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Catheter reinforced to prevent luminal collapse and tensile failure thereof

  • US 5,947,940 A
  • Filed: 06/23/1997
  • Issued: 09/07/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A catheter reinforced to prevent luminal collapse and tensile failure comprising:

  • (a) a longitudinally elongated tubular member comprising an outer cover, a proximal end, and a distal end with at least one lumen defined therethrough,(b) at least one orifice positioned near the distal end of the tubular member, defined in at least one of said distal end and said elongated tubular member proximal to said distal end thereof for enabling fluid flow through the catheter, and(c) at least one predominantly non-metallic helical reinforcing member wound around the longitudinal axis of said elongated tubular member for reinforcing said tubular member to prevent radial collapse of said tubular member during bending and pinching thereof and to prevent longitudinal breakage of said tubular member under tension, said reinforcing member having a winding gap, a wound length, and an unwound length, and a length ratio defined by the unwound length of said reinforcing member relative to the wound length of said member,(d) said helical reinforcing member having a length ratio less than the approximate ultimate strain of the outer cover plus 1.

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