Patent ID: 8702680
Filing Date: 2014-04-22
Classification: A61M,B29C,B29K,B29L

Abstract:
1. An intravascular catheter comprising: a polymeric inner tube having an internal lumen and proximal and distal segments; a distal reinforcing jacket including a first helical coiled wire formed of a first material wound over the surface of said distal segment; and a proximal reinforcing jacket including a second helical coiled wire and a third helical coiled wire, said second helical coiled wire being formed of a second material wound over the surface of said proximal segment and over said first helical coil, said third helical coiled wire being formed of the second material and wound over said second helical coiled wire and said proximal segment, said second helical coiled wire extending distally beyond said third helical coiled wire, such that said distal reinforcing jacket has a first stiffness, wherein said first stiffness of said distal reinforcing jacket results from said first helical coiled wire alone, said proximal reinforcing jacket has a second stiffness and said first stiffness is relatively lower than said second stiffness, wherein said second stiffness of said proximal reinforcing jacket results from combination of said second and third helical coiled wires, and whereby said first helical coiled wire and said second helical coiled wire overlap to form an intermediate reinforcing jacket having a resulting stiffness approximately halfway between said first stiffness and said second stiffness, and wherein said stiffness of said intermediate reinforcing jacket approximately halfway between said first stiffness from said first helical coiled wire alone and said second stiffness from said combination of said second and third helical coiled wires results from combination of said first and second helical coiled wires.