Method of forming a co-extruded balloon for medical purposes

• US 6,482,348 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2000
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Inventors: Pederson, Brian A. Sr., Abele, John, Roberts, George T., Wang, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDowell, Suzanne E.
• Application Number:
  US09/542,080
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 264/514, 264/521, 264/573, 264/510, 264/515, 604/96, 604/194
• US Class Current: 264/514
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00783 Valvuloplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/06 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1075 having a balloon composed of several layers, e.g. by coating or embedding
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1029 Production methods of the balloon members, e.g. blow-moulding, extruding, deposition or by wrapping a plurality of layers of balloon material around a mandril
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1034 Joining of shaft and balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1038 Wrapping or folding devices for use with balloon catheters
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/02 Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1334 Nonself-supporting tubular film or bag [e.g., pouch, envelope, packet, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1393 Multilayer [continuous layer]

Abstract

A method of forming a balloon for medical purposes comprising co-extruding in a tubular shape a base structural layer of a member selected from the group consisting oft polyamides, polycarbonates, polyesters and copolymers thereof and a heat sealable layer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and copolymers thereof. The tubular member is then biaxially oriented by inflating the tube with a gas to a predetermined central diameter greater then the initial diameter of the tube and simultaneously heating the inflated tube to a temperature sufficient to biaxially orient the base structural layer. The member is then cooled the inflated tubular member and then elevated in temperature for a second time to the biaxially orienting temperature. The twice-heated tube is allowed to cool and the gas is withdrawn whereby the tubular member will assume a generally tubular shape and the main structural layer will remain biaxially orientated and the heat sealable layer will not be biaxially orientated.

Claims

1. A method of forming a balloon for medical purposes, said method comprising;

co-extruding in a tubular shape a base structural layer of a member selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polycarbonates, polyesters and copolymers thereof and a heat sealable layer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and copolymers thereof;

biaxially orienting said base structural layer by inflating said tube with a gas to a predetermined central diameter greater than the initial diameter of the tubular shape and simultaneously heating the inflated tube to a temperature sufficient to biaxially orient said base structural layer;

cooling the inflated tubular member;

elevating the temperature of the inflated tube for a second time to said biaxially orienting temperature;

allowing the twice-heated tube to cool and withdrawing the gas whereby the tubular member will assume a generally tubular shape and said,main structural layer will remain biaxially orientated and said heat sealable layer will not be biaxially orientated.