Catheters with variable properties
AssigneeCordis Corporation
InventorsJohannes Bos, Frans Mous, Johannes G. M. van Muiden
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Abstract
Catheters manufactured by extrusion are described along with methods and devices for their manufacture. Catheters are manufactured according to the invention by simultaneously conveying a plurality of streams of different materials to a molding nozzle and merging the streams together to form a catheter. An apparatus for the manufacture of such catheters includes means for opening and closing the flow of materials in a controlled manner to thereby vary the composition within the finished extrusion profile. The finished extrusion profile is provided as a catheter containing at least one wall section having bands of different materials extending longitudinally along the length of the catheter.
Claims10
A tube-like extrusion profile having a proximal end and a distal end and suitable for use as a catheter and the like, comprising:
- at least one strip of a first material extending longitudinally between a proximal portion and a distal portion of the tube-like extrusion profile to define a longitudinal length and to form at least part of a lumen and an outer surface of the profile;
- at least one strip of a second material extending longitudinally between said proximal portion and said distal portion and forming another part of said lumen and said outer surface of said profile;
- said first and said second material strips connected to each other in a side by side relationship along at least a portion of said profile to thereby form a generally tubular configuration, said first material being different from said second material such that the physical characteristics of said extrusion profile are determined in part by the respective relative amounts of said first and said second materials within said profile;
- and
- said relative amount of said first material varies along said longitudinal length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.