EP0273618A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Soft tip catheter
Assignee: Baxter International Inc
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Filing: 1987-12-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-12-10
Abstract
Abstract A catheter includes a catheter tube (11) extending to a distal end portion (10) that terminates at a terminal end (13) of the catheter tube (11), the distal end portion including a tapered portion (20) extending between the terminal end and a transition region on the distal end portion set back slightly from the terminal end. The tapered portion has a cross sectional area that decreases toward the terminal end to define a frustoconically-shaped outer surface extending from the transition region to the terminal end on which a soft tip member (15) is mounted. The tip member (15) has a size and shape adapted to be placed over the tapered portion coaxially, and a composition softer than that of the distal end portion that is suitable for bonding to the frustoconically-shaped outer surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric Magnus Lovgren
- 👤 Abdul-Kader Atya El-Tibi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 21:59
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/0067; A61M25/0068; A61M25/0043; A61M25/0045; A61M25/008; A61M2025/0081; A61M25/0069
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A catheter, comprising: an elongated, flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, at least one lumen, and a distal end portion extending to the distal end of the catheter body; the distal end portion having a tapered portion which terminates proximally at a transition region of the catheter body which is nearer the distal end than the proximal end of the catheter body, the tapered portion having a cross sectional area that decreases toward the distal end; and a biocompatible tip member attached to the tapered portion, the tip member having a size and shape adapted to be placed over the tapered portion and being softer than the distal end portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
114 words
A catheter, comprising: an elongated, flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, at least one lumen, and a distal end portion extending to the distal end of the catheter body; the distal end portion having a tapered portion which terminates proximally at a transition region of the catheter body which is nearer the distal end than the proximal end of the catheter body, the tapered portion having a cross sectional area that decreases toward the distal end; and a biocompatible tip member attached to the tapered portion, the tip member having a size and shape adapted to be placed over the tapered portion and being softer than the distal end portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A catheter as recited in Claim 1, wherein: the tapered portion has a frustoconically-shaped outer surface extending from the transition region distally; and the tip member has an inner surface that generally matches the outer surface of the tapered portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
92 words
A catheter as recited in Claim 1 or 2, wherein: the tip member includes a proximal portion extending to the transition region, the proximal portion having an outer surface that closely matches the outer surface of the catheter body at the transition region; the tip member includes a distal end that is generally coterminus with the distal end of the catheter body; the distal end of the tip member is rounded; and the tip member has a circularly-shaped cross section of generally uniform outside diameter throughout the length of the tip member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A catheter as recited in Claims 1, 2, or 3, wherein: the distal end portion has an outside and an inside diameter at the distal end of the catheter tube, and the outside diameter is greater than the inside diameter by approximately 0.03 to 0.3 millimeters.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A catheter as recited in Claims 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein: the transition region is set back from the distal end a distance of approximately 1 to 10 millimeters.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
A catheter as recited in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, wherein: the distal end portion of the catheter body is at least partially composed of a polyether-polyamide material; the tip member is at least partially composed of a polyether-polyamide material; the tip member is fused to the tapered portion; and the tip member is fused to the tapered portion by RF welding.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A catheter as rectied in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein: the transition region is closer to the distal end than the proximal end.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A catheter as recited in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7, wherein: the catheter body has reinforcement which terminates proximally of the transition region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A catheter as recited in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein: the tapered portion and the tip member terminate substantially at the transition region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
125 words
A catheter, comprising: a multilayer catheter tube having a transition region, a proximal end, and a distal end, the transition region being closer to the distal end than the proximal end, the catheter body having a distal end portion extending to a terminal end of the catheter tube, and reinforcement which terminates proximally of the transition region; a tapered portion of the distal end portion extending between the terminal end and the transition region of the catheter tube, the tapered portion having a cross sectional area that decreases toward the terminal end; and a tip member attached to the tapered portion, the tip member having a size and shape adapted to be placed over the tapered portion and being softer than the distal end portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
125 words
A catheter, comprising: a multilayer catheter tube having a transition region, a proximal end, and a distal end, the transition region being closer to the distal end than the proximal end, the catheter body having a distal end portion extending to a terminal end of the catheter tube, and reinforcement which terminates proximally of the transition region; a tapered portion of the distal end portion extending between the terminal end and the transition region of the catheter tube, the tapered portion having a cross sectional area that decreases toward the terminal end; and a tip member attached to the tapered portion, the tip member having a size and shape adapted to be placed over the tapered portion and being softer than the distal end portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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