Method of making electrode-carrying catheter
First Claim
1. A process for manufacturing an electrode-carrying catheter, comprising the steps of:
- (A) over-extruding a core-covering layer of plastic over a flexible, elongate core;
(B) helically winding a spaced apart plurality of flexible, electrically conductive wires about and at least partially into the core-covering layer;
(C) over-extruding a flexible, non-conducting outer layer of plastic over the wound wires and the core-covering layer;
(D) removing portions of the outer layer, the core-covering layer and any insulation about the wound wires at a plurality of spaced locations so as to expose a portion of each of the wound wires;
(E) replacing the removed portions at each location with an electrically conductive flexible ribbon electrode electrically and physically joined at one end to a respective one of the wound wires, wound under tension completely about the outer layer and then joined at the other end to itself; and
(F) crimping each of the ribbon electrodes onto the outer layer thereabout at each spaced location.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrode-carrying catheter has elongate, flexible tubing defining a proximal end, a distal end, and an electrically insulative outer tubular layer intermediate the ends, the tubing including a flexible core and a flexible non-conductive core-covering layer of plastic about the core. A plurality of electrically conductive electrodes is disposed on the outer tubular layer. In order to conduct electrical signals between the proximal end and each of the electrodes, a longitudinally-spaced plurality of flexible electrically conductive wires are helically wound around and at least partially into the core-covering layer. The wound wires define a removed section beneath a segment of each of the electrodes to enable electrical contact between a respective one of the wound wires and a respective one of the electrodes. Each electrode is in the form of an electrically conductive flexible flat ribbon for providing electrical communication with a respective one of the wound wires. Each ribbon is electrically and physically joined to a respective one of the wound wires, and wrapped about and crimped onto the outer tubular layer.
178 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A process for manufacturing an electrode-carrying catheter, comprising the steps of:
-
(A) over-extruding a core-covering layer of plastic over a flexible, elongate core; (B) helically winding a spaced apart plurality of flexible, electrically conductive wires about and at least partially into the core-covering layer; (C) over-extruding a flexible, non-conducting outer layer of plastic over the wound wires and the core-covering layer; (D) removing portions of the outer layer, the core-covering layer and any insulation about the wound wires at a plurality of spaced locations so as to expose a portion of each of the wound wires; (E) replacing the removed portions at each location with an electrically conductive flexible ribbon electrode electrically and physically joined at one end to a respective one of the wound wires, wound under tension completely about the outer layer and then joined at the other end to itself; and (F) crimping each of the ribbon electrodes onto the outer layer thereabout at each spaced location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A process for manufacturing an electrode-carrying catheter, comprising the steps of:
-
(A) over-extruding a core-covering layer of plastic over a flexible, electrically conductive, elongate core of wire, the core being a stranded and twisted configuration of stress-relieved stainless steel wire having an appreciable torsional strength and a slow return after lateral bending, the core-covering layer defining at least an inner annulus and a coaxial outer annulus disposed radially outwardly of the inner annulus; (B) helically winding a spaced apart plurality of flexible, electrically conductive wires about and at least partially into the core-covering layer, a plurality of the wound wires defining at least an inner set of wound wires helically wound in one direction within the inner annulus and an outer set of wound wires helically wound in the opposite direction and disposed radially outwardly of the inner set; (C) over-extruding a flexible, non-conducting outer layer of plastic over the wound wires and the core-covering layer, the core-covering layer during the winding step being softer than the outer layer; (D) removing portions of the outer layer, the core-covering layer and any insulation about the wound wires at a plurality of spaced locations so as to expose a portion of each of the wound wires; (E) replacing the removed portions at each spaced location with an electrically conductive, flexible ribbon electrode having a pair of opposed ends, the ribbon electrode being electrically and physically joined by welding at one end to a respective one of the wound wires, wrapped under tension completely about the outer layer, and physically joined by welding at the other end to itself, the plurality of ribbon electrodes defining at least a proximal set of said ribbon electrodes and a distal set of ribbon electrodes, the proximal set of ribbon electrodes and the outer set of wound wires in the outer annulus being in electrical communication and the distal set of ribbon electrodes and the inner set of wound wires in the inner annulus being in electrical communication; (F) crimping each of the ribbon electrodes onto the outer layer thereabout at each spaced location; and (G) filling the removed portions with electrically insulative adhesive.
-
Specification