Method for manufacturing an end portion surrounding a catheter-mounted phased-array ultrasound transducer
First Claim
1. A method for manufacturing an end portion surrounding a phased-array ultrasound transducer carried on a distal end of a catheter, the method comprising:
- (a) positioning a phased-array ultrasound transducer carried on a distal end of a catheter into a cavity of a mold;
(b) introducing a polymer in a fluid form into the cavity, the polymer forming an end portion surrounding the phased-array ultrasound transducer when reaching in a hardened state; and
(c) removing the phased-array ultrasound transducer from the cavity after the polymer reaches said hardened state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The preferred embodiments include a method for manufacturing an end portion surrounding a catheter-mounted phased-array ultrasound transducer. The material used for the end portion can be altered to give the end portion focusing, defocusing, or non-focusing characteristics. In one preferred embodiment, a thermoplastic material is injection molded or insert molded around a phased-array ultrasound transducer carried at a distal end of a catheter. In another preferred embodiment, a thermoset material is used to form the end portion using a casting or transfer molding technique. In yet another preferred embodiment, the phased-array ultrasound transducer is placed into a pre-formed end portion. The pre-formed end portion can be adhesively-attached to the phased-array transducer and catheter. If the pre-formed end portion is made from a thermoplastic material, the end portion can be thermally melted to attach the end portion to the phased-array transducer and catheter.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing an end portion surrounding a phased-array ultrasound transducer carried on a distal end of a catheter, the method comprising:
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(a) positioning a phased-array ultrasound transducer carried on a distal end of a catheter into a cavity of a mold; (b) introducing a polymer in a fluid form into the cavity, the polymer forming an end portion surrounding the phased-array ultrasound transducer when reaching in a hardened state; and (c) removing the phased-array ultrasound transducer from the cavity after the polymer reaches said hardened state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for manufacturing an end portion surrounding a phased-array ultrasound transducer carried on a distal end of a catheter, the method comprising:
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(a) pre-forming an end portion defining a longitudinally-extending cavity shaped to receive a phased-array ultrasound transducer carried on a distal end of a catheter; and (b) inserting the phased-array ultrasound transducer into the longitudinally-extending cavity of the end portion. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification