Sleeve welding collar

A catheter comprising:

• a catheter shaft, at least a portion of the catheter shaft having a medical balloon mounted thereon, the medical balloon defining at least one waist portion;
• at least one sleeve, the at least one sleeve having a balloon engagement portion, the balloon engagement portion being disposed about a portion of the at least one waist portion of the medical balloon;
• and
• at least one collar, the at least one collar defining a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the at least one collar being disposed about at least a portion of the balloon engagement portion of the at least one sleeve, the second portion being welded to a portion of the balloon waist immediately adjacent to the at least one sleeve.

A catheter comprising:

• a catheter shaft, at least a portion of the catheter shaft having a medical balloon mounted thereon, the medical balloon defining at least one waist portion;
• at least one sleeve, the at least one sleeve overlappingly engaged to a portion of the at least one waist portion;
• and
• at least one collar, a first portion of the at least one collar overlappingly engaged to a portion of the at least one sleeve, a second portion of the at least one collar being welded to a portion of the at least one waist portion, at least a portion of the at least one sleeve being encased between the at least one waist portion and the at least one collar.

A method of bonding a sleeve to a balloon catheter comprising the steps of:

• providing a catheter having a catheter shaft, and a medical balloon mounted thereon, the medical balloon defining at least one waist, the at least one waist comprising a first waist portion and a second waist portion;
• positioning at least one sleeve substantially about the first waist portion, the at least one sleeve having an upper surface and a lower surface, a first portion of the lower surface being engaged to the first waist portion;
• positioning at least one collar substantially about at least a portion of the upper surface of the at least one sleeve, the at least one collar comprising a first collar portion and a second collar portion, the first collar portion being engaged to the at least a portion of the upper surface of the at least one sleeve, the second collar portion being engaged to the second waist portion;
• forming a circumferential weld between the second collar portion and the second waist portion by transmitting heat energy to at least a portion of the second collar portion;