Photolithographic process for the formation of a one-piece needle

• US 6,497,994 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2000
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medex Incorporated (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Kafrawy, Adel
• Primary Examiner(s): Duda, Kathleen
• Application Number:
  US09/608,672
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 430/320, 430/323, 163/1.5, 606/167, 606/222, 606/223
• US Class Current: 430/320
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/065 Guide needles
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/02 Local etching
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/00 Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor using photoresist structures for special production processes, see the relevant places, e.g. B44C, H01L, e.g. H01L21/00, H05K

Abstract

A method and an apparatus is disclosed for forming a one-piece introducer needle having a member portion and a needle portion by introducing a photoresist on a substrate. The temperature of the substrate is increased and then decreased. A photomask is deposited onto a substrate.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

introducing photoresist onto a substrate;

introducing a photomask onto the substrate; and

exposing the substrate to a light thereby forming a one-piece vascular access device having at least one groove;

wherein the at least one groove is adjacent to a distal end of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the groove has a length that ranges from about 0.5 inches to about 2.5 inches.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the groove has a width that is about 0.001 inches to about 0.05 inches.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a tensile strength of at least 300,000 psi.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a head of the vascular access one-piece device has a shape which is one of a square, a spiral, a cylinder, a sphere, a triangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, and an octagon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a proximal portion of the vascular access one-piece device is spiral.

7. A method comprising forming a one-piece vascular access device having at least one groove:

coating at least one side of a substrate with photoresist;

exposing the photoresist to light, wherein a plurality of vascular access one-piece needles are formed, each needle having at least one groove formed on at least one side of each needle and each needle having a pointed end;

removing the unexposed photoresist; and

exposing the substrate to an etchant to remove substrate not protected by the photoresist;

wherein the at least one groove is adjacent to the pointed end of the needle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the groove has a length that ranges from about 0.5 inches to about 2.5 inches.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the groove has a width that is about 0.001 inches to about 0.05 inches.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the substrate has a tensile strength of at least 300,000 psi.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein a head of the vascular access one-piece needle has a shape which is one of a square, a spiral, a cylinder, a sphere, a triangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, and an octagon.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein a proximal portion of the vascular access one-piece needle is spiral.

13. A method comprising:

introducing a positive-acting photoresist onto a substrate;

introducing a photomask onto the substrate;

aligning the photomask; and

exposing the substrate to a light thereby forming a one-piece vascular access device having at least one groove;

wherein the at least one groove is adjacent to a distal end of the device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the groove has a length that ranges from about 0.5 inches to about 2.5 inches.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the groove has a width from about 0.001 inches to about 0.05 inches.

16. A method comprising:

introducing a negative-acting photo resist onto a substrate;

introducing a photomask onto the substrate;

aligning the photomask; and

exposing the substrate to a light thereby forming a one-piece vascular access device having at least one groove,

wherein the groove has a width that is about 0.001 inches to about 0.05 inches.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the groove has a length that ranges from about 0.5 inches to about 2.5 inches.