# US 11,433,218 B2 · Catheter shaft and associated devices, systems, and methods

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- Number: US 11,433,218 B2
- Document ID: US11433218B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/062,877
- Filed: 2016-12-19
- Published: 2018-12-20
- Granted: 2022-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-18
- Assignees: Inari Medical, Inc.
- Applicants: Inari Medical, Inc.
- Inventors: Richard Quick; Brian J. Cox
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11433218B2

## CPC

- A61M 25/0045: {multi-layered, e.g. coated (coating materials A61L29/08)}
- A61M 25/0054: {with regions for increasing flexibility}
- A61M 2025/0059: {having means for preventing the catheter, sheath or lumens from collapsing due to outer forces, e.g. compressing forces, or caused by twisting or kinking}
- 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)}

## Abstract

Catheter shafts and associated devices, systems, and methods are disclosed herein, A representative catheter in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure includes a generally tubular outer structure and an inner structure surrounded by the outer structure. The inner structure surrounds a catheter lumen. The inner structure includes over-lapping edges such that, when the catheter is bent along its longitudinal axis, the over-lapping edges move relative to one another.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A catheter, comprising:
a generally tubular outer structure; and
an inner structure surrounded by the outer structure and that surrounds a catheter lumen, wherein the inner structure extends along a longitudinal axis and includes over-lapping edges that overlap in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the overlapping edges extend entirely circumferentially about the longitudinal axis, and wherein the over-lapping edges are not adhered together.

### Claim 2

A catheter, comprising:
a generally tubular outer structure; and
an inner structure surrounded by the outer structure, wherein the inner structure is non-continuous in a longitudinal direction, wherein the inner structure has a freely sliding interface with itself in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the freely sliding interface extends entirely circumferentially about the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 3

A catheter, comprising:
a generally tubular outer structure; and
an inner structure surrounded by the outer structure, wherein the inner structure extends along a longitudinal axis, wherein the inner structure has freely sliding interfaces with itself in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the freely sliding interfaces extend entirely circumferentially about the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 4

A catheter, comprising:
a generally tubular outer structure; and
an innermost structure surrounded by the outer structure, wherein the innermost structure extends along a longitudinal axis, wherein the innermost structure provides less than 50% of the total bending stiffness of the catheter, wherein the inner structure has a freely sliding interface with itself in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the freely sliding interface extends entirely circumferentially about the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 5

A catheter, comprising a generally tubular outer structure; and
an inner structure surrounded by the outer structure, wherein the inner structure extends along a longitudinal axis, wherein the inner structure has inner portions and outer portions that overlap in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the inner portions and the outer portions overlap entirely circumferentially about the longitudinal axis, and wherein the inner portions are configured to slide tangentially relative to the outer portions during bending of the catheter.

### Claim 6

A catheter, comprising a generally tubular outer structure, the outer structure having an outer surface and an inner surface; and
an inner structure surrounded by the outer structure, wherein the inner structure is composed of a strip of material that is helically wound around a central longitudinal axis to form a generally tubular member defining a lumen, wherein the strip has an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the strip is wound to have an overlapping region at which a first portion of the strip overlaps a second portion of the strip in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the strip, and wherein, at the overlapping region of the strip
the outer surface of the first portion of the strip is at least partially bonded to the inner surface of the outer structure, and
the outer surface of the first portion of the strip (a) faces the inner surface of the second portion of the strip and (b) is configured to slide relative to the inner surface of the first portion of the strip when the inner structure is bent relative to the longitudinal axis.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The catheter of claim 3, wherein
the outer structure has an outer surface and an inner surface; and
the inner structure has a relaxed state and a stressed state, and wherein
the inner structure is composed of a strip of material that is helically wound around the longitudinal axis to form a generally tubular member defining a lumen, wherein the strip has an outer surface and an inner surface,
a first portion of the strip overlaps a second portion of the strip along the longitudinal axis,
only a portion of the outer surface of the inner structure is bonded to the inner surface of the outer structure, and
when the inner structure is bent along the longitudinal axis, the second portion is configured to slide relative to the first portion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The catheter of claim 3 wherein the inner structure includes over-lapping edges.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The catheter of claim 3 wherein the over-lapping edges are not bonded together.

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

The catheter of claim 3 wherein the inner structure does not include an adhesive between the over-lapping edges.

### Claim 11 (depends on 3)

The catheter of claim 3 wherein the inner structure is composed of a strip of material that is helically wound around the longitudinal axis to form a generally tubular member defining a lumen.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The catheter of claim 11 wherein the strip of material is formed from a polymer tube that has been cut in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tube.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The catheter of claim 11 wherein the strip of material is formed from a polymer tube that has been cut in a helical direction.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The catheter of claim 11 wherein the strip of material is formed from a polymer tube that has an etched exterior surface and an inner surface that is not etched.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The catheter of claim 11 wherein the strip of material is formed from a PTFE tube.

### Claim 16 (depends on 3)

The catheter of claim 3 wherein the outer structure as an inner surface, wherein the inner structure has an outer surface, and wherein only a portion the outer surface of the inner structure is bonded to the inner surface of the outer structure.

### Claim 17 (depends on 6)

The catheter of claim 6 wherein the overlapping region extends entirely circumferentially about the longitudinal axis.