# US 10,869,925 B2 · Catheter package including catheter straightening means > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,869,925 B2 - Document ID: US10869925B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/443,288 - Filed: 2019-06-17 - Published: 2019-12-05 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-31 - Assignees: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. - Applicants: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. - Inventors: Edward H. Cully; James L. Goepfrich; William G. Hardie; Raymond P. Torrez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10869925B2 ## CPC - A61K 39/3955: {against proteinaceous materials, e.g. enzymes, hormones, lymphokines} - A61K 39/395: Antibodies (agglutinins A61K38/36 {; as drug carriers A61K47/50}); Immunoglobulins; Immune serum, e.g. antilymphocytic serum - A61K 39/39558: {against tumor tissues, cells, antigens} - A61M 25/0012: {with embedded structures, e.g. coils, braids, meshes, strands or radiopaque coils} - A61M 25/0017: {specially adapted for long-term hygiene care, e.g. urethral or indwelling catheters to prevent infections} - A61M 25/002: {Packages specially adapted therefor (combined with means for introducing catheters, e.g. dispensers, A61M25/0113); catheter kit packages (for surgical articles A61B50/30)} - C07K 16/2878: {against the NGF-receptor/TNF-receptor superfamily, e.g. CD27, CD30, CD40, CD95} - A61K 2039/505: {comprising antibodies} - A61K 2039/507: {Comprising a combination of two or more separate antibodies} - A61K 2039/545: {characterised by the dose, timing or administration schedule} - A61M 25/0068: {Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure} - C07K 2317/24: containing regions, domains or residues from different species, e.g. chimeric, humanized or veneered - C07K 2317/41: Glycosylation, sialylation, or fucosylation - C07K 2317/732: Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity [ADCC] - C07K 2317/92: Affinity (KD), association rate (Ka), dissociation rate (Kd) or EC50 value - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - C07K: PEPTIDES (peptides in foodstuffs A23; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs, working-up proteins for foodstuffs A23J; preparations for medicinal purposes A61K; peptides containing beta-lactam rings C07D; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, C07D; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type C07D519/02; macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units in their molecules, i.e. when the preparation does not provide for a specific; but for a random sequence of the amino acid units, homopolyamides and block copolyamides derived from amino acids C08G69/00; macromolecular products derived from proteins C08H1/00; preparation of glue or gelatine C09H; single cell proteins, enzymes C12N; genetic engineering processes for obtaining peptides C12N15/00; compositions for measuring or testing processes involving enzymes C12Q; investigation or analysis of biological material G01N33/00) ## Abstract A catheter package and method of use which serve to straighten a curved catheter shaft. The straightening of the catheter shaft may be accomplished by passing the shaft through a pathway that bends the catheter in the opposite direction of the curvature imparted to the catheter shaft. The catheter shaft pathway may incorporate various shaped bumps, ridges, pins or rollers or other features which assist in straightening the shaft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for straightening a catheter shaft, the apparatus comprising: a catheter shaft reversal pathway arranged on a base; a plurality of reversal structures arranged along a perimeter of the catheter reversal pathway with one or more of the plurality of reversal structures being located on a first side of the perimeter and another one or more of the plurality of reversal structures being located on a second side of the perimeter, the plurality of reversal structures being configured to bend the catheter shaft as the catheter shaft is passed through the catheter shaft pathway. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base is arranged within a catheter package that includes the catheter shaft and the base is a modular component that may be removed from the catheter package. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of reversal structures comprise a series of one of protrusions, posts, nubs, and reversals, configured to cause the catheter shaft to deform as it passes through. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of size, shape and arrangement of the plurality of reversal structures is matched to a size of at least one of a catheter shaft outside diameter, a catheter shaft coil radius, and a catheter material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of reversal structures comprises a plurality of rollers configured to defeat a bend bias of the catheter shaft to emerge the catheter shaft in a relatively straight configuration. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of rollers comprise a smooth finish. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of rollers comprise a texture configured to facilitate in stretching or shrinking the catheter shaft. ### Claim 8 A modular catheter package system, the system comprising: a catheter package; and a removable apparatus for straightening a catheter shaft arranged with the catheter package and including a plurality of reversal structures having forming a pathway with one or more of the plurality of reversal structures being located on a first side of the pathway and another one or more of the plurality of reversal structures being located on a second side of the pathway, the plurality of reversal structures being configured to bend the catheter shaft as the catheter shaft is passed through the catheter shaft pathway. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising a catheter shaft arranged with the catheter package. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of reversal structures comprise a series of one of protrusions, posts, nubs, and reversals, configured to cause the catheter shaft to deform as it passes through. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of size, shape and arrangement of the plurality of reversal structures is matched to a size of at least one of a catheter shaft outside diameter, a catheter shaft coil radius, and a catheter material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of reversal structures comprises a plurality of rollers configured to defeat a bend bias of the catheter shaft to emerge the catheter shaft in a relatively straight configuration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of rollers comprise a smooth finish. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of rollers comprise a texture configured to facilitate in stretching or shrinking the catheter shaft. ### Claim 15 A method of straightening a catheter shaft, the method comprising: arranging a catheter shaft through a reversal pathway arranged on a base; and bending the catheter shaft through contact with a plurality of reversal structures arranged along a perimeter of the catheter reversal pathway with one or more of the plurality of reversal structures being located on a first side of the perimeter and another one or more of the plurality of reversal structures being located on a second side of the perimeter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the base is arranged within a catheter package that includes the catheter shaft and the base is a modular component that may be removed from the catheter package. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of reversal structures comprise a series of one of protrusions, posts, nubs, and reversals, configured to cause the catheter shaft to deform as it passes through. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of size, shape and arrangement of the plurality of reversal structures is matched to a size of at least one of a catheter shaft outside diameter, a catheter shaft coil radius, and a catheter material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of reversal structures comprises a plurality of rollers configured to defeat a bend bias of the catheter shaft to emerge the catheter shaft in a relatively straight configuration. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of reversal structures are configured to defeat a bend bias of the catheter shaft to emerge the catheter shaft in a relatively straight configuration.