Embedded electroactive polymer structures for use in medical devices

• US 7,951,186 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2006
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Heidner, Matt, Weber, Jan, Eidenschink, Tracee, Jagger, Karl A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stigell; Theodore J
• Application Number:
  US11/411,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20070247033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 606/192, 606/194, 604/264, 623/1.11, 310/800
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/146 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0058 having an electroactive polymer material, e.g. for steering purposes, for control of flexibility, for locking, for opening or closing
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/005 Electro-chemical actuators; Actuators having a material for absorbing or desorbing gas, e.g. a metal hydride; Actuators using the difference in osmotic pressure between fluids; Actuators with elements stretchable when contacted with liquid rich in ions, with UV light, with a salt solution

Abstract

Medical devices or components thereof having electroactive polymer actuators embedded within at least a portion of the device of component thereof, and novel electroactive polymer actuators formed with a conductive substrate layer and an electroactive polymer layer, the electroactive polymer actuated upon application of a voltage to surrounding liquid electrolyte, the actuators may be embedded within an inert polymer matrix material, or within solid polyelectrolyte matrix material.

Claims

1. A catheter assembly, the catheter assembly comprising a retractable sheath and a stent, the sheath having a longitudinal axis and formed from a matrix material, and embedded within at least a portion of the matrix material helically about the longitudinal axis, is an electroactive polymer actuator, wherein the matrix material is a solid polyelectrolyte or a non-active polymer material, the sheath is disposed about the stent and whereupon actuation of the electroactive polymer actuator, the sheath radially expands from a first diameter to a second diameter.

2. The retractable sheath of claim 1 wherein said electroactive polymer actuator comprises an electroactive polymer layer and a conductive substrate layer.

3. The retractable sheath of claim 1 wherein said electroactive polymer actuator comprises an electroactive polymer layer, a conductive substrate layer and at least one solid, polyelectrolyte layer or gel polyelectrolyte layer.

4. The retractable sheath of claim 1 wherein said matrix material comprises a solid polyelectrolyte.