US5437282A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Drive shaft for acoustic imaging catheters and flexible catheters
Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed Inc
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Filing: 1993-10-29
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Granted: 1995-08-01
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Expires: 2013-10-29
Abstract
Abstract A shaft is shown having inner and outer members in interfering contact along their length, at least one of which comprises a wire, at least a portion of which is superelastic, to achieve substantial mechanical fidelity and resistance to damage. An ultrasound imaging catheter has a hollow catheter shaft, an ultrasound transducer in the shaft, and a drive shaft that rotates the transducer. The shaft comprises at least one metal coil having characteristic elastic deformation under stress in the range of about 3% to 9%, while a restraint means prevents torsional deflection of the coil. A drive shaft having a coil surrounded by a tube, a coil bonded to an inner coaxial cable, and an inner and outer coil that interfere with one another are shown. A superelastic coil is formed by continuously winding a wire about a mandrel, heating a region of the wire to render it superelastic, and after cooling, removing it from the mandrel.
Inventors
- 👤 James D. Koger
- 👤 Andrew Kapravy
- 👤 Kevin R. Heath
- 👤 Robert J. Crowley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 08:19
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/12; A61B8/44; A61B8/4444; A61B8/4461; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/0043; A61M25/0045; G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/004; G10K11/18; G10K11/26; G10K11/35; G10K11/352; G10K11/355; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00526; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22072; A61B2017/22078; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49863; Y10T29/4987; Y10T29/49872
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A flexible, rotatable shaft comprised of inner and outer tubular members in mutually interfering contact along their length, at least one of said tubular members comprising a wire, at least a portion of said wire being exposed to forces tending to produce kinks, said portion being comprised of a superelastic alloy, whereby substantial mechanical fidelity is achieved and resistance to damage improved by virtue of the superelasticity of said portion of said rotatable shaft.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
A flexible, rotatable shaft comprised of inner and outer tubular members in mutually interfering contact along their length, at least one of said tubular members comprising a wire, at least a portion of said wire being exposed to forces tending to produce kinks, said portion being comprised of a superelastic alloy, whereby substantial mechanical fidelity is achieved and resistance to damage improved by virtue of the superelasticity of said portion of said rotatable shaft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
148 words
An ultrasound imaging catheter comprising a drive member extending from a proximal drive mechanism, and an ultrasound transducer coupled in rotatable drive relationship to the distal end of said drive member, said drive member comprising an elongated, torque-transmitting, flexible, rotatable shaft comprised of at least one coil and a restrainer associated with said coil over the length of said coil, said restrainer being constructed and arranged to radially constrain said coil, said coil that is so constrained being comprised of metal that has the property that it can undergo strain in the range of about 3% to 9% without exceeding its elastic limit, said property imparting resistance of said coil to kinks when said coil is exposed to externally applied strain inducing forces, the resultant kink resistance of said coil of said shaft serving to maintain mechanical fidelity of said shaft after exposure to said strain inducing forces.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
148 words
An ultrasound imaging catheter comprising a drive member extending from a proximal drive mechanism, and an ultrasound transducer coupled in rotatable drive relationship to the distal end of said drive member, said drive member comprising an elongated, torque-transmitting, flexible, rotatable shaft comprised of at least one coil and a restrainer associated with said coil over the length of said coil, said restrainer being constructed and arranged to radially constrain said coil, said coil that is so constrained being comprised of metal that has the property that it can undergo strain in the range of about 3% to 9% without exceeding its elastic limit, said property imparting resistance of said coil to kinks when said coil is exposed to externally applied strain inducing forces, the resultant kink resistance of said coil of said shaft serving to maintain mechanical fidelity of said shaft after exposure to said strain inducing forces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 2 wherein said metal is superelastic.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 3 wherein said restrainer comprises a second tightly wound coil of superelastic metal, said coils being wound in opposite directions, and one of said coils disposed coaxially within the other in an interfering relationship.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 3 wherein said superelastic coil has fitted therein a counterwound stainless steel coil that is sprung into internal interfering contact with said superelastic coil.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 2 wherein said coil is disposed within a tightly surrounding sleeve of stiff polymeric material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 6 wherein said sleeve is in a heat-shrunken state about said coil.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 6 wherein said coil is expanded into interfering contact with said sleeve.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 2 wherein a coaxial electrical cable extends through said coil for transmitting signals between said transducer and a proximal signal receiving and sending device, and said coil is adhesively secured to said cable along the mutual length thereof in manner whereby said coaxial cable is in a stress transferring relationship to said coil, serving as said restrainer to resist unwinding of said coil.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 2 wherein said restrainer comprises an adhesively secured layer of stress resistant thermoplastic polymer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 2 wherein said coil is of multifilar construction comprised of between 3 and 10 filaments.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 2 wherein the wire of which said coil is comprised is of circular cross-section.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 2 wherein the wire of which said coil is comprised is of oval cross-section.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 2 wherein the wire of which said coil is comprised is of rectangular cross-section.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The ultrasound imaging catheter of claim 2 wherein the wire of which said coil is comprised is of radial dimension between about 0.012 and 0.001 inch depth.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
125 words
A torque-transmitting flexible assembly useful for introduction through a duct of the body comprising an elongated rotatable shaft comprised of at least one coil and a restrainer associated with said coil over the length of said coil, said restrainer being constructed and arranged to radially constrain said coil, said coil that is so constrained being comprised of metal that has the property that it can undergo strain in the range of about 3% to 9% without exceeding its elastic limit, said property imparting resistance of said coil to kinks when said coil is exposed to externally applied strain inducing forces, the resultant kink resistance of said coil of said shaft serving to maintain mechanical fidelity of said shaft after exposure to said strain inducing forces.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
125 words
A torque-transmitting flexible assembly useful for introduction through a duct of the body comprising an elongated rotatable shaft comprised of at least one coil and a restrainer associated with said coil over the length of said coil, said restrainer being constructed and arranged to radially constrain said coil, said coil that is so constrained being comprised of metal that has the property that it can undergo strain in the range of about 3% to 9% without exceeding its elastic limit, said property imparting resistance of said coil to kinks when said coil is exposed to externally applied strain inducing forces, the resultant kink resistance of said coil of said shaft serving to maintain mechanical fidelity of said shaft after exposure to said strain inducing forces.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
10 words
The assembly of claim 16 where said metal is superelastic.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
The assembly of claim 17 wherein said restrainer comprises a second tightly wound coil of superelastic metal, said coils being wound in opposite directions, and one of said coils disposed coaxially within the other in an interfering relationship.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The assembly of claim 17 wherein said superelastic coil has fitted therein a counterwound stainless steel coil that is sprung into internal interfering contact with said superelastic coil.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The assembly of claim 16 wherein said coil is disposed within a tightly surrounding sleeve of stiff polymeric material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
The assembly of claim 20 wherein said sleeve is in a heat-shrunken state about said coil.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The assembly of claim 20 wherein said coil is expanded into interfering contact with said sleeve.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
54 words
The assembly of claim 16 wherein an electric cable extends through said coil for transmitting signals, and said coil is adhesively secured to said cable along the mutual length thereof in manner whereby said cable is in a stress transferring relationship to said coil, serving as said restrainer to resist unwinding of said coil.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The assembly of claim 16 wherein said restrainer comprises an adhesively secured layer of stress resistant thermoplastic polymer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The assembly of claim 16 wherein said coil is of multifilar construction comprised of between 3 and 10 filaments.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The assembly of claim 16 wherein the wire of which said coil is comprised is of circular cross-section.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The assembly of claim 16 wherein the wire of which said coil is comprised is of oval cross-section.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The assembly of claim 16 wherein the wire of which said coil is comprised is of rectangular cross-section.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
The assembly of claim 16 wherein the wire of which said coil is comprised is of radial dimension between about 0.012 and 0.001 inch depth.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
116 words
A torque-transmitting, flexible, rotatable shaft comprised of inner and outer elongated members in mutually interfering contact along their lengths, at least one of said members comprising a coil, and the other of said members being constructed an arranged to radially constrain said coil to enable transmission of torque through said coil, at least a portion of said coil that is so constrained being comprised of a superelastic alloy, said alloy serving to impart resistance of said portion to kinks when said portion is exposed to externally applied strain-inducing forces, the resultant kink resistance of said coil of said shaft serving to maintain mechanical fidelity of said shaft after exposure of said shaft to said strain-inducing forces.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
116 words
A torque-transmitting, flexible, rotatable shaft comprised of inner and outer elongated members in mutually interfering contact along their lengths, at least one of said members comprising a coil, and the other of said members being constructed an arranged to radially constrain said coil to enable transmission of torque through said coil, at least a portion of said coil that is so constrained being comprised of a superelastic alloy, said alloy serving to impart resistance of said portion to kinks when said portion is exposed to externally applied strain-inducing forces, the resultant kink resistance of said coil of said shaft serving to maintain mechanical fidelity of said shaft after exposure of said shaft to said strain-inducing forces.
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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) | 1998-07-31 | 1999-01-30 | 1999-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-07-31 | 2003-01-30 | 2003-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-07-31 | 2007-01-30 | 2007-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |