Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
A balloon for a medical device formed from a length of tubing of a polymer material by radial expansion of the tubing under pressure, the polymer material comprising a block copolymer thermoplastic elastomer characterized as follows: the block copolymer is represented by the formula: ##STR2## in which PA is a polyamide hard segment of molecular weight in the range of 500-8,000; PE is a polyether soft segment of molecular weight in the range of 500-2,500 and the repeating number n is between 5 and 10, the polyamide hard segments are polyamides of C 6 or higher carboxylic acids and C 6 or higher organic diamines or of C 6 or higher aliphatic ω-amino-α-acids, and the polyether soft segments are polyethers of C 2 -C 10 diols; the block copolymer has a flexural modulus of less than about 150,000 psi; the block copolymer has a hardness, Shore D scale, of greater than 60; and the percentage by weight of the block polymer attributable to the hard segments is between about 50% and about 95%.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
173 words
A balloon for a medical device formed from a length of tubing of a polymer material by radial expansion of the tubing under pressure, the polymer material comprising a block copolymer thermoplastic elastomer characterized as follows: the block copolymer is represented by the formula: ##STR2## in which PA is a polyamide hard segment of molecular weight in the range of 500-8,000; PE is a polyether soft segment of molecular weight in the range of 500-2,500 and the repeating number n is between 5 and 10, the polyamide hard segments are polyamides of C 6 or higher carboxylic acids and C 6 or higher organic diamines or of C 6 or higher aliphatic ω-amino-α-acids, and the polyether soft segments are polyethers of C 2 -C 10 diols; the block copolymer has a flexural modulus of less than about 150,000 psi; the block copolymer has a hardness, Shore D scale, of greater than 60; and the percentage by weight of the block polymer attributable to the hard segments is between about 50% and about 95%.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A balloon as in claim 1 wherein the block copolymer segment, PA, is an aliphatic polyamide of one or more C 10 -C 12 aliphatic acids and one or more C 10 -C 12 aliphatic diamines or of a C 10 -C 12 aliphatic ω-amino -α-acid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A balloon as in claim 1 wherein the polyamide segment, PA, is selected from the group consisting of nylon 12, nylon 11, nylon 9, nylon 6, nylon 6/12, nylon 6/11, nylon 6/9 and nylon 6/6.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A balloon as in claim 1 wherein the polyamide segment, PA, is nylon 12 of a molecular weight of 3,000-5,000, and the polyether segment, PE, is poly(tetramethylene ether) of molecular weight between 500 and 1250.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A balloon as in claim 1 wherein the polyamide segments, PA, comprise between 80 and 90% by weight of the polyamide/polyether polyester.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A balloon as in claim 1 wherein said polyether segment, is selected from the group consisting of poly(tetramethylene ether), poly(pentamethylene ether) and poly(hexamethylene ether).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A balloon as in claim 1 wherein the wall strength of the balloon is at least 15,000 psi.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A balloon as in claim 7 wherein the wall thickness, single wall basis, is no more than 0.0015 inches and said wall strength is greater than 18,000 psi.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A balloon as in claim 8 wherein said wall thickness is no more than 0.0009 inches.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A balloon as in claim 7 wherein said wall strength is greater than 20,000 psi.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
A balloon as in claim 4 having a compliant to semi-compliant distension profile whereby as inflation pressure is increased from 6 atm to 12 atm, the balloon expands from a nominal diameter at the 6 atm pressure to an increased diameter at the 9 atm pressure which is at least 7% greater than said nominal diameter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A balloon as in claim 11 wherein the increased diameter at 12 atm is at least 10% greater than said nominal diameter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
A balloon as in claim 11 wherein the increased diameter is at least 16% greater than said nominal diameter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A balloon as in claim 11 having a nominal diameter of between 1.5 mm and 10.0 mm, the balloon having a burst pressure of at least 10 atm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A balloon as in claim 1 having a nominal diameter of between 1.5 mm and 4.0 mm, the balloon having a burst pressure of at least 12 atm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A balloon as in claim 1 wherein the block copolymer is further characterized by a ultimate tensile strength of at least 6,000 psi and an ultimate elongation of at least 300%.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A dilation catheter having a elongated tubular body, a balloon mounted on a distal end thereof and means for inflation of the balloon, wherein the balloon is a balloon as in claim 1.