Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A pacing/sensing lead comprising a catheter; first and second conductors in said catheter; a tip electrode fixed to the distal end of said catheter and in electrical contct with a distal end of said first conductor within said catheter; said catheter having an opening in the wall thereof; a bared end portion of said second conductor extending through said opening, out of said catheter, and around said catheter; a thin walled electrode sleeve made of rhenium/tungsten alloy positioned about and in direct electrical contact with said bared end portion of said second conductor and compressed about said conductor end portion and said catheter to an extent where the outer diameter of said sleeve is substantially in the same as the outer diameter of said catheter, said alloy having as its major component at least 80% rhenium by weight.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A pacing/sensing lead comprising a catheter; first and second conductors in said catheter; a tip electrode fixed to the distal end of said catheter and in electrical contct with a distal end of said first conductor within said catheter; said catheter having an opening in the wall thereof; a bared end portion of said second conductor extending through said opening, out of said catheter, and around said catheter; a thin walled electrode sleeve made of rhenium/tungsten alloy positioned about and in direct electrical contact with said bared end portion of said second conductor and compressed about said conductor end portion and said catheter to an extent where the outer diameter of said sleeve is substantially in the same as the outer diameter of said catheter, said alloy having as its major component at least 80% rhenium by weight.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The lead of claim 1 wherein said bared end portion of said second conductor is coiled several times around said catheter to provide a large contact area between said second conductor end portion and said sleeve.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The lead of claim 1 wherein said tip electrode is also made of the rhenium/tungsten alloy.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The lead of claim 1 wherein the percentage by weight of rhenium in said alloy is no less than 80% and no greater than 99.9%.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The lead of claim 1 wherein said sleeve is compressed about and into direct electrical contact with said second conductor bared end portion by swaging.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The lead of claim 1 wherein said sleeve is compressed about and into direct electrical contact with said second conductor bared end portion by crimping.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
132 words
A method of making a pacing/sensing lead comprising the steps of: fixing a tip electrode onto the distal end of a flexible catheter; connecting a distal end of a first wire conductor fed through the flexible catheter to said tip electrode; feeding a second wire conductor part way into the flexible catheter and through an opening in the wall of said catheter; baring the distal end of said second wire conductor; coiling the bared end of said second wire conductor about the catheter; positioning an electrode sleeve made of a rhenium/tungsten alloy over the coiled bared wire conductor end portion such that the outer diameter of said sleeve is substantially the same as the outer diameter of said catheter, said alloy having as its major component at least 80% rhenium by weight.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
132 words
A method of making a pacing/sensing lead comprising the steps of: fixing a tip electrode onto the distal end of a flexible catheter; connecting a distal end of a first wire conductor fed through the flexible catheter to said tip electrode; feeding a second wire conductor part way into the flexible catheter and through an opening in the wall of said catheter; baring the distal end of said second wire conductor; coiling the bared end of said second wire conductor about the catheter; positioning an electrode sleeve made of a rhenium/tungsten alloy over the coiled bared wire conductor end portion such that the outer diameter of said sleeve is substantially the same as the outer diameter of said catheter, said alloy having as its major component at least 80% rhenium by weight.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7 including the step of forming said tip electrode from the same rhenium/tungsten alloy from which said sleeve is made.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said alloy is formed to have a percentage of rhenium by weight no less than 80% and no greater than 99.9%.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 7 including the step of swaging said sleeve around said second conductor bared end portion and catheter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 7 including the step of crimping said sleeve around said second conductor bared end portion and catheter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
In a pacing/sensing lead distal electrode assembly comprising at least one sleeve electrode, the improvement residing in said sleeve electrode being made of a rhenium/tungsten alloy having as its major component at least 80% by weight rhenium.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
In a pacing/sensing lead distal electrode assembly comprising at least one sleeve electrode, the improvement residing in said sleeve electrode being made of a rhenium/tungsten alloy having as its major component at least 80% by weight rhenium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The sleeve electrode of claim 12 wherein the percentage of rhenium by weight in said allow is no less than 80% and no more than 99.9%.