Biaxially oriented multilayer polymer tube for medical devices
First Claim
1. A medical device comprising an extruded tubular polymer member, the tubular polymer member having an inner tubular layer and an outer tubular layer, wherein the inner tubular layer has helical orientation in a first direction and the outer tubular layer has helical orientation in a second direction different from the first direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tubular extruded member particularly suitable for use in medical devices such as intravascular catheters and guide wires, wherein the extruded tubular member includes multiple layers having biaxial helical orientation in different directions. A counter-rotation extrusion process may be used to orient the layers in different biaxial helical directions. The counter-rotation extrusion process provides orientation in two different circumferential directions in addition to a longitudinal direction. By combining the dual direction or biaxial helical orientation with multiple layers, different layers of the tubular member may be tailored to have the desired mechanical properties.
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Citations
18 Claims
- 1. A medical device comprising an extruded tubular polymer member, the tubular polymer member having an inner tubular layer and an outer tubular layer, wherein the inner tubular layer has helical orientation in a first direction and the outer tubular layer has helical orientation in a second direction different from the first direction.
- 8. A medical device comprising an extruded tubular polymer member formed of a relatively rigid polymeric tubular layer and a relatively flexible polymeric tubular layer, wherein the relatively rigid polymeric tubular layer has helical orientation in a first direction and the relatively flexible polymeric tubular layer has helical orientation in a second direction different from the first direction.
- 11. A medical device comprising an extruded tubular polymer member, the tubular polymer member comprising a first extruded tubular polymer layer and a second extruded tubular polymer layer, the first extruded tubular polymer layer including continuous LCP fibers dispersed in a non-LCP thermoplastic polymer matrix, wherein the first extruded polymer layer has helical orientation in a first direction and the second extruded polymer layer has helical orientation in a second direction different from the first direction.
- 16. A method of making a medical tubular polymer member by rotating the polymer member after passing through a counter-rotating extrusion head.
Specification