Push/pull wire anchor
First Claim
1. A method for making a catheter, comprising the steps of:
- a) positioning a flexible element along a catheter liner with a distal portion thereof extending along at least a deflectable distal end portion of the catheter liner;
b) engaging at least one anchor to the flexible element distal portion, the anchor having a conical geometry flaring annularly away from the flexible element as it extends along the flexible element; and
c) providing an encapsulant contacting at least the deflectable distal end portion of the catheter liner and the flexible element distal portion including the anchor such that a portion of the encapsulant resides between the flexible element, and an annular inner surface of the conical anchor,d) wherein the encapsulant forms at least a portion of a sidewall of the deflectable distal end portion of the catheter liner and at least the anchor is within the sidewall, ande) wherein the encapsulant is adapted to transmit pushing and pulling forces from the at least one anchor to the deflectable distal end portion of the catheter liner, the tension strength and compression strengths of the flexible element and the at least one anchor being at least as strong as the encapsulant tension strength and compression strength.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for making a deflectable catheter includes positioning a flexible element along a catheter liner. A flexible element distal portion extends along at least a portion of a deflectable distal end portion of the catheter liner. At least one anchor is engaged to the flexible element distal portion. The anchor extends at least part way around the flexible element distal portion. An encapsulant is positioned around at least the flexible element distal portion and the deflectable distal end portion. The method further includes squeezing the encapsulant around the flexible element distal portion and the anchor, wherein the encapsulant forms at least a portion of a sidewall of the deflectable distal end portion and at least the anchor is within the sidewall, and the encapsulant is adapted to transmit pushing and pulling forces from the at least one anchor to the deflectable distal end portion, and the tension strength and compression strength of the flexible element and the at least one anchor are at least as strong as the encapsulant tension strength and compression strength.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for making a catheter, comprising the steps of:
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a) positioning a flexible element along a catheter liner with a distal portion thereof extending along at least a deflectable distal end portion of the catheter liner; b) engaging at least one anchor to the flexible element distal portion, the anchor having a conical geometry flaring annularly away from the flexible element as it extends along the flexible element; and c) providing an encapsulant contacting at least the deflectable distal end portion of the catheter liner and the flexible element distal portion including the anchor such that a portion of the encapsulant resides between the flexible element, and an annular inner surface of the conical anchor, d) wherein the encapsulant forms at least a portion of a sidewall of the deflectable distal end portion of the catheter liner and at least the anchor is within the sidewall, and e) wherein the encapsulant is adapted to transmit pushing and pulling forces from the at least one anchor to the deflectable distal end portion of the catheter liner, the tension strength and compression strengths of the flexible element and the at least one anchor being at least as strong as the encapsulant tension strength and compression strength. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for making a catheter, comprising securing at least one anchor to a distal portion of a flexible element, wherein securing the anchor to the flexible element includes the steps of:
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a) forming the anchor having a conical geometry; b) deforming an engaging portion of the anchor to the flexible element distal portion such that the conically-shaped anchor flares annularly away from the flexible element as it extends along the flexible element; and c) contacting the flexible element distal portion and the anchor with an encapsulant thereby forming a sidewall of a catheter body with the anchor and the flexible element distal portion being disposed within the sidewall of the catheter body forming the deflectable distal end portion such that a portion of the encapsulant resides between the flexible element and an annular inner surface of the conical anchor, the flexible element extending from the deflectable distal end portion toward a proximal end portion of the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for making a catheter, comprising the steps of:
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a) positioning an anchor having a conical geometry in a non-deformed configuration around a distal portion of a flexible element; b) clamping an engaging portion of the anchor onto the flexible element distal portion such that the conically-shaped anchor flares annularly away from the flexible element as it extends along the flexible element; c) providing an encapsulant contacting the anchor and the flexible element, thereby forming a sidewall of a catheter body comprising a deflectable distal end portion of the catheter body with the anchor and the flexible element residing within the sidewall and being surrounded by the encapsulant at the deflectable distal end portion; and d) wherein the conically-shaped anchor is filled with the encapsulant such that a portion of the encapsulant resides between the flexible element and an annular inner surface of the conical anchor so that the encapsulant aids in transmitting tension and compression from the anchor to the deflectable distal end portion. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification