Patent ID: 7115138

Claim:
An embolic protection filter assembly, comprising; an outer sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen extending therethrough and a central longitudinal axis; an elongate shaft disposed in at least a portion of the lumen, the shaft having a distal end; an embolic protection filter coupled to the shaft near the distal end thereof; wherein a housing region is defined at the distal end of the sheath, the housing region including a housing lumen that is sized to accommodate the filter therein; a tapering member coupled to the sheath and disposed near the distal end of the sheath, the tapering member being adapted and configured to shift between a first position and a second position, such that when the tapering member is in the first position, the tapering member provides the outer sheath with a tapered distal tip; wherein the tapering member includes a notched tip disposed at the distal end of sheath, the notched tip including a plurality of segments having a plurality of notches disposed therebetween; and wherein the plurality of segments is biased towards the central longitudinal axis in the first position.