Introducer sheath having profiled reinforcing member
First Claim
1. An introducer sheath comprising:
- an inner liner having a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough;
a reinforcing member positioned longitudinally over the inner liner, the reinforcing member comprising a coiled wire having adjacent coil turns extending helically around the inner liner, the wire having a monolithic cross-section comprising longitudinally opposing end portions and a center portion, wherein a thickness of said wire at said end portions is greater than a thickness at said center portion, wherein said cross-section has an upper and lower surface, and wherein between about 10 and 30% of said thickness is removed from said center portion of at least one of said upper and lower surfaces; and
an outer jacket positioned longitudinally over said inner liner and said coiled wire, said outer jacket bonded to said inner liner between said coil turns.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An introducer sheath includes an inner liner having a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough, a coil positioned over the inner liner, and an outer jacket positioned over the liner and the coil. The outer jacket is bonded to the inner liner between the coil turns. The coil turns have a cross-section comprising opposing end portions, and a center portion disposed between the opposing end portions. The center portion has a thickness not exceeding about one-third of a thickness of the end portions for reducing a bending modulus of the coil, and the end portions have a generally curved outer surface. At least a distal end portion of the outer jacket has a durometer between about 70 and 90 on the Shore D scale.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An introducer sheath comprising:
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an inner liner having a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough; a reinforcing member positioned longitudinally over the inner liner, the reinforcing member comprising a coiled wire having adjacent coil turns extending helically around the inner liner, the wire having a monolithic cross-section comprising longitudinally opposing end portions and a center portion, wherein a thickness of said wire at said end portions is greater than a thickness at said center portion, wherein said cross-section has an upper and lower surface, and wherein between about 10 and 30% of said thickness is removed from said center portion of at least one of said upper and lower surfaces; and an outer jacket positioned longitudinally over said inner liner and said coiled wire, said outer jacket bonded to said inner liner between said coil turns. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An introducer sheath comprising:
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an inner liner having a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough; a reinforcing member positioned longitudinally over the inner liner, the reinforcing member comprising a coiled wire having adjacent coil turns extending helically around the inner liner, the wire having a monolithic cross-section comprising longitudinally opposing end portions and a center portion, wherein a thickness of said wire at said end portions is greater than a thickness at said center portion; and an outer jacket positioned longitudinally over said inner liner and said coiled wire, said outer jacket bonded to said inner liner between said coil turns, wherein said cross-section has an upper and lower surface, and wherein up to about 40% of said thickness is removed from said center portion at each of said upper and lower surfaces when compared to the thickness of said end portions. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. An introducer sheath comprising:
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an inner liner having a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough, said inner liner having an outer surface; a coil of a wire positioned longitudinally over the inner liner, the coil having adjacent coil turns extending around the inner liner, the wire having a monolithic cross-section comprising longitudinally opposing end portions and a center portion disposed between said opposing end portions, said center portion having a thickness not exceeding about one-third of a thickness of said end portions for reducing a bending modulus of said coil, said end portions having a generally curved outer surface; and an outer jacket positioned longitudinally over said inner liner and said coil, said outer jacket bonded to said inner liner between said coil turns, at least a distal end portion of the outer jacket having a durometer between about 70 and 90 on the Shore D scale. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification