EP0514913B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A polymeric article, such as a medical catheter, and method for making the same
Assignee: Namic Caribe Inc
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Filing: 1992-05-21
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Granted: 1997-03-12
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Expires: 2012-05-21
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Leonard Pinchuk
- 👤 Charles E. Larsen
- 👤 Thomas D. Weldon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 13:30
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08J; C08J7/00; C08J7/02; A; A61; A61L; A61L29/00; A61L29/14; A61L29/141; C08J3/00; C08J3/18; C08J2375/00; C08J2375/04; C08J2377/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24942; Y10T428/24983; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31551; Y10T428/31554; Y10T428/31725; Y10T428/31739
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
50 words
A method for making a polymeric article having at least two portions (14, 16, 18) of differing softness, said method comprising: providing an article of a polymeric material; contacting a portion (18) of said article with a swelling agent; and contacting said portion (18) of said article with a plasticizer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of Claim 1, wherein each of said steps of contacting comprises immersing said portion (18) of said article.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of Claim 1, wherein the swelling agent comprises a solvent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of Claim 1, wherein said steps of contacting said portion (18) with said swelling agent and said step of contacting said portion (18) with said plasticizer are carried out simultaneously.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of Claim 1, wherein said swelling agent and said plasticizer comprise a solution of 50% - 90% solvent and 10% - 50% plasticizer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of Claim 1, including the step of neutralizing said swelling agent after the step of contacting said portion with said plasticizer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of Claim 5, wherein said polymeric material is polyamide, said swelling agent comprises formic acid and said plasticizer comprises at least one of the plasticizers selected from the group consisting of N-butylbenzenesulfonamide and N-hexylbenzenesulfonamide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of Claim 7, wherein said solution comprises approximately 2/3 part formic acid and approximately 1/3 part N-butylbenzenesulfonamide, the temperature of said solution being greater than room temperature and less than the temperature at which formic acid dissolves said polyamide during the time contacted, and said step of contacting comprises immersing said portion (18) in said solution.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
73 words
The method of making a catheter having at least a body portion (14) and an end portion (18) said end portion being more pliable or flexible than said body portion, the method comprising: forming an elongated, polymeric tube (12), said tube having a lumen and including a body portion (14) and an end portion (18); contacting said end portion (18) with a swelling agent; and contacting said end portion (18) with a plasticizer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of Claim 9, wherein swelling agent comprises a solvent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of Claim 9, wherein each of said steps of contacting comprises immersing said end portion (18).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of Claim 9, wherein each of said steps of contacting said end portion (18) with said swelling agent and said step of contacting said end portion with said plasticizer are carried out simultaneously.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of Claim 9, wherein said swelling agent and said plasticizer comprise a solution of 50% - 90% solvent and 10% - 50% plasticizer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of Claim 9, including the step of neutralizing said swelling agent on said end portion (18) after the step of contacting said end portion with said solution.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of Claim 13, wherein said polymeric material is a polyamide, said swelling agent comprises formic acid and said plasticizer comprises at least one of the plasticizers selected from the group consisting of N-butylbenzenesulfonamide and N-hexylbenzenesulfonamide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of Claim 15, wherein said solution comprises approximately 2/3 part formic acid and approximately 1/3 part N-butylbenzenesulfonamide, the temperature of said solution being greater than room temperature and less than temperature at which formic acid dissolves said polymeric material and wherein said step of contacting comprises immersing said end portion (18) in said solution.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of Claim 9, wherein said end portion (18) is shaped by compressing said end portion (18) to the desired diameter and simultaneously heating said end portion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of Claim 17 further comprising: expanding a preswollen tube (36); placing said preswollen tube (36) over said end portion (18); contracting said tube (36) to compress said end portion (18) to a desired diameter; and heating said end portion (18) while it is compressed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
A plastic article of polymeric material having at least two portions (14, 16, 18) of differing softness, wherein a portion (18) has been contacted with a swelling agent (28; 32) and a plasticizer (28; 34) to render said portion (18) softer or more pliable than the other portions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The article of Claim 19, wherein said portion (18) has been contacted with a solution comprising said swelling agent (28; 32) and said plasticizer (28; 34).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The article of Claim 19, wherein said swelling agent (28; 32) comprises a solvent for the polymeric material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The article of Claim 19, wherein said polymeric material is a polyamide, said swelling agent comprises formic acid and said plasticizer comprises a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of N-butylbenzenesulfonamide and N-hexylbenzenesulfonamide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
63 words
The article of Claim 20, wherein said solution comprises approximately 2/3 part formic acid and approximately 1/3 part N-butylbenzenesulfonamide, the temperature of said solution being greater than room temperature and less than the temperature at which formic acid dissolves said polyamide during the time contacted and said portion (18) having been contacted with said solution by immersing said portion (18) in said solution.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
48 words
The article of Claim 19, wherein said article (10) comprises an elongated tube (12) of polymeric material having at least a generally elongated body portion (14) and an end portion (18), said end portion (18) having been contacted with said swelling agent (28; 32) and plasticizer (28; 34).
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The article of Claim 24, wherein said article comprises a catheter (10), and a distal end portion (15) comprises the distal end portion (18) of said catheter (10).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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