Exchangeable guidewire

Claim 2

An interconnection apparatus for body insertable guidewires and exchange wires, including: a first connector at one end of a first wire, said first connector being substantially symmetrical about a first connector axis and having a first end region and a recessed region adjacent the first end region; and a second connector adapted for mounting at one end of a second wire, said second connector having a second connector axis and a projection means; wherein the first and second connectors, when positioned in confronting and at least generally axially aligned relation, are movable axially toward one another into a mechanical coupling in which the projection means is aligned with and extends radially toward the recessed region; a selected one of the connectors elastically deforming to allow the first end region to travel axially inward past the projection means as the connectors are moved toward said mechanical coupling and further at least substantially elastically recovering upon movement of the connectors into said mechanical coupling; the projection means and the first end region, with the connectors in said mechanical coupling, engaging one another to limit axial movement of the connectors away from one another to maintain the mechanical coupling, wherein the first and second connectors are rotatable relative to one another when in said mechanical coupling; and wherein the selected connector further is elastically deformable, responsive to further axially outward travel of the first end region after engaging said projection means as the connectors are moved axially away from said mechanical coupling, to allow travel of the first end region axially outward past the projection means to release the mechanical coupling.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 further including: a stop means for preventing any substantial axially inward movement of the first end region relative to the second connector, when the connectors are in said mechanical coupling.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: the recessed region comprises a groove between the first end region and a second and opposite end region of the first connector, said projection means extending radially into the groove when the connectors are in said mechanical coupling.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: the stop means comprises an inclined groove end surface between the groove and the second end region.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: the stop means comprises a truncated conical surface between the first connector and the first wire and an end of the second connector, positioned to engage one another and thereby prevent further axially inward movement of the first connector relative to the second connector.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: the first end region comprises a head, the second end region comprises a shank, and said groove has a diameter less than an outer diameter of the shank and less than an outer diameter of the head.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said first end region of the first connector is a truncated cone diverging in the axial direction toward the groove.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein: said second end region is a shank on the opposite side of the groove from the truncated cone, with an outside diameter of the shank and a maximum outside diameter of the truncated cone being greater than an outside diameter of the groove.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: the outside diameter of the shank and the maximum outside diameter of the truncated cone are substantially equal.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: said first connector, including the truncated cone, the groove and the shank, is formed by selective removal of material from said one end of the first wire.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: said truncated cone diverges at an angle of about 20° with respect to first connector axis.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 11 further including: two opposed groove end surfaces proximate the cone and the shank, respectively, said end surfaces being inclined at an angle of at least 45° relative to the first connector axis.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the second connector comprises a socket having an annular wall, and the first connector is inserted into the socket and surrounded by the socket when in said mechanical coupling.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the second connector comprises a socket having an annular wall, the first connector is inserted into the socket and surrounded by the socket when in said mechanical coupling, and the projection means comprises an indentation formed in the annular wall.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein: said indentation includes a gradually inclined wall portion that terminates in a steeply inclined edge, and wherein said first end region, when traveling axially inward toward the indentation, encounters the wall portion before encountering the edge.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: one of the first and second connectors at least substantially surrounds the other connector when the connectors are in said mechanical coupling, to prevent substantial radial movement of the connectors relative to one another.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein: the second connector comprises a socket having an annular wall, and surrounds the first connector when the connectors are in said mechanical coupling.

Claim 19

The interconnection apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said selected connector elastically deforms responsive to further axial travel of the first and second connectors toward one another after engagement of said first end region and projection means, as said connectors are moved toward said mechanical engagement.

Claim 22

The device of claim 6 wherein: the first end region of the first connector is a truncated cone converging in the axial direction toward the groove, and the first connector further includes a second end region comprising a shank on the opposite side of the recessed region from the truncated cone.

Claim 23

The device of claim 20 wherein: an outside diameter of the shank and a maximum outside diameter of a truncated cone are approximately equal to one another and are greater than an outside diameter of the recessed region.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein: the first end region of the first connector comprises a cylindrical head.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein: the second connector comprises a socket having an annular wall, and the first connector is inserted into the socket and surrounded by the socket when in the mechanical coupling.

Claim 26

The device of claim 23 wherein: the socket has a nominal inside diameter, and the projection means comprises at least one indentation formed in the annular wall.

Claim 27

The device of claim 23 wherein: said at least one indentation includes a gradually inclined wall portion having an axially inward and steeply inclined edge.

Claim 28

The device of claim 23 wherein: the projection means comprises four indentations formed in the annular wall along the medial region and spaced apart angularly 90° from one another to provide two pairs of opposed indentations at the medial region, wherein a distance between each pair of opposed indentations is less than the nominal inside diameter.

Claim 29

The device of claim 26 wherein: respective outside diameters of the first end region and the second end region of the first connector, are less than the nominal inside diameter of the socket and greater than the distance between each pair of indentations.

Claim 30

The device of claim 27 wherein: the distance between each pair of opposed indentations is at least equal to an outside diameter of the groove.

Claim 31

The device of claim 26 wherein: the first end region of the first connector comprises a truncated cone diverging in the direction toward the groove, and the second end region of the connector comprises a shank on the opposite side of the groove from the cone and having an outside diameter substantially equal to a maximum outside diameter of the truncated cone.

Claim 32

The device of claim 21 wherein: the guide section includes a proximal extension, and a distal end portion of the socket surrounds the proximal extension.

Claim 33

The device of claim 30 wherein: the guide section further includes an annular beveled transition surface between the proximal extension and the remainder of the guide section, and the socket has an annular beveled distal surface parallel to the transition surface.

Claim 34

The device of claim 19 wherein: one of the first and second connectors at least substantially surrounds the other of the connectors when the connectors are in said mechanical coupling, to prevent substantial radial movement of the connectors relative to one another.

Claim 35

The device of claim 32 wherein: the second connector comprises a socket having an annular wall, and surrounds the first connector when the connectors are in said mechanical coupling.

Claim 36

An interconnection apparatus for body insertable guidewires and exchange wires, including: a first connector at one end of a first wire, said first connector being substantially symmetrical about a first connector axis and having a first end region and a recessed region adjacent the first end region, said first end region having a first truncated conical surface diverging in the axial direction toward the recessed region and a second truncated conical surface between the first conical surface and the recessed region converging in the axial direction toward the recessed region; and a second connector adapted for mounting at one end of a second wire, said second connector having a second connector axis and a projection means; wherein the first and second connectors, when positioned in confronting and at least generally axially aligned relation, are movable axially inward toward one another into a mechanical coupling in which the projection means is aligned with and extends radially toward the recessed region; said first connector engaging the projection means at the first conical surface and, upon further axially inward travel, elastically deforming the second connector to allow the first end region to travel axially inward past the projection means as the connectors are moved toward said mechanical coupling, the second connector at least substantially elastically recovering upon movement of the connectors into said mechanical coupling; the projection means and the first end region, with the connectors in said mechanical coupling, engaging one another to limit axial movement of the connectors away from one another and thus maintain the mechanical coupling; wherein said first connector further is movable axially outward away from said mechanical coupling to cause the first end region to engage the projection means at said second conical surface and, upon further axially outward travel, elastically deforming the second connector to allow axially outward passage of the first end region past the projection means to release the mechanical coupling; and wherein the second conical surface is inclined more steeply than the first conical surface, whereby the axial force necessary to effect said further axially inward travel is less than the axial force necessary to effect said further axially outward travel.

Claim 37

An interconnection apparatus for body insertable guidewires and exchange wires, including: a first connector at one end of a first wire, said first connector being substantially symmetrical about a first connector axis and having a first end region and a recessed region adjacent the first end region, said first end region having a first truncated conical surface diverging in the axial direction toward the recessed region and a second truncated conical surface between the first conical surface and the recessed region converging in the axial direction toward the recessed region; and a second connector adapted for mounting at one end of a second wire, said second connector having a second connector axis and a projection means; wherein the first and second connectors, when positioned in confronting and at least generally axially aligned relation, are movable axially inward toward one another into a mechanical coupling in which the projection means is aligned with and extends radially toward the recessed region; said first connector engaging the projection means at the first conical surface and, upon further axially inward travel, elastically deforming the second connector to allow the first end region to travel axially inward past the projection means as the connectors are moved toward said mechanical coupling, the second connector at least substantially elastically recovering upon movement of the connectors into said mechanical coupling; the projection means and the first end region, with the connectors in said mechanical coupling, engaging one another to limit axial movement of the connectors away from one another and thus maintain the mechanical coupling; wherein said first connector further is movable axially outward away from said mechanical coupling to cause the first end region to engage the projection means at said second conical surface and, upon further axially outward travel, elastically deforming the second connector to allow axially outward passage of the first end region past the projection means to release the mechanical coupling; and wherein the second conical surface is inclined more steeply than the first conical surface, whereby the axial force necessary to effect said further axially inward travel is less than the axial force necessary to effect said further axially outward travel.

Claim 38

An interconnection apparatus for body insertable guidewires and exchange wires, including: a first connector at one end of a first wire, said first connector being substantially symmetrical about a first connector axis and having a first end region and a recessed region adjacent the first end region; and a second connector adapted for mounting at one end of a second wire, said second connector comprising a socket having an annular wall, said second connector further having a second connector axis and a projection means comprising at least one indentation formed in the annular wall along a medial region of the socket; wherein the first and second connectors, when positioned in confronting and at least generally axially aligned relation, are movable axially toward one another to insert the first connector into the socket to form a mechanical coupling in which the socket surrounds the first connector and the at least one indentation is aligned with and extends radially toward the recessed region; a selected one of the connectors elastically deforming to allow the first end region to travel axially inward past the at least one indentation as the connectors are moved toward said mechanical coupling and further at least substantially elastically recovering upon movement of the connectors into said mechanical coupling; the at least one indentation and the first end region, with the connectors in said mechanical coupling, engaging one another to limit axial movement of the connectors away from one another to maintain the mechanical coupling; and wherein the selected connector further is elastically deformable, responsive to further travel of the first end region axially outward away from said mechanical coupling after engaging the at least one indentation, to allow axial travel of the first end region past said indentation to release the mechanical coupling.

Claim 39

An interconnection apparatus for body insertable guidewires and exchange wires, including: a first connector at one end of a first wire, said first connector being substantially symmetrical about a first connector axis and having a first end region and a recessed region adjacent the first end region; and a second connector adapted for mounting at one end of a second wire, said second connector comprising a socket having an annular wall, said second connector further having a second connector axis and a projection means comprising at least one indentation formed in the annular wall along a medial region of the socket; wherein the first and second connectors, when positioned in confronting and at least generally axially aligned relation, are movable axially toward one another to insert the first connector into the socket to form a mechanical coupling in which the socket surrounds the first connector and the at least one indentation is aligned with and extends radially toward the recessed region; a selected one of the connectors elastically deforming to allow the first end region to travel axially inward past the at least one indentation as the connectors are moved toward said mechanical coupling and further at least substantially elastically recovering upon movement of the connectors into said mechanical coupling; the at least one indentation and the first end region, with the connectors in said mechanical coupling, engaging one another to limit axial movement of the connectors away from one another to maintain the mechanical coupling; and wherein the selected connector further is elastically deformable, responsive to further travel of the first end region axially outward away from said mechanical coupling after engaging the at least one indentation, to allow axial travel of the first end region past said indentation to release the mechanical coupling.

Claim 40

The apparatus of claim 35 wherein: the projection means comprises a plurality of indentations formed along the medial region and equally angularly spaced apart from one another.

Claim 41

The apparatus of claim 36 wherein: the projection means comprises four of the indentations angularly spaced apart from one another 90 degrees to provide two pairs of opposed indentations at the medial region of the socket, wherein a distance between each pair of opposed indentations is less than a nominal interior diameter of the socket.

Claim 42

The apparatus of claim 37 wherein: an outer diameter of the first end region of the first connector is less than the nominal interior diameter of the socket and greater than the distance between each pair of opposed indentations, and wherein the socket is elastically deformable to permit insertion of the first connector into the socket to carry the first end region past the indentations, to axially align the indentations and the groove recessed region, said recessed region being formed as a groove in the first connector.

Claim 43

The apparatus of claim 35 wherein: an outer diameter of the second end region of the first connector is less than the nominal interior diameter of the socket and exceeds the distance between each pair of opposed indentations.

Claim 44

The apparatus of claim 39 wherein: the distance between each pair of opposed indentations is at least equal to an outer diameter of the groove, whereby the first connector, when in the mechanical coupling, is free to rotate relative to the socket about the first connector axis.