Soft tip cannula
AssigneeNovartis AG
InventorsNiels A. Abt, Hans Jürg Wehrli, Heiko Kromer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure describes numerous example medical instruments that include an elongated portion having a proximal end and a distal end, and a passage defined therethrough and a soft tip coupled to the distal end of the elongated portion. The tip may be formed from a soft material. In some instances, the soft material may have a hardness less than the material forming the elongated portion. The tip may also include a passage that may be of a substantially equivalent size as the passage of the elongated portion. The tip may be coupled to the distal end of the elongated portion at an engagement site having a surface area greater than a cross-sectional area of the elongated portion.
Claims23
A medical instrument comprising:
- an elongated portion having a distal end and a first passage;
- and
- a tip coupled to the distal end of the elongated portion at an engagement site, the tip comprising a second passage substantially equivalent in size to the first passage of the elongated portion;
- wherein the engagement site has a surface area greater than a cross-sectional area of the elongated portion.
A method of forming a medical instrument comprising:
- preparing a distal end of an elongated portion for attachment of a soft tip comprising laser cutting, water jet cutting, milling, drilling, chemical etching, electrolytic etching, electron discharge machining, or a combination thereof;
- attaching a tip to the distal end of the elongated portion comprising molding;
- injection molding, insert molding, extrusion, adhering, or a combination thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.