Flexible inner liner for the working channel of an endoscope
First Claim
1. A collapse-resistant and kink-resistant, flexible tubing construction comprising:
- a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one lumen extending therebetween, said tubular member having a tubular wall having a generally smooth interior surface surrounding said at least one lumen, said tubular member having a wall thickness,at least a first portion of said tubular member having a multiplicity of external ridges for allowing said first portion of said tubular member to flex without kinking or buckling of said tubular wall and without collapsing said at least one lumen, said multiplicity of external ridges being formed by varying said wall thickness.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tubular member useful as an inner liner for the working channel of a flexible endoscope has a distal portion which is specially treated to make it highly flexible and resistant to kinking or collapsing when it bends with the flexible section of the endoscope. The tubular member is also useful as a catheter device or as a component of a catheter device or catheter system. A multiplicity of external ridges on the distal portion of the tubular member reinforce the tubing wall and prevent kinking or buckling of the wall or collapsing of the inner lumen. The external ridges may be formed by convolutions of the tubing wall or by external threads which are formed on the exterior of the tubing wall within the flexible distal portion. An outer helical reinforcing coil may be added between the external ridges to further reinforce the flexible distal portion of the tubular member from kinking or collapsing. The flexible distal portion of the tubular member may be coated with a layer of a flexible polymer to fill in the spaces between the external ridges and to cover the helical reinforcing coil. Manufacturing methods for the tubular member are also disclosed.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A collapse-resistant and kink-resistant, flexible tubing construction comprising:
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a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one lumen extending therebetween, said tubular member having a tubular wall having a generally smooth interior surface surrounding said at least one lumen, said tubular member having a wall thickness, at least a first portion of said tubular member having a multiplicity of external ridges for allowing said first portion of said tubular member to flex without kinking or buckling of said tubular wall and without collapsing said at least one lumen, said multiplicity of external ridges being formed by varying said wall thickness. - View Dependent Claims (2, 9, 10, 11, 18, 20)
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- 3. The tubing construction of claim 3 wherein said multiplicity of external ridges are formed by sequential turns of at least one helical external ridge on said tubular wall within said first portion.
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12. In combination:
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an endoscope or borescope having at least one scope lumen extending therethrough; and a tubular member positioned within said scope lumen, said tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one internal lumen having a generally smooth interior surface extending therebetween, said tubular member having a tubular wall surrounding said at least one internal lumen, said tubular member having a wall thickness, at least a first portion of said tubular member having multiplicity of external ridges for allowing said first portion of said tubular member to flex without kinking or buckling of said tubular wall and without collapsing said at least one internal lumen, said multiplicity of external ridges being formed by varying said wall thickness. - View Dependent Claims (13, 17, 21)
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- 14. The combination of claim 14 wherein said multiplicity of external ridges are formed by sequential turns of at least one helical external ridge on said tubular wall within said first portion.
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22. A collapse-resistant and kink-resistant, flexible tubing construction comprising:
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a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one lumen extending therebetween, said tubular member having a tubular wall having a generally smooth interior surface surrounding said at least one lumen, at least a first portion of said tubular member having a multiplicity of external ridges for allowing said first portion of said tubular member to flex without kinking or buckling of said tubular wall and without collapsing said at least one lumen, wherein said tubular member has a wall thickness and wherein said multiplicity of external ridges are formed by varying said wall thickness and by sequential turns of at least one helical external ridge on said tubular wall within said first portion. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A collapse-resistant and kink-resistant, flexible tubing construction consisting of:
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a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one lumen extending therebetween, said tubular member having a tubular wall surrounding said at least one lumen, at least a first portion of said tubular member having a multiplicity of external ridges for allowing said first portion of said tubular member to flex without kinking or buckling of said tubular wall and without collapsing said at least one lumen, wherein said tubular member has a wall thickness and wherein said multiplicity of external ridges are formed by varying said wall thickness and by sequential turns of at least one helical external ridge on said tubular wall within said first portion. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A collapse-resistant and kink-resistant, flexible tubing construction consisting of:
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a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one lumen extending therebetween, said tubular member having a tubular wall surrounding said at least one lumen, at least a first portion of said tubular member having a multiplicity of external ridges for allowing said first portion of said tubular member to flex without kinking or buckling of said tubular wall and without collapsing said at least one lumen, wherein said tubular member has a wall thickness and wherein said multiplicity of external ridges are formed by varying said wall thickness and by sequential turns of at least one helical external ridge on said tubular wall within said first portion, and wherein said at least one helical external ridge forms external troughs on said tubular member, said external troughs being filled with a soft, flexible material.
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31. A collapse-resistant and kink-resistant, flexible tubing construction consisting of:
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a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one lumen extending therebetween, said tubular member having a tubular wall surrounding said at least one lumen, at least a first portion of said tubular member having a multiplicity of external ridges for allowing said first portion of said tubular member to flex without kinking or buckling of said tubular wall and without collapsing said at least one lumen, wherein said tubular member has a wall thickness and wherein said multiplicity of external ridges are formed by varying said wall thickness and by sequential turns of at least one helical external ridge on said tubular wall within said first portion, and a helical reinforcing member positioned within an external trough between subsequent turns of said at least one helical external ridge on said tubular wall.
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32. A collapse-resistant and kink-resistant, flexible tubing construction consisting of:
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a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one lumen extending therebetween, said tubular member having a tubular wall surrounding said at least one lumen, at least a first portion of said tubular member having a multiplicity of external ridges for allowing said first portion of said tubular member to flex without kinking or buckling of said tubular wall and without collapsing said at least one lumen, wherein said tubular member has a wall thickness and wherein said multiplicity of external ridges are formed by varying said wall thickness and by sequential turns of at least one helical external ridge on said tubular wall within said first portion, and a helical reinforcing member positioned within an external trough between subsequent turns of said at least one helical external ridge on said tubular wall, and wherein said external troughs on said tubular member are filled with a soft, flexible material covering said helical reinforcing member.
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Specification