Guidewire distal tip soldering method

• US 6,832,715 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2001
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Eungard, Todd D., Matzen, Alan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Silverman, Stanley S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNN, COLLEEN P
• Application Number:
  US10/008,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20030102360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 228/224, 228/222, 228/245, 228/207, 228/223, 228/248.1, 291/73, 128/662.06, 604/280, 606/108, 600/585
• US Class Current: 228/207
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09083 having a coil around a core
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09108 Methods for making a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09175 having specific characteristics at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: B21F 15/08 making use of soldering or welding B21F27/10 takes precedence

Abstract

A guidewire manufacturing assembly and method of forming an improved distal tip on a guidewire are disclosed. A guidewire may be an elongate shaft, a coil disposed along the length of the shaft, a holding fixture coupled to the shaft, a solder ball disposed to flux, and a heat source disposed proximate the solder ball to partially melt the solder ball and allow formation of an atraumatic distal tip.

Claims

1. A method of forming an atraumatic distal tip on a guidewire, comprising:

providing an elongate shaft having a distal end and a coil disposed along a length of the shaft;

providing a solder ball;

providing a quantity of flux proximate the solder ball;

disposing the solder ball at the distal end of the shaft; and

heating the solder ball, wherein heating activates the flux and allows the solder ball to at least partially melt and flow into the coil and around the shaft, wherein an atraumatic tip is formed by solder remaining at the distal end of the shaft.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of providing a quantity of flux proximate the solder ball includes dipping the solder ball in the flux.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of providing a quantity of flux proximate the solder ball includes disposing the flux at the coil proximate the distal end of the shaft.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a step of coupling the shaft to a holding fixture, wherein the holding fixture holds the shaft in a vertical orientation.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the guidewire further comprises a heat shrink tube coupled to the shaft.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the heat shrink tube stops proximal flow of flux during the step of heating the solder ball.

7. A method of forming an atraumatic distal tip on a guidewire, comprising:

providing an elongate shaft having a distal end a coil disposed along a length of the shaft;

coupling the shaft to a holding fixture;

providing a solder ball;

providing a quantity of flux proximate the solder ball;

disposing the solder ball at the distal end of the shaft; and

heating the solder ball, wherein heating activates the flux and allows the solder ball to at least partially melt and flow into the coil and around the shaft, wherein an atraumatic tip is formed by solder remaining at the distal end of the shaft.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the step of providing a quantity of flux proximate the solder ball includes dipping the solder ball in the flux.

9. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the step of providing a quantity of flux proximate the solder ball includes disposing the flux at the coil proximate the distal end of the shaft.

10. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the holding fixture holds the shaft in a horizontal orientation.

11. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the holding fixture holds the shaft in a vertical orientation.

12. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the guidewire further comprises a heat shrink tube coupled to the shaft.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the heat shrink tube stops proximal flow of flux during the step of heating the solder ball.

14. A method of forming an atraumatic distal tip on a guidewire, comprising:

providing an elongate shaft having a distal end and a coil disposed along a length of the shaft;

coupling the shaft to a holding fixture, whereby the holding fixture holds the shaft in a horizontal orientation;

providing a solder ball;

providing a quantity of flux proximate the solder ball;

disposing the solder ball at the distal end of the shaft; and

heating the solder ball, wherein heating activates the flux and allows the solder ball to at least partially melt and flow into the coil and around the shaft, wherein an atraumatic tip is formed by solder remaining at the distal end of the shaft.