Articulation segment for a catheter

• US 20060084939A1
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CryoCor Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: CryoCor Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Lentz, David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/969,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20060084939A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/526
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0051 made from fenestrated or weakened tubing layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0054 with regions for increasing flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0138 having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils

Abstract

An articulating segment for a catheter includes a tube shaped member that is formed with a helical cut around the tube'"'"'s axis. The cut extends through the member, between its outer and inner surfaces, and defines a pitch angle with the axis that can be varied according to the desired flexibility of the segment. A flexible coating is positioned on the outer surface of the tube to cover the helical cut and to provide a fluid-tight condition during articulation of the segment.

Claims

1. An articulating segment for a catheter which comprises:

a tube shaped member having an outer surface and an inner surface and defining an axis, wherein the member is formed with a helical cut around the axis with the cut extending through the member between the outer surface and the inner surface; and

a flexible coating positioned on the outer surface of the tube shaped member for covering the helical cut during articulation of the segment.

2. A segment as recited in claim 1 wherein the helical cut defines a pitch angle (α

) between the cut and the axis.

3. A segment as recited in claim 2 wherein the pitch angle (α

) between the cut and the axis is in a range between forty-five and ninety degrees.

4. A segment as recited in claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the tube shaped member defines a lumen for the segment and the flexible coating establishes a fluid-tight condition for the lumen.

5. A segment as recited in claim 1 wherein the helical cut has a depth between the outer surface and the inner surface and a width substantially perpendicular to the depth with the depth being in a range of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm and the width being in a range of 10 microns and 100 microns.

6. A segment as recited in claim 1 wherein the tube shaped member is made of stainless steel.

7. A segment as recited in claim 1 wherein the tube shaped member is made of Nitinol.

8. A segment as recited in claim 1 wherein the flexible coating is made of a polymer material.

9. A segment as recited in claim 1 wherein the flexible coating is made of nylon.

10. An articulating segment for a catheter which comprises:

a substantially flat, narrow, ribbon-like band having a first side and a second side, wherein the band is wound in a spiral to form a tube shaped member, with the first side of the band defining a lumen for the catheter; and

a flexible coating positioned on the second side of the band to establish a fluid-tight condition for the lumen of the catheter during articulation of the segment.

11. A segment as recited in claim 10 wherein the band has a substantially rectangular-shaped cross-section bounded by the first side, the second side and opposed first and second edges.

12. A segment as recited in claim 11 wherein a gap is formed between the first and second edges of the band when the band is wound into the spiral for the tube shaped member.

13. A segment as recited in claim 12 wherein the tube shaped member defines an axis and the gap defines a pitch angle (α

) between the gap and the axis with the pitch angle (α

) being in a range between forty-five and ninety degrees.

14. A segment as recited in claim 13 wherein the gap has a depth between the first side and the second side and a width substantially perpendicular to the depth with the depth being in a range of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm and the width being in a range of 10 microns and 100 microns.

15. A segment as recited in claim 10 wherein the tube shaped member is made of a material selected from a group consisting of stainless steel and Nitinol.

16. A segment as recited in claim 10 wherein the flexible coating is made of a material from a group consisting of a polymer and nylon.

17. A method for manufacturing an articulating segment for a catheter which comprises the steps of:

providing a tube shaped member having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface defines a lumen for the catheter and the tube shaped member defines an axis;

cutting a helical shaped gap into the tube shaped member with the gap extending between the outer surface and the inner surface, wherein the gap defines a pitch angle (α

) relative to the axis to establish a predetermined flexibility for the segment; and

positioning a flexible coating on the outer surface of the tube shaped member to cover the helical shaped gap and establish a fluid-tight condition for the lumen during articulation of the segment.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein the gap defines a pitch angle (α

) between the gap and the axis with the pitch angle (α

) being in a range between forty-five and ninety degrees and further wherein the gap has a depth between the outer surface and the inner surface and a width substantially perpendicular to the depth with the depth being in a range of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm and the width being in a range of 10 microns and 100 microns.

19. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein the cutting step is accomplished using a laser beam.

20. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein the predetermined flexibility allows the axis to bend with a radius of curvature of approximately fifteen mm.