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US7316697B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Vessel cleaning system with asymmetrical auto retracting agitator

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 2003-04-25
•
Granted: 2008-01-08
•
Expires: 2023-04-25
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Abstract

Abstract A vessel cleaning system for removing an obstruction from within a patient's vessel, the system comprising a housing, connected to a flexible-tube, a motor-driven flexible agitator-shaft rotatably disposed in the flexible-tube, and a flexible distal-agitator that is connected to the agitator-shaft and shaped so that it is asymmetrically offset to only one side of the longitudinal axis of the agitator-shaft. The agitator-shaft is extended from an open distal end of the flexible-tube to break the obstruction into pieces while rotating with an effective diameter that is larger than its cross-sectional diameter and the distal-agitator is made of a spiral wire, whereas the direction of its winding, relative to the direction of rotation, is such that the distal-agitator unscrews itself from tight engagements with its surroundings and automatically retracts into the flexible-tube.

Inventors

  • 👤 Samuel Shiber

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 01:39
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/3205; A61B17/3207; A61B17/320758; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22082; A61B2017/320733; A61B2217/00; A61B2217/002; A61B2217/005

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 130 words
A method for removing an obstruction from within a patient's vessel comprising: inserting into the vessel a vessel cleaning system having a housing connected to a flexible-tube with an open distal end, a motor-driven flexible agitator-shaft rotatably disposed in the flexible-tube, and an offset distal-agitator connected to the agitator-shaft extending from the open distal end, whereas the distal-agitator is at least partially made of a spiral wire winding; and rotating the distal-agitator with an effective diameter that is larger than its cross-sectional diameter at a speed sufficient to break the obstruction into pieces and in a direction, relative to the direction of the winding of the distal-agitator, such that the distal-agitator unscrews itself from tight engagements with its surroundings and automatically retracts in a proximal direction into the flexible tube.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 130 words
A method for removing an obstruction from within a patient's vessel comprising: inserting into the vessel a vessel cleaning system having a housing connected to a flexible-tube with an open distal end, a motor-driven flexible agitator-shaft rotatably disposed in the flexible-tube, and an offset distal-agitator connected to the agitator-shaft extending from the open distal end, whereas the distal-agitator is at least partially made of a spiral wire winding; and rotating the distal-agitator with an effective diameter that is larger than its cross-sectional diameter at a speed sufficient to break the obstruction into pieces and in a direction, relative to the direction of the winding of the distal-agitator, such that the distal-agitator unscrews itself from tight engagements with its surroundings and automatically retracts in a proximal direction into the flexible tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
As in claim 1 wherein the vessel cleaning system is advanced into the vessel through an introducer or a catheter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 24 words
As in claim 1 wherein the distal-agitator is rotated at such speed that a centrifugal force elastically deforms it and increases the effective diameter.

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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) 2011-01-07 2011-07-09 2012-01-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2015-01-07 2015-07-09 2016-01-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2019-01-07 2019-07-09 2020-01-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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