Overlapping welds for catheter constructions

• US 6,168,588 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1999
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises Limited (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: JOMED Catheter, Inc. (JOMED NV)
• Inventors: Wilson, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/404,261
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 285/915, 156/158, 156/296, 156/304.2, 156/304.5, 604/523-527, 604/532, 138/156, 138/170, 138/171
• US Class Current: 604/525
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0009 Making of catheters or other medical or surgical tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0041 pre-formed, e.g. specially adapted to fit with the anatomy of body channels urethral catheters A61F2/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/005 with embedded materials for reinforcement, e.g. wires, coils, braids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0053 having a variable stiffness along the longitudinal axis, e.g. by varying the pitch of the coil or braid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0054 with regions for increasing flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/00 Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor general aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts B29C66/00; using porous material formed by internal pressure generated therein for joining preformed parts B29C44/1228, B29C44/326
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1142 Single butt to butt joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1162 Single bevel to bevel joints, e.g. mitre joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1282 comprising at least one overlap joint-segment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12821 comprising at least two overlap joint-segments
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1284 comprising at least one butt joint-segment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12841 comprising at least two butt joint-segments
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12842 comprising at least three butt joint-segments
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1286 comprising at least one bevelled joint-segment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12861 comprising at least two bevelled joint-segments
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/14 the joint having the same thickness as the thickness of the parts to be joined B29C66/1142 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5221 for forming coaxial connections, i.e. the tubular articles to be joined forming a zero angle relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5223 : for forming corner connections or elbows, e.g. for making V-shaped pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5472 : for making elbows or V-shaped pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 : characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7212 : characterised by the composition of the fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/723 : being multi-layered B29C66/7292, B29C66/72941 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72321 : consisting of metals or their alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73152 : of different hardness, i.e. the hardness of one of the parts to be joined being different from the hardness of the other part
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 : PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 : Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 : Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2277/10 : Aromatic polyamides [Polyaramides] or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2023/005 : Hoses, i.e. flexible
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7542 : Catheters

Abstract

A catheter having at least two lengths of tubular material axially joined together by a welded joint with no perceptible change in diameter at the welded joint; the welded joint including a substantial axially oriented seam between the two lengths of material.

Claims

1. A catheter having a lumen extending therethrough along a longitudinal axis and comprising at least two adjacent lengths of tubular material in axially overlapped but non-telescoping relationship and joined together by a welded joint, said lengths having substantially identical and uniform outer diameters at and adjacent the welded joint;

said at least two lengths of tubular material having a substantially continuous outer peripheral surface, the welded joint including a seam on said outer peripheral surface, said seam extending at an acute angle to said longitudinal axis and having an axial length component of more than 0.5 cm when said catheter is in a straight orientation, forwardmost and rearwardmost points of said welded seam located at diametrically opposed locations on said outer peripheral surface, and wherein said two lengths of material are of different composition with different properties, thereby establishing an intermediate section having variable properties along said welded joint.

2. A catheter having a lumen extending therethrough along a longitudinal axis and comprising at least two adjacent lengths of tubular material in axially overlapped but non-telescoping relationship and joined together by a welded joint, said lengths having substantially identical and uniform outer diameters at and adjacent the welded joint;

the two adjacent lengths of tubular material having a continuous outer peripheral surface and a lumen extending along a longitudinal axis, the welded joint including a seam on said external peripheral surface, said seam extending at an acute angle to said longitudinal axis and having an axial length component of more than 0.5 cm when said catheter is in a straight orientation, forwardmost and rearwardmost points of said welded seam located at diametrically opposed locations on said outer peripheral surface, and wherein said two lengths of material are of substantially identical composition with different durometers, thereby establishing an intermediate section having a variable stiffness along said welded joint.

3. A catheter having a continuous, external surface and a lumen extending therethrough along a longitudinal axis, said catheter including at least two lengths of tubular material axially joined in non-telescoping relationship by a welded joint, said at least two lengths having substantially identical outer diameters so as to present a continuous peripheral surface at said welded joint, said welded joint having a seam on said continuous peripheral surface extending at an acute angle to said longitudinal axis and having an axial length component of between 0.5 cm and 10 cm when said catheter is in a straight orientation, forwardmost and rearwardmost points of said welded seam located at diametrically opposed locations on said outer peripheral surface.

4. A catheter having a continuous, external peripheral surface and a lumen extending therethrough along a longitudinal axis and having at least two lengths of tubular material axially joined together in overlaped but non-telescoping relationship along a welded joint defined by a seam on outer surfaces of said two lengths of tubular material, a portion of said seam extending at an acute angle to said longitudinal axis wherein adjacent sections partially overlap in an axial direction along said welded joint but without change in said outer diameters in the partially overlapped area, and wherein a ratio of weld axial length to radial depth is from about 3:

1 to about 40;

1.