Catheter with variable flexibility properties and method of manufacture

A method of manufacturing a catheter having a plurality of tubular segments along its longitudinal axis, each tubular segment having a different flexibility property, the method comprising:

• presenting a grounded wire in a plurality of adjacent coating chambers separated by movable walls, each one of the plurality of chambers containing an aerated powder of charged polymer particles having a flexibility property, each of the chambers having clearance holes through which the grounded wire extends into adjacent chambers;
• depositing the charged polymer particles of the plurality of chambers on the grounded wire, charged polymer particles from adjacent chambers mixing in the hole between the adjacent chambers to provide a short transitional region of mixed polymer particles deposited on the portion of the wire extending through the hole;
• removing the wire with the deposited polymer particles from the plurality of chambers;
• applying heat to the deposited polymer particles;
• cooling the deposited polymer particles to form a polymeric film;
• and
• removing the wire from the film to form a polymeric tube having a short seamless transition region composed of mixed polymer material.

A method of manufacturing a catheter having a plurality of tubular segments along its longitudinal axis, each segment having a different flexibility property, the method comprising:

• presenting a grounded wire in a first coating chamber containing a first set of charged polymer particles having a first flexibility property;
• depositing the first set of charged polymer particles on the grounded wire;
• selectively removing a portion of the first set of deposited charged polymer particles from at least one portion of the wire;
• presenting the grounded wire in a second coating chamber containing a second set of charged polymer particles having a second flexibility property different from the first flexibility property;
• depositing the second set of charged polymer particles on at least one of the portions of the grounded wire from which a portion of the first set of deposited charged particles was removed;
• removing the wire with the deposited polymer particles from the second coating chamber;
• applying heat to the deposited polymer particles;
• cooling the deposited polymer particles to form a polymeric film;
• and
• removing the wire from the film to form a polymeric tube.

A method of manufacturing a catheter comprising:

• presenting a grounded wire in a coating chamber containing an aerated powder of charged polymer particles having a flexibility property;
• depositing the charged polymer particles on the grounded wire;
• removing the wire with the deposited polymer particles from the chamber;
• applying heat to the deposited polymer particles;
• cooling the deposited polymer particles to form a polymeric tube;
• and
• removing the wire from the polymeric tube.

An apparatus for manufacturing a catheter with varying flexibility properties along its longitudinal axis, the apparatus comprising:

• a first coating chamber configured to contain a first set of charged polymer particles having physical properties;
• a second coating chamber adjacent to the first coating chamber and separated from the first coating chamber by a movable wall, the second coating chamber configured to contain a second set of charged polymer particles having different physical properties than the first set of charged polymer particles of the first coating chamber, the movable wall having a hole extending between the first and second coating chambers;
• a first dry air supply device coupled to the first coating chamber to send air to the first chamber for aerating the first set of charged polymer particles;
• a second dry air supply device coupled to the second coating chamber to send air to the second chamber for aerating the second, set of charged polymer particles;
• a first charging media and a first voltage power supply coupled thereto disposed for charging the first set of polymer particles in the first coating chamber;
• and
• a second charging media and a second voltage power supply coupled thereto disposed for charging the second set of polymer particles in the second coating chamber, a wire extending through the first coating chamber, through the hole, and through the second coating chamber, charged polymer particles of the first and second sets mixing in the vicinity of the hole to form a short, seamless transition between sections of the catheter formed on the wire in the first and second coating chambers.