# US 11,992,625 B2 · Catheter including variable density structural support member > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,992,625 B2 - Document ID: US11992625B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/922,825 - Filed: 2020-07-07 - Published: 2022-01-13 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-07 - Assignees: Covidien LP - Applicants: Covidien LP - Inventors: Syamala Rani Pulugurtha; Ujwal Jalgaonkar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992625B2 ## CPC - A61M 25/0053: {having a variable stiffness along the longitudinal axis, e.g. by varying the pitch of the coil or braid} - A61M 25/0012: {with embedded structures, e.g. coils, braids, meshes, strands or radiopaque coils} - A61M 25/0045: {multi-layered, e.g. coated (coating materials A61L29/08)} - A61M 25/0054: {with regions for increasing flexibility} - A61M 2205/02: characterised by a particular materials - 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 In some examples, a catheter includes an elongated body that includes an inner liner, and outer jacket, and a structural support member positioned between at least a portion of the inner liner and the outer jacket. The outer jacket includes a plurality of outer jacket segments in which each outer jacket segment of the plurality is longitudinally adjacent to another outer jacket segment of the plurality. The structural support member includes a first section having a first density, a second section distal to the first section and having a second density, and a third section distal to the second section and having a third density, such that the second density being higher than the first and third densities. The second section of the structural support member is longitudinally aligned with a junction between two outer jacket segments of the plurality of outer jacket segments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A catheter, comprising: an elongated body comprising: an inner liner; an outer jacket comprising a plurality of outer jacket segments and two or more junctions, wherein each junction of the two or more junctions is between two outer jacket segments of the plurality of outer jacket segments, and wherein each outer jacket segment of the plurality is longitudinally adjacent to another outer jacket segment of the plurality; and a structural support member positioned between at least a portion of the inner liner and the outer jacket, wherein the structural support member comprises two or more relatively high density sections interspersed with relatively low density sections, wherein each relatively high density section of the two or more relatively high density sections longitudinally overlaps at least one junction of the two or more junctions and at least a portion of each corresponding two outer jacket segments separated by the at least one junction, and wherein a first section of the structural support member having a relatively low density is radially adjacent to a first outer jacket segment, a second section of the structural support member having a relatively high density is radially adjacent to a second outer jacket segment having a lower durometer than the first outer jacket segment, and a third section of the structural support member having a relatively low density is radially adjacent to a third outer jacket segment having a lower durometer than the first and second outer jacket segments. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least two outer jacket segments of the plurality have different materials. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least two outer jacket segments of the plurality have different thicknesses. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The catheter of claim 3, wherein a thickness of the first outer jacket segment is less than a thickness of the second outer jacket segment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The catheter of claim 3, wherein a thickness of the first outer jacket segment is greater than a thickness of the second outer jacket segment. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the structural support member comprises a coiled structural support member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the structural support member comprises a braided structural support member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein a surface of at least one relatively high density section of the structural support member is surface treated to increase an adhesion of the surface to at least one of the inner liner or the outer jacket. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the structural support member tapers from a first diameter at a proximal end of the elongated body to a second diameter at a distal end of the elongated body. ### Claim 10 A catheter, comprising: an elongated body comprising: an inner liner; an outer jacket comprising a plurality of outer jacket segments and two or more junctions, wherein each junction is between two outer jacket segments of the plurality of outer jacket segments, wherein each outer jacket segment of the plurality is longitudinally adjacent to another outer jacket segment of the plurality, and wherein a durometer of the outer jacket decreases from a proximal end of the elongated body to a distal end of the elongated body; and a structural support member positioned between at least a portion of the inner liner and the outer jacket, wherein the structural support member includes two or more relatively high density sections interspersed between relatively low density sections, wherein each relatively high density section has a density at least 25% greater than the adjacent relatively low density sections, and wherein each relatively high density section of the two or more relatively high density sections longitudinally overlaps at least one junction of the two or more junctions and at least a portion of each corresponding two outer jacket segments separated by the at least one junction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The catheter of claim 10, wherein at least two outer jacket segments of the plurality have different materials, different durometers, or different thicknesses. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The catheter of claim 10, wherein at least one relatively high density section of the two or more relatively high density sections overlaps a corresponding junction by between about 5 millimeters and about 20 millimeters. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The catheter of claim 10, wherein a surface of at least one relatively high density section of the structural support member is surface treated to increase an adhesion of the surface to at least one of the inner liner or the outer jacket. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The catheter of claim 10, wherein the structural support member tapers from a first diameter at a proximal end of the elongated body to a second diameter at a distal end of the elongated body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The catheter of claim 10, wherein at least one relatively high density section is radially adjacent to a second outer jacket segment, and wherein the adjacent relatively low density sections are radially adjacent a respective first outer jacket segment and a respective third outer jacket segment having a higher durometer than the second outer jacket segment. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the at least one junction comprises a junction between materials of the two outer jacket segments. ### Claim 17 A catheter, comprising: an elongated body comprising: an inner liner; an outer jacket comprising a plurality of outer jacket segments and two or more junctions, wherein each junction is between two outer jacket segments of the plurality, and wherein each outer jacket segment of the plurality is longitudinally adjacent to another outer jacket segment of the plurality; and a structural support member positioned between at least a portion of the inner liner and the outer jacket, wherein the structural support member includes two or more relatively high density sections interspersed between relatively low density sections, wherein each relatively high density section has a density at least 25% greater than the adjacent relatively low density sections, wherein each relatively high density section longitudinally overlaps at least one junction of the two or more junctions and at least a portion of each of a corresponding two outer jacket segments of the at least one junction, wherein at least one relatively high density section is radially adjacent to a second outer jacket segment, wherein a relatively low density section is radially adjacent a first outer jacket segment, wherein another relatively low density section is radially adjacent a third outer jacket segment, and wherein each of the first outer jacket segment and the third outer jacket segment has a higher durometer than the second outer jacket segment.