Patent ID: 7798980

Claim:
A coupling wire guide for coupling to a previously introduced wire guide during intracorporeal procedures, the coupling wire guide comprising: a main body having a distal end defining a longitudinal axis, the distal end including an endcap defining a closed distal end surface; a coupling tip connected to the distal end of the main body, the coupling tip including a coupling portion, an attachment portion and a strip portion, the attachment portion connected to the main body, the strip portion extending between the coupling portion and attachment portion to space the coupling portion away from the attachment portion, the coupling portion including a tubular member defining a coupling passageway having a proximal port and a distal port, the proximal port facing axially towards the endcap wherein a previously introduced wire guide positioned within the coupling passageway engages the closed distal end surface of the endcap and is deflected away from the longitudinal axis; the strip portion having a semi-annular cross-sectional shape that permits movement of the coupling portion in a first radial direction and resists movement of the coupling portion in a second radial direction opposite the first radial direction, the semi-annular cross-sectional shape of the strip portion having a curvature matching a curvature of the distal end of the main body; and a slot formed in the coupling tip, the slot in communication with the coupling passageway and extending from the proximal port to the distal port.