Patent ID: 7892187

Claim:
A guide wire comprising: a first wire disposed on a distal side of said guide wire; a second wire disposed on a proximal side from said first wire; the first wire comprising an enlarged proximal-most end portion possessing an outer dimension greater than an immediately adjacent portion of the first wire on the distal side of the proximal-most end portion; the second wire comprising an enlarged distal-most end portion possessing an outer dimension greater than an immediately adjacent portion of the second wire on the proximal side of the distal-most end portion; said enlarged proximal-most end portion of said first wire and said enlarged distal-most end portion of said second wire being joined to each other by welding at a welded portion; said enlarged proximal-most end portion of said first wire and said enlarged distal-most end portion of said second wire together forming a projection projecting outwardly in an outer peripheral direction relative to the immediately adjacent portion of the first wire and the immediately adjacent portion of the second wire, the welded portion extending across the projection; a cover layer of a friction reducing material disposed over said projection; and said welded portion does not extend farther radially outwardly than the enlarged proximal-most end portion of the first wire and does not extend farther radially outwardly than the enlarged distal-most end portion of the second wire.