Patent US6077880A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6077880A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Highly radiopaque polyolefins and method for making the same
Assignee: Cordis US Corp
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Filing: 1998-07-22
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Granted: 2000-06-20
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Expires: 2018-07-22
Abstract
Abstract In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method for making a highly radiopaque polyolefin compound, wherein the radiopaque material in said compound is substantially uniformly dispersed and held within a polymer matrix. During the method one first heats an amount of polyolefin, preferably low density polyethylene, to at least its melting temperature. The amount of polyolefin is equal to at least 10% by weight of the compound. Then an amount of radiopaque metal powder is added to the polyolefin. The amount of radiopaque metal is equal to up to 90% by weight of the compound. The metal powder is preferably tantalum, tungsten, gold or platinum. Thereafter, an amount of a dispersing agent is added to the polyolefin to form a mixture. The amount of dispersing agent is equal to at least 0.2% by weight of the compound. The dispersing agent is preferably zinc stearate, aluminum stearate or calcium stearate. Lastly, the mixture is mixed and cooled below its melting temperature to form the compound.
Inventors
- 👤 Miguel Castillo
- 👤 Joquin Villalobos
- 👤 Jeffrey Walker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 10:57
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08J; C08J3/00; C08J3/20; C08J3/201; A; A61; A61L; A61L29/00; A61L29/04; A61L29/041; A61L29/14; A61L29/18; C08K; C08K3/00; C08K3/02; C08K3/08; C08K5/00; C08K5/04; C08K5/09; C08K5/098; C08J2323/00; C08J2323/02; C08L; C08L23/00; C08L23/02; C08L23/04; C08L23/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
A vascular catheter having a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end of said catheter comprising a highly radiopaque polyolefin compound wherein the radiopaque material in said compound is wetted with a dispersing agent and substantially uniformly dispersed and held within a polymer matrix, said highly radiopaque polyolefin compound is formed from a method comprising: a) heating an amount of polyolefin material to at least its melting temperature, said amount of polyolefin equal to at least 10% by weight of said compound; b) adding an amount of radiopaque metal powder to said polyolefin, said amount of radiopaque material equal to up to 90% by weight of said compound; c) adding an amount of a stearate dispersing agent to said polyolefin to form a mixture, said amount of metal stearate equal to at least 0.2% by weight of said compound; and d) mixing and cooling said mixture below its melting temperature to form said compound.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
A vascular catheter having a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end of said catheter comprising a highly radiopaque polyolefin compound wherein the radiopaque material in said compound is wetted with a dispersing agent and substantially uniformly dispersed and held within a polymer matrix, said highly radiopaque polyolefin compound is formed from a method comprising: a) heating an amount of polyolefin material to at least its melting temperature, said amount of polyolefin equal to at least 10% by weight of said compound; b) adding an amount of radiopaque metal powder to said polyolefin, said amount of radiopaque material equal to up to 90% by weight of said compound; c) adding an amount of a stearate dispersing agent to said polyolefin to form a mixture, said amount of metal stearate equal to at least 0.2% by weight of said compound; and d) mixing and cooling said mixture below its melting temperature to form said compound.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
74 words
A vascular catheter having distal and proximal ends, wherein said distal end of said catheter comprises a radiopaque compound comprising up to 10% by weight polyolefin, up to 90% by weight radiopaque metal powder and at least 0.2% by weight stearate dispersing agent, wherein said metal powder is wetted with said dispersing agent and substantially uniformly distributed and held within a polymer dispersing agent and substantially uniformly distributed and held within a polymer matrix.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
74 words
A vascular catheter having distal and proximal ends, wherein said distal end of said catheter comprises a radiopaque compound comprising up to 10% by weight polyolefin, up to 90% by weight radiopaque metal powder and at least 0.2% by weight stearate dispersing agent, wherein said metal powder is wetted with said dispersing agent and substantially uniformly distributed and held within a polymer dispersing agent and substantially uniformly distributed and held within a polymer matrix.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
87 words
A vascular catheter having distal and proximal ends, wherein said distal end of said catheter comprises a radiopaque compound comprising up to 10% by weight low density polyethylene, up to 90% by weight radiopaque metal powder selected from the group comprising tantalum, tungsten, gold and platinum, and at least 0.2% by weight stearate dispersing agent selected from the group comprising zinc stearate, aluminum stearate and calcium stearate, wherein said metal powder is wetted with said dispersing agent and substantially uniformly distributed and held within a polymer matrix.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
87 words
A vascular catheter having distal and proximal ends, wherein said distal end of said catheter comprises a radiopaque compound comprising up to 10% by weight low density polyethylene, up to 90% by weight radiopaque metal powder selected from the group comprising tantalum, tungsten, gold and platinum, and at least 0.2% by weight stearate dispersing agent selected from the group comprising zinc stearate, aluminum stearate and calcium stearate, wherein said metal powder is wetted with said dispersing agent and substantially uniformly distributed and held within a polymer matrix.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The vascular catheter according to claim 1 wherein said polyolefin comprises low density polyethylene.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The vascular catheter of claim 1 wherein said metal powder is selected from the group comprising tantalum, tungsten, gold and platinum.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The vascular catheter of claim 1 wherein said stearate dispersing agent selected from the group comprising zinc stearate, aluminum stearate and calcium stearate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The vascular catheter of claim 1 wherein said polyolefin is heated between about 360° F. to about 420° F.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The vascular catheter of claim 1 wherein the weight percent of polyolefin is preferably between about 30-60, the weight percent of metal powder is preferably between about 39-69, and the weight percent stearate dispersing agent is between about 0.4-1.1.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The vascular catheter of claim 2 wherein the weight percent of polyolefin is preferably between about 30-60, the weight percent of metal powder is preferably between about 39-69, and the weight percent stearate dispersing agent is between about 0.4-1.1.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The vascular catheter according to claim 2 wherein said polyolefin comprises low density polyethylene.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The vascular catheter according to claim 2 wherein said metal powder is selected from the group comprising tantalum, tungsten, gold and platinum.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The vascular catheter according to claim 2 wherein said stearate dispersing agent selected from the group comprising zinc stearate, aluminum stearate and calcium stearate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The vascular catheter of claim 3 wherein the weight percent of polyolefin is preferable between about 30-60, the weight percent of metal powder is preferably between about 39-69, and the weight percent stearate dispersing agent is between about 0.4-1.1.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-06-20 | 2003-12-20 | 2004-06-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-06-20 | 2007-12-20 | 2008-06-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-06-20 | 2011-12-20 | 2012-06-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |