# US 2019/0167405 A1 · Embolus blood clot filter delivery system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167405 A1 - Document ID: US20190167405A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/213,283 - Filed: 2018-12-07 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2005-12-30 - Assignees: C.R. Bard, Inc. - Applicants: C.R. Bard, Inc. - Inventors: Alexander Germanovich KASHKAROV; Andrzej J. CHANDUSZKO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167405A1 ## CPC - A61F 2/0105: {Open ended, i.e. legs gathered only at one side} - A61F 2/0103: {With centering means} - A61F 2/011: {Instruments for their placement or removal} - A61F 2002/016: {made from wire-like elements} - A61F 2230/005: Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-shaped - A61F 2230/0067: conical - A61F 2230/0078: hyperboloidal - A61F 2230/008: paraboloidal - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract A blood filter delivery system for delivering a blood filter into a vein includes a push rod for pushing the blood filter through and out of a catheter, the push rod having a filter positioning assembly on one end. The filter positioning assembly includes positioner members, which retain anchor members of the filter. The filter positioning assembly can position the end of the delivery catheter near the blood vessel centerline before releasing the filter's anchor members, thereby helping to align the blood filter along the centerline of the blood vessel. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-35. (canceled) ### Claim 36 A blood filter delivery apparatus for delivering a blood filter into a blood vessel having a vessel wall, the blood filter including a plurality of filter appendages, the apparatus comprising: a) a catheter having a free end portion with a catheter opening and a catheter wall with an inner surface surrounding a catheter lumen, wherein the catheter opening communicates with the catheter lumen; b) a filter positioning assembly situated with the filter within the catheter lumen to define a stored position, the filter positioning assembly including a plurality of positioner members coupled to the assembly, each of the plurality of positioner members having an end that is connected to a filter appendage within the catheter lumen, wherein the ends of the positioner members and the filter appendages are connected within the catheter lumen in said stored position; c) wherein the filter is positioned closer to the catheter opening than the positioning assembly; d) a pusher that engages the positioning assembly and filter inside the lumen, wherein the positioning assembly and filter are movable between said stored position within the catheter lumen and a preliminary dispensed position wherein the positioning members engage the vessel wall while at least a portion of some of the filter appendages remain inside the catheter lumen; and e) wherein the blood filter includes a head, said filter appendages connected to said head and wherein in said stored position, said head is closer to the catheter opening than said filter appendages. ### Claim 37 A blood filter delivery apparatus for delivering a blood filter into a blood vessel having a vessel wall, the blood filter including a plurality of appendages, the apparatus comprising: a) a catheter having a free end portion with an opening and a catheter wall with an inner surface surrounding a catheter lumen; b) a filter and positioning assembly situated within the catheter lumen to define a stored position, the filter having multiple filter legs, the filter positioning assembly including a plurality of positioner members coupled to the assembly, each of the plurality of positioner members having an end that is connected to a filter leg appendage within the catheter lumen, wherein the ends of the positioner members and the appendages are connected within the catheter lumen; c) wherein the filter is positioned in between the catheter opening and the positioning assembly; and d) a pusher that engages the positioning assembly and filter inside the lumen in said stored position, wherein the positioning assembly and filter are movable between said stored position within the catheter lumen and a preliminary dispensed position wherein some of the filter legs engage the vessel wall while at least a portion of some of the filter legs remain inside the catheter lumen. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a hub coupled to the plurality of positioner members, the positioner members being in between the hub and the catheter open end in the stored position. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 38, wherein the hub includes at least one spline configured to retain the plurality of positioner members. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 38, wherein the hub, spline and plurality of positioner members are formed integrally. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 38, wherein the hub has a central hub lumen. ### Claim 42 (depends on 37) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 37, wherein in the preliminary dispensed position the plurality of positioner members are configured to extend radially to define a catheter centerline as the filter positioning assembly and a portion of the filter exits the open end of the catheter. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 42, wherein the positioner members locate the end of the catheter substantially along the centerline so as to further locate the end of the catheter centrally within the blood vessel. ### Claim 44 (depends on 42) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 42, wherein in an installed position the plurality of appendages are unconstrained by the catheter after an end of the catheter is positioned substantially along the centerline. ### Claim 45 (depends on 37) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 37, wherein the plurality of positioner members are of a Nitinol material. ### Claim 46 (depends on 37) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 37, wherein the filter positioning assembly has a longitudinal axis, and further comprises an extension wire oriented along the longitudinal axis and configured to contact a hub of the filter when the plurality of appendages are retained by the plurality of positioner members. ### Claim 47 (depends on 37) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 37, wherein the pusher includes an elongated push rod coupled to the filter positioning assembly. ### Claim 48 (depends on 37) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 37, wherein the plurality of positioner members each have a constant cross section over a majority of its length. ### Claim 49 (depends on 37) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 37, wherein the plurality of positioner members each have a proximal end and a distal end to define a length therebetween, at least one positioner member having a variable cross section over a majority of the length. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 49, wherein the at least one positioner member has a cross section at the proximal end greater than the cross section at the distal end. ### Claim 51 (depends on 49) The blood filter delivery apparatus of claim 49, wherein the at least one positioner member has a cross section at the proximal end less than the cross section at the distal end. ### Claim 52 A blood filter delivery apparatus for delivering a blood filter into a blood vessel having a vessel wall, the blood filter including a plurality of appendages, the apparatus comprising: a) a catheter having a free end portion with an opening and a catheter wall with an inner surface surrounding a catheter lumen; b) a filter and positioning assembly situated within the catheter lumen to define a stored position, the filter having multiple filter legs, the filter positioning assembly including a plurality of positioner members coupled to the assembly; c) wherein in said store position each of the plurality of positioner members has an end that is connected to a filter leg appendage within the catheter lumen and the ends of the positioner members and the appendages are connected within the catheter lumen; d) wherein the filter is positioned in between the catheter opening and the positioning assembly; e) a pusher that engages the positioning assembly and filter inside the lumen in said stored position; and f) wherein the positioning assembly and filter are movable between said stored position within the catheter lumen and a preliminary dispensed position wherein some of the filter legs engage the vessel wall while at least a portion of some of the filter legs remain inside the catheter lumen.