Cut tubular members for a medical device and methods for making and using the same

• US 8,460,213 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2008
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Northrop, Clay W.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGHERTY, SEAN PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US11/969,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20090177185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,986 Days
• Field of Search: 600/585, 604/523
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00071 Insertion part of the endoscope body A61B1/0055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0011 Manufacturing of endoscope parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0059 having means for preventing the catheter, sheath or lumens from collapsing due to outer forces, e.g. compressing forces, or caused by twisting or kinking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09091 where a sheath surrounds the coil at the distal part
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09108 Methods for making a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0915 having features for changing the stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0013 Weakening parts of a catheter tubing, e.g. by making cuts in the tube or reducing thickness of a layer at one point to adjust the flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0021 characterised by the form of the tubing A61M25/0054 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0054 with regions for increasing flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0524 Plural cutting steps

Abstract

Medical devices and methods for making and using the same. An example medical devices includes a core member and a tubular member disposed over a portion of the core member. The tubular member has a plurality of slots formed therein.

Claims

1. A medical device, comprising:

an elongate shaft having a proximal region and a distal region, wherein the shaft includes a core wire having a solid cross-section;

a tubular member disposed over the distal region of the shaft, the tubular member having an outer surface and an inner surface;

wherein the tubular member has a plurality of slots defined therein;

wherein a beveled slot is defined in the tubular member that has a first geometry at the outer surface and a second geometry at the inner surface, the first geometry being different from the second geometry;

wherein a bevel is formed in the tubular member that forms a transition between the first geometry and the second geometry of the beveled slot; and

wherein the bevel is an angled bevel that extends at a variable angle between the first geometry and the second geometry of the beveled slot.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the first geometry and the second geometry are geometrically similar shapes of different sizes.

3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the first geometry includes a shape selected from the group consisting of oval, elliptical, semi-circle, semi-oval, half-moon, and diamond.

4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the slots are sequentially disposed in longitudinal rows along the outer surface.

5. The medical device of claim 4, wherein at least some of the slots are reversed relative to an immediately previous slot.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tubular member includes a first pair of beams.

7. The medical device of claim 6, wherein the tubular member includes a tube centerline and wherein the first pair of beams are offset a distance from the tube centerline.

8. A medical device, comprising:

an elongate shaft having a proximal region and a distal region, the shaft having a solid cross-section;

a nickel-titanium alloy tubular member disposed over the distal region of the shaft, the tubular member having an outer surface and an inner surface;

wherein the tubular member has a plurality of slots defined therein, the plurality of slots including a beveled slot that has a first geometry at the outer surface and a second geometry at the inner surface; and

wherein the tubular member includes a variable-angle bevel that extends between the outer surface and the inner surface adjacent the beveled slot at a variable angle such that the variable angle bevel follows a curved path between a first point along the outer surface and a second point along the inner surface and positioned radially inward from the first point.

9. The medical device of claim 8, wherein the first geometry and the second geometry are geometrically similar shapes of different sizes.

10. The medical device of claim 8, wherein the first geometry includes a shape selected from the group consisting of oval, elliptical, semi-circle, semi-oval, half-moon, and diamond.

11. The medical device of claim 8, wherein the slots are sequentially disposed in longitudinal rows along the outer surface.

12. The medical device of claim 11, wherein at least some of the slots are reversed relative to an immediately previous slot.

13. A medical device, comprising:

a nickel-titanium alloy tubular member having an outer surface and an inner surface;

wherein the nickel-titanium alloy tubular member has a plurality of slots defined therein, the slots including a beveled slot having a first geometry at the outer surface and a second geometry at the inner surface; and

wherein the nickel-titanium alloy tubular member includes a bevel between the outer surface and the inner surface adjacent the slots, the bevel extending between the outer surface and the inner surface such that between a first point along the outer surface of the tubular member and a second point along the inner surface of the tubular member and positioned directly radially inward from the first point, the bevel follows a curved path at a changing angle.

14. A method for manufacturing a guidewire, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a core wire having a solid cross-section;

providing a tubular member, the tubular member having an outer surface and an inner surface;

disposing the tubular member over the distal portion of the core wire;

providing a cutting blade having a curved cutting surface;

cutting a plurality of slots including a beveled slot into the tubular member with the cutting blade;

wherein the beveled slot has a first geometry at the outer surface and a second geometry at the inner surface, the first geometry being different from the second geometry;

wherein a bevel is formed in the tubular member that forms a transition between the first geometry and the second geometry of the beveled slot; and

wherein the bevel is a curved bevel that extends at a variable angle between the first geometry and the second geometry of the beveled slot such that between a first point along the outer surface of the tubular member and a second point along the inner surface of the tubular member and positioned directly radially inward from the first point, the curved bevel follows a curved path.