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US 8,540,675 B2Granted
Introducer assembly and method for forming an introducer assembly
AssigneeGreatbach Ltd.
InventorsGrant A. Mauch, Brian Anderson, Kevin Pietsch, Steve Moreland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An introducer assembly includes a sheath having a sheath proximal end and distal end, and a passage therethrough. The introducer assembly further includes a handle assembly that is mechanically and/or bonded coupled with a tubular sheath.
Claims18
An introducer assembly, which comprises:
- a) a sheath comprising a first lubricious polymeric material extending from a sheath proximal portion to a sheath distal portion with an intermediate portion therebetween, the sheath having an axial passage extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, the sheath proximal portion having an outer surface;
- and
- b) a handle assembly of a second lubricious polymeric material and comprising a second passage having an inner surface,
- c) wherein at least one of the sheath outer surface and the inner surface of the second passage in the handle assembly is characterized as having been subjected to a first mechanical surface treatment to thereby form a handle interface,
- d) wherein the first polymeric material at the sheath proximal portion is directly bonded to the second polymeric material of the handle assembly in an airtight seal between the respective outer and inner surfaces at the handle interface, and
- e) wherein at least one of the first and second lubricious polymeric materials is PTFE.
3 more elements
An introducer assembly, which:
- a) a first lubricious polymeric tube comprising a sheath extending from a sheath proximal portion to a sheath distal portion with an intermediate portion there between, the sheath proximal portion having an outer surface of a substantially constant outer diameter and with a first passage extending there through from a proximal end to a distal end thereof;
- b) a handle assembly of a second lubricious polymeric material, the handle assembly comprising a second passage having an inner surface of a substantially constant inner diameter;
- c) a mechanical surface treatment provided on at least one of the outer surface of the sheath proximal portion and the inner surface of the second passage in the handle assembly, thereby forming an interface at the mechanical surface treatment;
- and
- d) wherein the second polymeric material of the handle assembly is bonded to the first polymeric tube comprising the sheath, thereby forming an airtight seal between the substantially constant inner diameter at the inner surface of the handle assembly and the substantially constant outer diameter of the outer surface of the sheath proximal portion at the mechanical surface treatment forming the interface with the first and second passages being in aligned communication with each other,
- e) wherein at least one of the first and second lubricious polymeric materials is PTFE.
3 more elements
An introducer assembly, which:
- a) a first lubricious polymeric tube comprising a sheath extending from a sheath proximal portion to a sheath distal portion with an intermediate portion there between, the sheath proximal portion having an outer surface with a first passage extending there through from a sheath proximal end to a sheath distal end thereof;
- b) a handle assembly of a second lubricious polymeric material, the handle assembly comprising a second passage having an inner surface of a substantially constant inner diameter;
- c) a mechanical surface treatment provided on at least one of the outer surface of the sheath proximal portion and the inner surface of the second passage in the handle assembly, thereby forming an interface at the mechanical surface treatment;
- and
- d) wherein at least one of the outer surface of the sheath proximal portion and the inner surface of the handle assembly is characterized as having been further subjected to a chemical etching treatment,
- e) wherein the second polymeric material of the handle assembly is bonded to the first polymeric tube comprising the sheath, thereby forming an airtight seal between the substantially constant inner diameter at the inner surface of the handle assembly and the substantially constant outer diameter of the outer surface of the sheath proximal portion at the mechanical surface treatment forming the interface with the first and second passages being in aligned communication with each other,
- f) wherein a contact angle at the at least one of the outer surface of the sheath proximal portion and the inner surface of the second passage in the handle assembly is about 70° at the chemical treatment, and
- g) wherein at least one of the first and second lubricious polymeric materials is PTFE.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.