Patent ID: 7637903

Claim:
A device for configuring a catheter tube as a ring, wherein the catheter tube comprises: a distal section biased to bend in a plane around a first axis to form the ring in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first axis; and a transition section having a first end and a second end, with the first end of the transition section being connected to the distal section, wherein the transition section is helically biased to move between a first configuration wherein the transition section is substantially straight to define a base line oriented substantially perpendicular to the first axis, and a second configuration wherein the first axis of the distal section is substantially aligned parallel with the base line; wherein the catheter tube has a wall and defines a longitudinal axis, and the transition section is formed with a plurality of first slits cut through the wall in respective planes substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, with each first slit extending azimuthally in an arc partway around the axis from a first end to a second end and defining a center midway therebetween, and wherein the respective centers of the first slits are aligned along a first substantially helical path, the tube being further formed with a plurality of second slits cut through the wall in respective planes substantially perpendicular to the axis, with each second slit extending azimuthally in an arc partway around the axis from a first end to a second end and defining a center midway therebetween, and wherein the respective centers of the second slits are aligned along a second substantially helical path, with each said first slit being located between a pair of adjacent second slits and each said second slit being located between a pair of adjacent first slits, and with said second helical path being substantially diametrically opposite said first substantially helical path relative to said axis to allow for the selective helical bending of the transition section.