Patent ID: 11904109
Assignee: BIOSENSE WEBSTER (ISRAEL) LTD.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 6:
7. A catheter introducer apparatus for compressing a distal end assembly of a catheter for insertion into a sheath, which is configured to be inserted into a vessel of a living subject, the apparatus comprising:
a compression conduit having a truncated conical-form cavity, and including a distal opening and a proximal opening, the proximal opening being configured to receive the distal end assembly of the catheter therein, the cavity tapering from the proximal opening to the distal opening so that successive respective portions of the distal end assembly are compressed as the catheter is advanced distally in the cavity;
a distal connector connected to the distal opening of the compression conduit, and configured to be reversibly coupled to the sheath and to provide passage for the compressed portions of the distal end assembly from the compression conduit into the sheath;
a proximal retainer disposed adjacent to the proximal opening and including two opposing surfaces defining a gap through which at least part of the distal end assembly is inserted, the opposing surfaces being configured to at least partially prevent compression of portions of the distal end assembly while more distally disposed portions of the distal end assembly are being compressed in the compression conduit; and
an entry ramp connected to the proximal opening of the compression conduit, and including a surface on which to rest the catheter as the catheter is inserted into the compression conduit,
the surface of the entry ramp including a distal curved portion connected to the proximal opening of the compression conduit so that there is smooth transition between the surface of the entry ramp and the cavity of the compression conduit,
the opposing surfaces of the proximal retainer including a first curved opposing surface and a second curved opposing surface, the first curved opposing surface being comprised in the distal curved portion of the entry ramp, the proximal retainer comprising a curved element comprising the second curved opposing surface,
the curved element of the proximal retainer being comprised in a curved open loop which extends over part of the distal curved portion of the entry ramp.