Patent ID: 8551021

Claim:
A guidewire, comprising: a core wire having a distal portion; and a tubular member disposed over the distal portion, the tubular member having a plurality of slots formed therein and having a longitudinal axis; wherein the tubular member includes a variably spaced slot section that has a flexural rigidity that varies from a first flexural rigidity to a second flexural rigidity, and wherein the transition from the first flexural rigidity to the second flexural rigidity is a function of a fourth order equation; wherein the first flexural rigidity is in the range of about 1×10 −6 to about 9×10 −5 lbs-inches 2 ; and wherein the second flexural rigidity is in the range of about 1×10 −3 to about 5×10 −3 lbs-inches 2 .