Patent ID: 8034280
Filing Date: 2011-10-11
Classification: A61M,B29C,B29K,B29L

Abstract:
1. A method of manufacturing a balloon for a balloon catheter, the method comprising: releasing an elongate polymer tube from an unwinding spool at a releasing speed and pulling the polymer tube's leading end by a winding system at a pulling speed; heating and longitudinally stretching a first portion of the elongate polymeric tube by a velocity difference between the pulling speed and the releasing speed to form a first reduced diameter portion of the tube that serves as a first waist portion for the balloon; heating and longitudinally stretching a second portion of the tube by a velocity difference between the pulling speed and the releasing speed to form a second reduced diameter portion of the tube that serves as a second waist portion for the balloon that is opposite the first end portion, there remaining a body portion located between the first and second end portions; expanding the body portion of the tube radially to form the balloon; wherein the body portion has a first region; laser heating and longitudinally stretching the first region to define a first molecular orientation along the first region; wherein the body portion has a second region; laser heating and longitudinally stretching the second region to define a second molecular orientation along the second region that is different from the first molecular orientation; wherein the body portion has a third region; and laser heating and longitudinally stretching the third region to define a third molecular orientation along the third region that is different from the second molecular orientation.