# US 11,896,790 B2 · Dilator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,896,790 B2 - Document ID: US11896790B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/205,789 - Filed: 2021-03-18 - Published: 2021-07-08 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-21 - Assignees: Asahi Intecc Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Asahi Intecc Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yukihiro Fuseya; Marina Tsuzuku - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896790B2 ## CPC - A61M 29/00: Dilators with or without means for introducing media, e.g. remedies - A61M 25/01: Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters (A61M25/10 takes precedence) - A61M 2025/006: {having a special surface topography or special surface properties, e.g. roughened or knurled surface} - A61M 2025/0687: {having means for atraumatic insertion in the body or protection of the tip of the sheath during insertion, e.g. special designs of dilators, needles or sheaths} - 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 A dilator that includes a shaft and a spirally-arranged protruding portion. The shaft includes a tapered section, a distal end section, and a body section. The spirally-arranged protruding portion includes spirally-arranged protruding sections provided on outer peripheral surfaces of each of the tapered section, the distal end section, and the body section, and gaps between adjacent spirally-arranged protruding sections along an axial direction of the shaft. At least one of a height t of the spirally-arranged protruding portion at a first location gradually decreases toward a distal end side and a height of the spirally-arranged protruding portion at a second location gradually decreases toward a proximal end side. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dilator comprising: a hollow-shaped shaft comprising (i) a tapered section with an outer diameter of a distal end being smaller than an outer diameter of a proximal end, (ii) a distal end section including a proximal end being located at the distal end of the tapered section and extending toward a distal end side of the tapered section in an axial direction, and (iii) a body section including a distal end being located at the proximal end of the tapered section and extending toward a proximal end side of the tapered section in the axial direction; and a spirally-arranged protruding portion comprising (i) spirally-arranged protruding sections provided on outer peripheral surfaces of each of the tapered section, the distal end section, and the body section, and (ii) gaps between adjacent spirally-arranged protruding sections along the axial direction of the shaft, wherein a location being at a terminal distal end side of the spirally-arranged protruding portion and including a distal end of the spirally-arranged protruding portion is a first location and a location being at a proximal end side of the spirally-arranged protruding portion and at the proximal end side relative to the first location and including a proximal end of the spirally-arranged protruding portion is a second location, at least one of (i) a height of the spirally-arranged protruding portion at the first location gradually decreases toward the distal end side of the spirally-arranged protruding portion, and (ii) a height of the spirally-arranged protruding portion at the second location gradually decreases toward the proximal end side of the spirally-arranged protruding portion, and a shape of an outer peripheral surface at at least one of the first location and the second location in the spirally-arranged protruding portion is a concave shape. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dilator according to claim 1, wherein the shaft is formed of a coil body formed by winding a wire around an axis of the shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dilator according to claim 1, wherein the spirally-arranged protruding portion is formed of a coil body formed by winding a wire on an outer peripheral surface of the shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The dilator according to claim 1, wherein the distal end of the spirally-arranged protruding portion is spaced apart from the distal end of the shaft in the axial direction. ### Claim 5 A dilator comprising: a hollow-shaped shaft comprising (i) a tapered section with an outer diameter of a distal end being smaller than an outer diameter of a proximal end, (ii) a distal end section including a proximal end being located at the distal end of the tapered section and extending toward a distal end side of the tapered section in an axial direction, and (iii) a body section including a distal end being located at the proximal end of the tapered section and extending toward a proximal end side of the tapered section in the axial direction; and a spirally-arranged protruding portion comprising (i) spirally-arranged protruding sections provided on outer peripheral surfaces of each of the tapered section, the distal end section, and the body section, and (ii) gaps between adjacent spirally-arranged protruding sections along the axial direction of the shaft, wherein a location being at a terminal distal end side of the spirally-arranged protruding portion and including a distal end of the spirally-arranged protruding portion is a first location and a location being at a proximal end side of the spirally-arranged protruding portion and at the proximal end side relative to the first location and including a proximal end of the spirally-arranged protruding portion is a second location, at least one of (i) a height of the spirally-arranged protruding portion at the first location gradually decreases toward the distal end side of the spirally-arranged protruding portion, and (ii) a height of the spirally-arranged protruding portion at the second location gradually decreases toward the proximal end side of the spirally-arranged protruding portion, the body section includes a straight part with a constant outer diameter, the straight part having a distal end located at the proximal end of the tapered section and extending toward a proximal end side of the body section in the axial direction, the spirally-arranged protruding portion extends continuously from the tapered section through to the straight part and a shape of an outer peripheral surface at at least one of the first location and the second location in the spirally-arranged protruding portion is a concave shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The dilator according to claim 5, wherein a shape of an outer peripheral surface of at least one of the first location and the second location in the spirally-arranged protruding portion is a planar shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The dilator according to claim 5, wherein the shaft is formed of a coil body formed by winding a wire around an axis of the shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The dilator according to claim 5, wherein the spirally-arranged protruding portion is formed of a coil body formed by winding a wire on an outer peripheral surface of the shaft. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The dilator according to claim 5, wherein the distal end of the spirally-arranged protruding portion is spaced apart from the distal end of the shaft in the axial direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The dilator according to claim 5, wherein a shape of an outer peripheral surface of at least one of the first location and the second location in the spirally-arranged protruding portion is a concave shape. ### Claim 11 A dilator comprising: a hollow-shaped shaft formed of a coil body formed by winding a wire around an axis of the shaft, and comprising (i) a tapered section with an outer diameter of a distal end being smaller than an outer diameter of a proximal end, (ii) a distal end section including a proximal end being located at the distal end of the tapered section and extending toward a distal end side of the tapered section in an axial direction, and (iii) a body section including a distal end being located at the proximal end of the tapered section and extending toward a proximal end side of the tapered section in the axial direction; and a spirally-arranged protruding portion comprising (i) spirally-arranged protruding sections provided on outer peripheral surfaces of each of the tapered section, the distal end section, and the body section, and (ii) gaps between adjacent spirally-arranged protruding sections along the axial direction of the shaft, wherein a location being at a distal end side of the spirally-arranged protruding portion and including a distal end of the spirally-arranged protruding portion is a first location and a location being at a proximal end side of the spirally-arranged protruding portion and at the proximal end side relative to the first location and including a proximal end of the spirally-arranged protruding portion is a second location, the spirally-arranged protruding portion directly contacts the coil body, and at least one of (i) a height of the spirally-arranged protruding portion at the first location gradually decreases toward the distal end side of the spirally-arranged protruding portion, and (ii) a height of the spirally-arranged protruding portion at the second location gradually decreases toward the proximal end side of the spirally-arranged protruding portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The dilator according to claim 11, wherein a shape of an outer peripheral surface of at least one of the first location and the second location in the spirally-arranged protruding portion is a planar shape. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The dilator according to claim 11, wherein the spirally-arranged protruding portion is formed of a coil body formed by winding a wire on an outer peripheral surface of the shaft. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The dilator according to claim 11, wherein the distal end of the spirally-arranged protruding portion is spaced apart from the distal end of the shaft in the axial direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The dilator according to claim 11, wherein a shape of an outer peripheral surface of at least one of the first location and the second location in the spirally-arranged protruding portion is a concave shape.