US5624397A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Catheter having a multiple durometer
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1994-09-19
•
Granted: 1997-04-29
•
Expires: 2014-09-19
Abstract
Abstract The catheter is formed by a housing having a size and shape which fits readily into the hand of the user. An elongate tube is connected to and extends from the housing. The elongate tube is formed from a flexible polymeric material and constructed of three portions, a proximal portion, a medial portion, and a distal portion. Each of the portions is coaxial with one another and the longitudinal axis of the catheter housing. In addition, each of the portions has substantially the same outer circumference. The proximal and distal portions are formed of a flexible polymeric material which has a higher durometer of hardness than that of the medial portion. A pair of control wires extend longitudinally through the proximal, medial, and distal portions and parallel to the axis of the coaxial portions for selectively bending the portions in response to movement of the control wires. A control wheel is carried by the housing for controlling the movement of the control wires to thereby bend the selected portions and remotely manipulate the catheter within a human body. At least one lumen extends from the catheter body through each of the proximal, medial and distal portions of the elongate tube to form a working channel therein.
Inventors
- 👤 Phillip J. Snoke
- 👤 David S. Rowley
- 👤 David G. Lincoln
- 👤 Kirk W. Charles
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 23:18
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61M25/0141; A61B; A61B1/00; A61B1/005; A61B1/0051; A61B1/0057; A61M25/0136; A61M25/0147; A61B1/313; A61B1/3132; A61M2025/015; A61M25/0009
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
A catheter for easily inserting into a vessel, cavity or tissue of the human body to thereby provide improved flexibility and manipulation of a portion of the catheter within the vessel, cavity or tissue, said catheter comprising: a housing configured to be readily held in the hand of a user; a tubular proximal portion connected to and extending outwardly from said housing, said proximal portion formed of a flexible polymeric material; a tubular medial portion coaxial with and integrally formed as a unitary piece with said proximal portion, said medial portion being formed of a flexible polymeric material and being more flexible than said proximal portion; a tubular distal portion coaxial with and integrally formed as a unitary piece with said medial portion, said distal portion formed of a flexible polymeric material and being less flexible than said medial portion; and means responsive to a user of the catheter for controlling movement of at least said distal portion for manipulating said catheter within a human body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
A catheter for easily inserting into a vessel, cavity or tissue of the human body to thereby provide improved flexibility and manipulation of a portion of the catheter within the vessel, cavity or tissue, said catheter comprising: a housing configured to be readily held in the hand of a user; a tubular proximal portion connected to and extending outwardly from said housing, said proximal portion formed of a flexible polymeric material; a tubular medial portion coaxial with and integrally formed as a unitary piece with said proximal portion, said medial portion being formed of a flexible polymeric material and being more flexible than said proximal portion; a tubular distal portion coaxial with and integrally formed as a unitary piece with said medial portion, said distal portion formed of a flexible polymeric material and being less flexible than said medial portion; and means responsive to a user of the catheter for controlling movement of at least said distal portion for manipulating said catheter within a human body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A catheter according to claim 1, wherein said proximal, medial, and distal portions comprise substantially the same outer circumference.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A catheter according to claim 2, further comprising a pair of lumens extending parallel to the axis of said coaxial proximal, medial, and distal portions, for providing a working channel therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A catheter according to claim 3 further comprising a septum wall separating said lumens.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A catheter according to claim 4 wherein said distal portion comprises a thermoplastic material resistant to tearing of said septum wall, resistant to deformation of said distal portion when passing through tissue, and resistant to damage from medical instruments inserted therein.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A catheter according to claim 3 wherein at least one of said lumens comprises a plurality of splines for directing fluid around said distal portion for cleaning a medical instrument inserted therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A catheter according to claim 3 wherein one of said lumens comprises a flat surface therein for preventing unwanted rotation of a medical instrument inserted therein.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A catheter according to claim 3, wherein said pair of lumens extend into said housing for accessing said lumens therefrom.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
93 words
A catheter according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises: a pair of control wires extending longitudinally through said proximal, medial, and distal portions and parallel to the axis of said coaxial portions for bending and thereby manipulating said flexible portions when said control wires are moved longitudinally with respect to one another; and a rotatable control wheel located within said housing, for engaging a portion of each of said control wires, so that rotation of said control wheel moves said wires and thereby changes an angular attitude of said elongate tube.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
A catheter according to claim 9, wherein each of said control wires extends longitudinally from said proximal portion, through said medial portion, and into said distal portion, looped within said distal portion and extending longitudinally from said distal portion, through said medial portion, and into said proximal portion to thereby reduce slippage of said control wires as said wires are moved longitudinally with respect to one another.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A catheter according to claim 1 wherein said proximal portion, said medial portion, and said distal portion are welded together at ends thereof into an integral unit to form said elongate tube.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
114 words
A catheter for easily inserting into a vessel, cavity or tissue of the human body to thereby provide improved flexibility and manipulation of a portion of the catheter within the vessel, cavity or tissue, said catheter comprising: an elongate tube formed of a material having sufficient stiffness to maintain said elongate tube along a substantially straight axis in the absence of an external force applied thereto, said elongate tube having a distal portion, a medial portion and a proximal portion, each of said portions having substantially the same outer circumference, being integrally formed of a unitary piece of material, and said medial portion of said elongate tube being more flexible than said distal portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
114 words
A catheter for easily inserting into a vessel, cavity or tissue of the human body to thereby provide improved flexibility and manipulation of a portion of the catheter within the vessel, cavity or tissue, said catheter comprising: an elongate tube formed of a material having sufficient stiffness to maintain said elongate tube along a substantially straight axis in the absence of an external force applied thereto, said elongate tube having a distal portion, a medial portion and a proximal portion, each of said portions having substantially the same outer circumference, being integrally formed of a unitary piece of material, and said medial portion of said elongate tube being more flexible than said distal portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A catheter according to claim 12, wherein said proximal portion and distal portion have substantially the same flexibility.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
A catheter according to claim 12, wherein said distal portion of said elongate tube further comprises a tip for ease of access into and through a body vessel, cavity, skin, or tissue.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
A catheter according to claim 12, further comprising a wire extending longitudinally through said elongate tube for controlling a change in the angular attitude of said distal portion from said substantially straight axis to thereby remotely manipulate said distal portion of said catheter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
A catheter according to claim 12, further comprising a housing configured so as to be readily held in the hand of a user and connected to said proximal portion of said elongate tube to thereby provide control and manipulation thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A catheter according to claim 12, wherein said material forming said elongate tube comprises a polymeric material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
A catheter according to claim 13, wherein said distal portion of said elongate tube comprises a pair of lumens extending parallel to the axis of said coaxial proximal, medial, and distal portions, for providing a working channel therein.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
A catheter according to claim 18 further comprising a septum wall separating said lumens.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
45 words
A catheter according to claim 19 wherein said distal portion comprises a thermoplastic material resistant to tearing of said septum wall, resistant to deformation of said distal portion when passing through tissue, and resistant to damage of said working channel from medical instruments inserted therein.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
A catheter according to claim 21 wherein one of said lumens comprises a plurality of splines for directing fluid around said distal portion for cleaning a medical instrument inserted therein.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
A catheter according to claim 21 wherein one of said lumens comprises a flat surface therein for preventing unwanted rotation of a medical instrument inserted therein.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
164 words
A catheter for easily inserting into a vessel, cavity or tissue of the human body to thereby provide improved flexibility and manipulation of a portion of the catheter within the vessel, cavity or tissue, said catheter comprising: a tubular proximal portion formed of a flexible polymeric material; a tubular medial portion coaxial with and connected to and integrally formed as a unitary piece of material with a distal end of said proximal portion, said medial portion formed of a flexible polymeric material and having substantially the same outer circumference as said proximal portion, and said medial portion being more flexible than said proximal portion; and a tubular distal portion coaxial with connected to and integrally formed as a unitary piece of material with a distal end of said medial portion, said distal portion formed of a flexible polymeric material having substantially the same outer circumference as said medial portion and said proximal portion, and said distal portion having less flexibility than said medial portion.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
164 words
A catheter for easily inserting into a vessel, cavity or tissue of the human body to thereby provide improved flexibility and manipulation of a portion of the catheter within the vessel, cavity or tissue, said catheter comprising: a tubular proximal portion formed of a flexible polymeric material; a tubular medial portion coaxial with and connected to and integrally formed as a unitary piece of material with a distal end of said proximal portion, said medial portion formed of a flexible polymeric material and having substantially the same outer circumference as said proximal portion, and said medial portion being more flexible than said proximal portion; and a tubular distal portion coaxial with connected to and integrally formed as a unitary piece of material with a distal end of said medial portion, said distal portion formed of a flexible polymeric material having substantially the same outer circumference as said medial portion and said proximal portion, and said distal portion having less flexibility than said medial portion.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
A catheter according to claim 23, wherein said proximal, medial, and distal portions are formed from a single type of polymeric material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
A catheter according to claim 24, wherein said flexible polymeric material is a thermoplastic polymer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
13 words
A catheter according to claim 24, wherein said flexible polymeric material is polyurethane.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
A catheter according to claim 23, wherein said proximal, medial, and distal portions are separate pieces joined into an integral unit to form said elongate tube.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
A catheter according to claim 27 wherein said proximal, medial, and distal portions are joined by welding together said proximal, medial, and distal portions at respective common ends thereof.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
A catheter according to claim 23, further comprising a pair of lumens extending parallel to the axis of said coaxial proximal, medial, and distal portions providing a working channel therein.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
A catheter according to claim 29 further comprising a septum wall separating said lumens.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
41 words
A catheter according to claim 30 wherein said distal portion comprises a thermoplastic material resistant to deformation when passing through tissue, resistant to tearing of said system wall, and resistant to damage of said working channel from medical instruments inserted therein.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
30 words
A catheter according to claim 29 wherein one of said lumens comprises a plurality of splines for directing fluid around said distal portion for cleaning a medical instrument inserted therein.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
26 words
A catheter according to claim 29 wherein one of said lumens comprises a flat surface therein for preventing unwanted rotation of a medical instrument inserted therein.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
51 words
A catheter according to claim 29, further comprising a pair of control wires extending longitudinally through said proximal, medial, and distal portions and parallel to the axis of said coaxial portions for bending and thereby manipulating said flexible portions when said control wires are moved longitudinally with respect to one another.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
67 words
A catheter according to claim 34, wherein each of said control wires extends longitudinally from said proximal portion, through said medial portion, and into said distal portion, looped within said distal portion and extending longitudinally from said distal portion, through said medial portion, and into said proximal portion to thereby reduce slippage of said control wires as said wires are moved longitudinally with respect to one another.
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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) | 2000-04-28 | 2000-10-28 | 2001-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-04-28 | 2004-10-28 | 2005-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-04-28 | 2008-10-28 | 2009-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |