Folding spring for a catheter balloon
First Claim
1. A device for folding a balloon of a balloon catheter onto a catheter tube during balloon deflation which comprises:
- a band formed with a notch;
a plurality of elongated fingers attached to said band;
a tab attached to said band for engagement with said notch to configure said band as an annulus, said annulus being centered on an axis with said fingers extending therefrom in a substantially same axial direction; and
a means for mounting said annulus onto said catheter tube to position said fingers over said balloon to fold said balloon onto said catheter tube during deflation of said balloon.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for folding a balloon of a balloon catheter during balloon deflation includes a band and a plurality of elongated fingers that are attached to the band. The band is formed with a tab and a notch and the length of the band corresponds to the diameter of the catheter tube. The band is folded into an annulus to interlock the tab with the notch. The annulus is attached to the catheter tube of the balloon catheter with the fingers extending over the balloon in a substantially same axial direction. In operation, the fingers are moveable between an unstressed configuration, when the balloon is deflated, and a stressed configuration, when the balloon is inflated. In a stressed configuration, the fingers urge against the balloon and are biased toward the stressed configuration to return to an unstressed configuration.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device for folding a balloon of a balloon catheter onto a catheter tube during balloon deflation which comprises:
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a band formed with a notch;
a plurality of elongated fingers attached to said band;
a tab attached to said band for engagement with said notch to configure said band as an annulus, said annulus being centered on an axis with said fingers extending therefrom in a substantially same axial direction; and
a means for mounting said annulus onto said catheter tube to position said fingers over said balloon to fold said balloon onto said catheter tube during deflation of said balloon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A folding device which comprises:
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a fluid source;
a catheter tube defining an axis and having a first end and a second end, said second end of said catheter tube being connected to said fluid source;
a balloon mounted at said first end of said catheter tube in fluid communication with said fluid source for inflation and deflation of said balloon;
an annulus mounted on said catheter tube and centered on said axis; and
a plurality of elongated fingers attached to said annulus and extending therefrom to position said plurality of fingers over said balloon to fold said balloon onto said catheter tube during deflation of said balloon. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for manufacturing a device useful for folding a balloon of a balloon catheter onto a catheter tube during balloon deflation, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a sheet of stainless steel;
stamping out at least one said device from said sheet, said device including a plurality of elongated fingers attached to a band with said band having a tab and a notch;
folding said band for engagement of said tab with said notch to configure said band as an annulus;
heat treating said fingers to establish a spring therewith; and
mounting said band onto said catheter tube to position said fingers over said balloon to urge said fingers against said balloon to fold said balloon during deflation. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification