Transcatheter delivery apparatus

An apparatus for a transcatheter procedure, the apparatus comprising:

• a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending from the proximal end to the distal end;
• and
• a nosecone connected to the distal end of the shaft and comprising a distal portion and a proximal portion,
• wherein the proximal portion of the nosecone comprises a shoulder region adjacent the distal portion of the nosecone, a connection region connected to the distal end of the shaft, and a body region located between the shoulder region and the connection region,
• wherein an outer surface of the nosecone has a cross-sectional profile taken along the longitudinal axis of the shaft,
• wherein the cross-sectional profile of the body region comprises a first section having a first slope, a second section having a second slope, and a third section having a third slope, the first section adjacent the connection region, the third section adjacent the shoulder region, and the second section located between the first section and the second section, and
• wherein the first slope is greater than the second slope and the third slope, the second slope is greater than the third slope,
• wherein the shoulder region has a shoulder depth defined as one-half of a difference between a maximum outer diameter of the shoulder region and a minimum outer diameter of the shoulder region, and wherein a ratio of the shoulder depth to an axial length of the shoulder region ranges from about 0.02 to about 2.50.