Patent ID: 7115137

Claim:
A balloon catheter, comprising: a) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen; b) an inflatable balloon on a distal shaft section, having a proximal skirt section and a distal skirt section sealingly secured to the shaft, and an inflatable section therebetween with an interior in fluid communication with the at least one lumen of the shaft, the distal skirt section having a proximal portion at least in part bonded to the shaft, a distal portion with a smaller outer diameter than the proximal portion of the distal skirt section, and a uniform inner diameter from the proximal to the distal portion thereof; and c) a distal tip member having a proximal end, an outer diameter not greater than the outer diameter of the proximal portion of the distal skirt section of the balloon, a proximal section with an inner surface bonded to an outer surface of the distal portion of the distal skirt section such that the proximal end of the distal tip member is distal to the bonded proximal portion of the distal skirt section, and a distal section extending beyond a distal end of the balloon.