Patent ID: 11918198
Assignee: DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 12:
13. A steerable catheter comprising:
a flexible distal shaft comprising:
a proximal end;
a distal end;
a first direction of flexibility;
a second direction of flexibility opposite to the first direction of flexibility;
an inner layer;
a segmented mid-layer comprising:
a plurality of notches on an outer surface of the mid-layer, the plurality of notches comprising a first depth, a first outer width, and a first inner width;
wherein the first depth, the first outer width, and the first inner width are related to an angle of flexibility; and
wherein the first outer width is greater than the first inner width;
wherein the plurality of notches are configured to bend in the first direction of flexibility;
wherein a first subset of the plurality of notches on the outer surface of the mid-layer comprise a second depth, a second outer width, and a second inner width;
wherein the second depth is different from the first depth, the second outer width is different from the first outer width, and the second inner width is different from the first inner width; and
wherein the first subset of the plurality of notches is configured to bend in the first direction of flexibility;
wherein a second subset of the plurality of the notches on the outer surface of the mid-layer comprise a third depth, a third outer width, and a third inner width,
wherein the third depth is different from the first depth and the second depth, the third outer width is different from the first outer width and the second outer width, and the third inner width is different from the first outer width and the second outer width; and

an outer layer;
wherein a flexibility of the flexible distal shaft is greater in the first direction of flexibility than any other direction, and
wherein the third depth is less than the first depth and the second depth, the third outer width is less than the first outer width and the second outer width, and the third inner width is less than the first outer width and the second outer width.