US6375774B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making a medical catheter with grooved soft distal segment
Assignee: Medtronic Inc
•
Filing: 1999-05-28
•
Granted: 2002-04-23
•
Expires: 2019-05-28
Abstract
Abstract An intravascular medical catheter and method of manufacturing a medical catheter are provided herein. The medical catheter includes a catheter shaft having an inner liner, a reinforcing section and an outer shell. As provided herein, a groove is formed in the outer shell of the catheter shaft near a distal end of the catheter shaft with a laser. The groove can be filled with a fill section which is made of a relatively soft material. This improves the flexibility of the distal end so that the medical catheter has improved tracking and movement in the body vessel. Further, because the reinforcing section is continuous under the groove, the catheter shaft is durable and inhibits kinking during movement in the body vessel.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Lunn
- 👤 Nasser Rafiee
- 👤 Charles Daugherty
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:05
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/0009; A61M25/0013; A61M25/0043; A61M25/0054; A61M25/0067; A61M25/008; A61M2025/0081; A61M25/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for manufacturing a medical catheter which is adapted to be inserted within a body vessel, the method comprising: providing a tubular shaped catheter shaft having a distal end which fits within the body vessel, the catheter shaft including an inner liner, a reinforcing section and an outer shell; cutting a groove in the outer shell of the catheter shaft, the groove encircling the reinforcing section and being positioned near the distal end of the catheter shaft; and positioning a fill section within the groove, the fill section including a proximal fill component and a distal fill component, the proximal fill component having a hardness which is different from a hardness of the distal fill component.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for manufacturing a medical catheter which is adapted to be inserted within a body vessel, the method comprising: providing a tubular shaped catheter shaft having a distal end which fits within the body vessel, the catheter shaft including an inner liner, a reinforcing section and an outer shell; cutting a groove in the outer shell of the catheter shaft, the groove encircling the reinforcing section and being positioned near the distal end of the catheter shaft; and positioning a fill section within the groove, the fill section including a proximal fill component and a distal fill component, the proximal fill component having a hardness which is different from a hardness of the distal fill component.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein cutting a groove includes utilizing a laser to remove a portion of the outer shell.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: attaching a flex tip onto the distal end of the catheter shaft, the flex tip having a hardness which is less than the hardness of the distal fill component.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein cutting a groove includes creating an annular shaped groove in the outer shell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein cutting a groove includes creating a helical shaped groove in the outer shell.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein cutting a groove includes positioning the groove on the catheter shaft to create a remaining shell segment between the groove and the distal end of the catheter shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning a fill section within the groove includes the distal fill component having a hardness which is less than the hardness of the proximal fill component.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning a fill section within the groove includes the proximal fill component having a hardness which is less than the hardness of the outer shell.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3808394A
Cited
US4028525A
Cited
US4100393A
Cited
US4095084A
Cited
US4248369A
Cited
US4432853A
Cited
US4576772A
Cited
EP0256938A2
Cited
US4961731A
Cited
US5026965A
Cited
US5181659A
Cited
US5021044A
Cited
US4948941A
Cited
US5215614A
Cited
US5496292A
Cited
US5344412A
Cited
US5558737A
Cited
EP0608853A2
Cited
US5348616A
Cited
US5425903A
Cited
US5465733A
Cited
US5860963A
Cited
WO1995021640A1
Cited
US5569218A
Cited
US5911715A
Cited
US6063318A
Cited
US5811043A
Cited
US5549580A
Cited
WO1996038193A1
Cited
US5639274A
Cited
US5746701A
Cited
US6103037A
Cited
US5891110A
Cited
US6159195A
Cited
US6217565B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-04-22 | 2005-10-22 | 2006-04-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-04-22 | 2009-10-22 | 2010-04-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-04-22 | 2013-10-22 | 2014-04-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |