Low profile balloon catheter and method for making same

• US 5,254,091 A
• Filed: 01/08/1991
• Issued: 10/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation (Applied Medical Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation (Applied Medical Corporation)
• Inventors: Aliahmad, Wassim R., Hilal, Said S., Hilal, Nabil
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, WILLIAM W
• Application Number:
  US07/639,672
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 606/191, 606/195, 606/194, 604/96-105
• US Class Current: 604/103.06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1075 having a balloon composed of several layers, e.g. by coating or embedding
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1027 Making of balloon catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1029 Production methods of the balloon members, e.g. blow-moulding, extruding, deposition or by wrapping a plurality of layers of balloon material around a mandril

Abstract

A non-distensible balloon is adapted to be disposed circumferentially on a tube having an elongate axis and to be compressed against the tube to achieve a low profile. The balloon includes an end wall, a central wall, and a transition wall defined by a height transition region having a first axial length and defined by a thickness transition region having a second axial length less than the first axial length. An associated method includes the step of reducing the average volume of material per unit axial length in the transition wall of the balloon relative to the average volume of material per unit axial length in either the end wall or central wall of the balloon.

Claims

1. A non-distensible balloon adapted to be disposed circumferentially on a tube having an elongate axis, and adapted to be rolled on the tube to achieve a low profile, the balloon comprising:

an end wall disposed in an end region of the balloon and in a fixed circumferential relationship with the tube;

a central wall disposed in a central region of the balloon and in a displaced relationship with the tube when the balloon is inflated;

a transition wall extending from the end wall to the central wall of the balloon, the transition wall defining;

a height transition region wherein the transition wall extends from a first radius at the end wall to a second radius at the central wall, the height transition region having a first axial length, and

a thickness transition region wherein the transition wall varies from a maximum thickness to a minimum thickness, the thickness transition region having a second axial length less than the first axial length;

first portions of the balloon disposed in the transition wall and having a thickness t₁, an inside radius r₁, and an outside radius R₁ ; and

second portions of the balloon disposed in one of the end wall, central wall and the transition wall, and having a thickness t₂, an inside radius r₂ and an outside radius R₂ ;

wherein

the thickness t₁ of the first portions of the balloon is characterized by the following formula;

##EQU3##

2. The non-distensible balloon recited in claim 1 wherein the second axial length of the thickness transition region is less than one half the first axial length of the height transition region.

3. The non-distensible balloon recited in claim 1 wherein the thickness of the transition wall is constant between two different locations along the height transitions region.

4. The non-distensible balloon recited in claim 1 wherein the entire thicknesstransition transition region is disposed within an axial distance from the end zone equal to one half the axial length of the height transition region.

5. The non-distensible balloon recited in claim 1 wherein the thickness t₁ of the first portions of the balloon is characterized by the following formula:

##EQU4##