Composite wire guide shaft

• US 5,251,640 A
• Filed: 03/31/1992
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies, LLC (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cook Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Osborne, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US07/861,428
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 128/657, 128/772, 604/95, 604/164, 604/280-282
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/121 having an inorganic matrix
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0915 having features for changing the stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09191 made of twisted wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires

Abstract

A composite wire guide shaft includes first and second sets of fibers which are arranged along a longitudinal axis and are embedded in an epoxy matrix. The first set of fibers are arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wire guide shaft and the remaining second set of fibers are helically wound in opposing directions about the longitudinal axis. The longitudinally parallel fibers provide pushability to the wire guide shaft while the helically wound fibers provide rotational stiffness for improved torqueability.

Claims

1. A composite wire guide shaft comprising:

first fibers helically wound about a longitudinal axis;

second fibers arranged substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis adjoining said first fibers;

said first fibers and said second fibers being embedded in an adhesive matrix; and

said first fibers and said second fibers being a majority of the weight of the wire guide shaft.

2. The composite wire guide shaft of claim 1 wherein a portion of said first fibers are wound about said longitudinal axis in a clockwise direction and the remaining portion of said first fibers are wound about said longitudinal axis in a counterclockwise direction.

3. The composite wire guide shaft of claim 2 wherein said first fibers and said second fibers are chosen from a group consisting of boron fibers, carbon fibers, fiberglass, polymeric aromatic nylon fibers, or silicon carbide filaments.

4. The composite wire guide shaft of claim 3 having a hollow central core substantially coaxial with said longitudinal axis;

and

said first fibers and said second fibers surround said hollow central core.

5. The composite wire guide shaft of claim 3 further comprising a central core substantially coaxial with said longitudinal axis which includes a bundle of third fibers;

and

said first fibers and said second fibers surround said bundle of third fibers.

6. The composite wire guide shaft of claim 5 wherein said third fibers are chosen from a group consisting of boron fibers, carbon fibers, fiberglass, polymeric aromatic nylon fibers, or silicon carbide filaments.

7. The composite wire guide shaft of claim 6 wherein said bundle of third fibers is embedded in an adhesive matrix.

8. The composite wire guide shaft of claim 3 wherein said first fibers are wound in a plurality of layers.

9. The composite wire guide shaft of claim 3 wherein said second fibers are side by side and arranged to define a cylinder substantially coaxial with said longitudinal axis.

10. The composite wire guide shaft of claim 3 having a tapering cross section along a portion of the shaft.