Patent ID: 11872354
Assignee: NEURAVI LIMITED
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A flexible catheter comprising a support tube, a proximal end, and a distal end, the support tube comprising:
an inner liner disposed around a longitudinal axis of the support tube;
an axial series of interlocking segments forming a substantially tubular profile along the longitudinal axis, the interlocking segments comprising a plurality of circumferentially discontinuous ribs, each interlocking segment comprising:
a top half comprising a pair of inset teeth extending from respective ribs of the plurality of circumferentially discontinuous ribs; and
a bottom half comprising a pair of outset teeth extending from respective ribs of the plurality of circumferentially discontinuous ribs and bounding a reception space;

one or more axial seams formed by alignment of the plurality of circumferentially discontinuous ribs of the interlocking segments; and
a spine axially linking the interlocking segments and axially linking each of the ribs of the plurality of circumferentially discontinuous ribs by forming an inner face of the reception space,
wherein each rib of the plurality of circumferentially discontinuous ribs is substantially circular,
wherein the spine follows a non-linear path alternating between the top half and the bottom half of the support tube, and
wherein the one or more axial seams allow the support tube to be radially expanded to an expanded inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the inner liner.