Catheter with embedded components and method of its manufacture
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a catheter, comprising:
- providing an outer shaft having a lumen therethrough and at least one catheter component disposed at least partially within the lumen;
placing an inner shaft within the lumen such that the at least one catheter component is located between an inner surface of the outer shaft and an outer surface of the inner shaft, thereby forming a catheter assembly having an outer surface; and
applying energy to the catheter assembly to melt at least the outer shaft, whereby the outer shaft bonds to the inner shaft to form a catheter shaft having the at least one catheter component substantially embedded therein.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a catheter includes providing an outer shaft having a lumen therethrough and at least one catheter component disposed at least partially within the lumen, placing an inner shaft within the lumen such that the at least one catheter component is located between the shafts, thereby forming a catheter assembly having an outer surface, and applying energy to the catheter assembly to melt at least the outer shaft to bond the outer shaft to the inner shaft. A unitary catheter shaft having the at least one catheter component substantially embedded therein results. The durometer of the outer shaft may differ from the durometer of the inner shaft, such that the catheter shaft varies radially in durometer. The durometer of the catheter shaft may also vary longitudinally. A shaping wire may be provided to form the distal end of the catheter shaft into a desired shape.
55 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a catheter, comprising:
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providing an outer shaft having a lumen therethrough and at least one catheter component disposed at least partially within the lumen; placing an inner shaft within the lumen such that the at least one catheter component is located between an inner surface of the outer shaft and an outer surface of the inner shaft, thereby forming a catheter assembly having an outer surface; and applying energy to the catheter assembly to melt at least the outer shaft, whereby the outer shaft bonds to the inner shaft to form a catheter shaft having the at least one catheter component substantially embedded therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of manufacturing a catheter, the method comprising:
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providing a outer shaft having a generally circular outer cross section, a central lumen, and at least one catheter component disposed at least partially within the central lumen; inserting an inner shaft within the central lumen such that the at least one catheter component is located between an outer surface of the inner shaft and an inner surface of the outer shaft, thereby forming a catheter assembly; and heating the outer surface of the catheter assembly to melt at least the outer shaft, whereby the outer shaft bonds to the inner shaft to form a catheter shaft having the at least one catheter component substantially embedded therein. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A catheter, comprising:
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an inner shaft; an outer shaft comprising a melt processing polymer; and at least one catheter component substantially embedded in a wall of said catheter, wherein said wall of said catheter results from a melting process that bonds said outer shaft to said inner shaft such that said at least one catheter component is substantially surrounded by said melt processing polymer. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A catheter formed by a process comprising the steps of:
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providing an outer shaft having a lumen therethrough and at least one catheter component disposed at least partially within the lumen, wherein the outer shaft includes an inner surface and an outer surface; placing an inner shaft having an outer surface within the lumen such that the at least one catheter component is located between the inner surface of the outer shaft and the outer surface of the inner shaft; applying energy to the outer surface of the outer shaft to melt the outer shaft and the inner shaft together, whereby a unitary catheter shaft is formed having the at least one catheter component embedded therein.
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Specification