CUT TUBULAR MEMBERS FOR A MEDICAL DEVICE AND METHODS FOR MAKING AND USING THE SAME

• US 20090177185A1
• Filed: 01/03/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 8,460,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/528
• 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;

a tubular member coupled to 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 the slots have a first geometry at the outer surface and a second geometry at the inner surface, the first geometry being different from the second geometry.

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 a bevel is formed in the tubular member adjacent the slots.

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

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

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

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

9. A medical device, comprising:

an elongate shaft having a proximal region and a distal region;

a nickel-titanium alloy tubular member coupled to 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 slots have a first geometry at the outer surface and a second geometry at the inner surface; and

wherein the tubular member includes a bevel between the outer surface and the inner surface adjacent the slots.

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

11. The medical device of claim 9, wherein the first geometry includes a shape selected from the group consisting of oval, elliptical, semi-circle, semi-oval, half-moon, and diamond.

12. The medical device of claim 9, wherein the slots are sequentially disposed in longitudinally rows along the outer surface.

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

14. 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 have 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.

15. A method for manufacturing a medical device, the method comprising the steps of:

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

providing a cutting blade having cutting surface;

cutting a plurality of slots into the tubular member with the cutting blade; and

wherein the slots have a first geometry at the outer surface and a second geometry at the inner surface, the first geometry being different from the second geometry.

16. A tubular member for a medical device formed by the following process;

providing a tubular member having a tube center, a longitudinal axis, and an outer diameter;

forming a first cut in the tubular member at a first longitudinal position along the longitudinal axis of the tubular member from a first angular position;

forming a second cut in the tubular member at the first longitudinal position from a second angular position to define a first pair of slots and a first pair of beams in the tubular member;

wherein the first pair of beams is offset from the tube center;

forming a third cut in the tubular member at a second longitudinal position along the longitudinal axis of the tubular member from a third angular position;

forming a fourth cut in the tubular member at the second longitudinal position from a fourth angular position to define a second pair of slots and a second pair of beams in the tubular member;

wherein the second pair of beams is offset from the tube center;

wherein the distance that the first pair of beams and the second pair of beams is offset from the tube center is a function of the angular position from which the cut defining the first or second beam pair originates from.

17. The tubular member of claim 16, wherein the function is a cosine function.