Patent ID: 7998184

Claim:
A catheter assembly comprising: a balloon; a stent, the stent being disposed about at least a portion of the balloon, the stent on the balloon defining a diameter, the diameter being crimped between a nominal diameter configuration and a reduced diameter configuration less than the nominal diameter configuration; and a protective sleeve, the protective sleeve being removably disposed about the balloon and stent, the protective sleeve comprising: a tubular member composed of a first material and at least one stripe of a second material engaged thereto, the second material characterized as being harder than the first material, the tubular member having a loading state and being crimpable to a crimped state, in the loading state the tubular member having a first diameter and in the crimped state the tubular member having a second diameter less than the first diameter, in the loading state the tubular member being disposed about the balloon and stent in the nominal diameter configuration, in the crimped state the tubular member retaining the balloon and the stent in the reduced profile configuration.