System and method for manufacturing variable stiffness catheters
First Claim
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1. A system for manufacturing a catheter, comprising:
- a first material feeder coupled to a first material source;
a second material feeder coupled to a second material source;
a thermally controlled mixer coupled to the first and second material feeders, wherein the first material feeder is configured to feed a first material from the first material source into the mixer at a first material feed rate, and the second material feeder is configured to feed a second material from the second material source into the mixer at a second material feed rate, such that the first and second materials are combined in the mixer to form a compound material that varies in content as a function of the respective first and second materials, and of the first and second material feed rates;
a catheter formation mandrel having a longitudinal axis, the mandrel being controllably rotatable about the longitudinal axis at a mandrel rotation rate;
an extruder operatively coupled to the mixer and having an output nozzle configured to apply compound material from the mixer onto the catheter formation mandrel; and
a control system comprising one or more processors that control one or more of the first material feed rate, second material feed rate, and mandrel rotation rate, respectively, so as to enable formation of a catheter having a variable stiffness profile along a length of the catheter,wherein the extruder is configured to apply an extrusion of compound material from the mixer onto the catheter formation mandrel such that the extrusion winds around the mandrel forming adjacent loops of compound material on the catheter formation mandrel.
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Abstract
A system for manufacturing a catheter includes at least first and second controllable rate material feeders that feed at least first and second materials into a temperature-controlled mixer to form a compound material that varies in flexibility and/or strength with the respective first and second materials and material feed rates. An extruder extrudes the compound material onto a rotating and translating mandrel to thereby form a variable stiffness profile along a length of the catheter that depends on respective rates of rotation and translation of the mandrel.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A system for manufacturing a catheter, comprising:
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a first material feeder coupled to a first material source; a second material feeder coupled to a second material source; a thermally controlled mixer coupled to the first and second material feeders, wherein the first material feeder is configured to feed a first material from the first material source into the mixer at a first material feed rate, and the second material feeder is configured to feed a second material from the second material source into the mixer at a second material feed rate, such that the first and second materials are combined in the mixer to form a compound material that varies in content as a function of the respective first and second materials, and of the first and second material feed rates; a catheter formation mandrel having a longitudinal axis, the mandrel being controllably rotatable about the longitudinal axis at a mandrel rotation rate; an extruder operatively coupled to the mixer and having an output nozzle configured to apply compound material from the mixer onto the catheter formation mandrel; and a control system comprising one or more processors that control one or more of the first material feed rate, second material feed rate, and mandrel rotation rate, respectively, so as to enable formation of a catheter having a variable stiffness profile along a length of the catheter, wherein the extruder is configured to apply an extrusion of compound material from the mixer onto the catheter formation mandrel such that the extrusion winds around the mandrel forming adjacent loops of compound material on the catheter formation mandrel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification