Designs for balloon welds
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorAiden Flanagan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A catheter assembly comprising a first polymer, a second polymer and a first weld region. The first polymer forms a balloon having a first waist. The second polymer forms a catheter shaft. The first waist is positioned about a portion of the catheter shaft thereby forming the first weld region. The first weld region comprises a first weld and a second weld which engage the first waist to the catheter shaft. The first weld has a first longitudinal position and the second weld has a second longitudinal position, where the first longitudinal position is different from the second longitudinal position.
Claims20
A catheter assembly comprising a first polymer, a second polymer and a first weld region, the first polymer forming a balloon, the balloon having a first waist, the second polymer forming a catheter shaft, the first waist positioned about a portion of the catheter shaft thereby forming the first weld region, the first weld region comprising a first weld and a second weld, the first weld and the second weld engaging the first waist to the catheter shaft, the first weld having a first longitudinal position, the second weld having a second longitudinal position, the first longitudinal position different from the second longitudinal position.
A catheter assembly comprising a first polymer, a second polymer and a first weld region, the first weld region comprising a first weld and a second weld, the first weld and second weld engaging the first polymer and the second polymer, the first weld having a first longitudinal position and a first thickness, the second weld having a second longitudinal position and a second thickness, the first longitudinal position different from the second longitudinal position, the first weld region having a thickness, the first thickness and second thickness being at most equal to the thickness of the weld region, and the first thickness being different than the second thickness.
A catheter assembly comprising a first polymer, a second polymer and a first weld region, the first polymer forming a balloon, the balloon having a first waist, the second polymer forming a catheter shaft, the first waist positioned about a portion of the catheter shaft thereby forming the first weld region, the first weld region comprising a plurality of welds, each of the plurality of welds having a different longitudinal position, the first weld region having a thickness, each of the plurality of welds having a thickness, the thickness of each of the plurality of welds at most equal to the thickness of the first weld region.
A method for forming a weld region with at least two longitudinally localized welds comprising the steps of:
- providing a weld region, the weld region comprising a first polymer, a second polymer and having a longitudinal length;
- providing a section of heat shrink material;
- providing a first laser, the first laser having a wavelength that is transmitted through the section of heat shrink material and absorbed throughout the weld region;
- placing the section of heat shrink material on the weld region;
- heating the section of heat shrink material to a temperature above the shrinking temperature of the section of heat shrink material so that the section of heat shrink material presses the first polymer to the second polymer;
- creating a first weld by focusing the first laser on a first position along the longitudinal length of the weld region where the first weld is desired and heating the first and second polymer until a circumferential weld is formed;
- turning the first laser off;
- moving the first laser longitudinally to a second position along the longitudinal length of the weld region where a second weld is desired, the second position different from the first position;
- and
- creating a second weld by focusing the first laser on the second position and heating the first and second polymer until the second weld is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.