the material of the flexible elongate tubular member carrying the conductive element.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as in claim 23 wherein the shunting is carried out by providing a highly conductive path having a resistivity substantially less than that of the conductive element to reduce the I 2 R heating occurring by passage of current through the conductive element.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 23 wherein the shunting is carried out in progressively decreasing steps.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 23 wherein the shunting is carried out in a progressive substantially linear decrease in shunting.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as in claim 23 wherein the shunting is created at spaced-apart portions of the conductive element.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-09-26 | 1998-03-28 | 1998-09-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-09-26 | 2002-03-28 | 2002-09-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-09-26 | 2006-03-28 | 2006-09-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |