US5243996A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Small-diameter superelastic wire guide
Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies LLC
•
Filing: 1992-01-03
•
Granted: 1993-09-14
•
Expires: 2012-01-03
Abstract
Abstract A small diameter wire guide (10) for medical procedures. The wire guide includes a mandrel (11) of metallic superelastic material, such as nitinol, having a diameter less than 0.020 inches and which completes its transformation to austenite at a temperature of about 14 DEG C. The mandrel has a constant diameter over a majority of its length and includes a number of tapered portions (14,16); and reduced-diameter portions (15,17) in its distal region (13). A flexible radiopaque platinum coil (18) is attached at the distal region of the mandrel and coaxially surrounds a portion of the distal region. A smoothly rounded tip (21) is attached to the distal tip of the mandrel and coil and serves to shield the distal end of the coil during the insertion procedure into the patient. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Todd Hall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:12
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/09; A61M2025/09166; A61M2025/09175
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
A small diameter wire guide comprising: a mandrel of metallic superelastic material having a length, an elongated proximal section and a distal region, said superelastic material completing its transformation to austenite at a temperature of about 14° C.; said proximal section having a distal end and a uniform diameter less than 0.020 inches; said distal region having serially disposed a first linear tapered portion, a first reduced diameter portion, a second linear tapered portion and a second reduced diameter portion, said first tapered portion being adjacent said distal end of said proximal section; a coil having a distal end and being attached to said distal region, said coil having an outside diameter less than 0.020 inches, said coil coaxially surrounding said first reduced diameter portion, said second linear tapered portion and said second reduced diameter portion; and a smoothly rounded tip attached to said second reduced diameter portion and shielding said distal end of said coil.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
A small diameter wire guide comprising: a mandrel of metallic superelastic material having a length, an elongated proximal section and a distal region, said superelastic material completing its transformation to austenite at a temperature of about 14° C.; said proximal section having a distal end and a uniform diameter less than 0.020 inches; said distal region having serially disposed a first linear tapered portion, a first reduced diameter portion, a second linear tapered portion and a second reduced diameter portion, said first tapered portion being adjacent said distal end of said proximal section; a coil having a distal end and being attached to said distal region, said coil having an outside diameter less than 0.020 inches, said coil coaxially surrounding said first reduced diameter portion, said second linear tapered portion and said second reduced diameter portion; and a smoothly rounded tip attached to said second reduced diameter portion and shielding said distal end of said coil.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The wire guide of claim 1 wherein; said distal region of said mandrel has a length less than 20 cm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The wire guide of claim 2 further comprising: a polymer coating covering said distal region and at least a portion of said proximal section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The wire guide of claim 2 wherein; said first linear tapered portion defines at least a 40% decrease in diameter from said proximal section to said first reduced diameter portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The wire guide of claim 4 wherein; said second linear tapered portion defines at least a 25% decrease in diameter from said first reduced diameter portion to said second reduced diameter portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The wire guide of claim 5 wherein; said length of said distal region is about 10 cm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The wire guide of claim 2 wherein; said coil is formed from a radiopaque material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The wire guide of claim 7 wherein; said outside diameter of said coil is about equal to said uniform diameter of said proximal section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
166 words
A small diameter wire guide comprising: a mandrel of metallic superelastic material having a length, an elongated proximal section and a distal region, said superelastic material completing its transformation to austentite at a temperature of about 14° C.; said proximal section having a distal end and a uniform diameter less than 0.020 inches; said distal region having serially disposed a first linear tapered portion, a first reduced diameter portion, a second linear tapered portion, a second reduced diameter portion, a third linear tapered portion and a third reduced diameter portion, said first tapered portion being adjacent said distal end of said proximal section; a coil having a distal end and being attached to said distal region, said coil having an outside diameter less than 0.020 inches, said coil coaxially surrounding said second reduced diameter portion, said third linear tapered portion and said third reduced diameter portion; and a smoothly rounded tip attached to said third reduced diameter portion and shielding said distal end of said coil.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
166 words
A small diameter wire guide comprising: a mandrel of metallic superelastic material having a length, an elongated proximal section and a distal region, said superelastic material completing its transformation to austentite at a temperature of about 14° C.; said proximal section having a distal end and a uniform diameter less than 0.020 inches; said distal region having serially disposed a first linear tapered portion, a first reduced diameter portion, a second linear tapered portion, a second reduced diameter portion, a third linear tapered portion and a third reduced diameter portion, said first tapered portion being adjacent said distal end of said proximal section; a coil having a distal end and being attached to said distal region, said coil having an outside diameter less than 0.020 inches, said coil coaxially surrounding said second reduced diameter portion, said third linear tapered portion and said third reduced diameter portion; and a smoothly rounded tip attached to said third reduced diameter portion and shielding said distal end of said coil.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The small diameter wire guide of claim 9 wherein; said distal region has a length and said first, second and third reduced diameter portions have a combined length which is at least 70% of said length of said distal region.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The wire guide of claim 10 wherein; said first, second and third tapered portions have lengths that are substantially equal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The wire guide of claim 11 wherein; said length of said distal region is about 27 cm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The wire guide of claim 9 further comprising: a polymer coating covering said distal region and at least a portion of said proximal section.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The wire guide of claim 9 wherein; said coil is formed from a radiopaque material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The wire guide of claim 14 wherein; said outside diameter of said coil is about equal to said uniform diameter of said proximal section.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3789841A
Cited
US4545390A
Cited
US4925445A
Cited
US4538622A
Cited
US4664113A
Cited
US4619274A
Cited
US4748986A
Cited
US4721117A
Cited
US4763647A
Cited
US5025799A
Cited
US4846193A
Cited
US4832047A
Cited
US4846186A
Cited
US4971490A
Cited
US5067489A
Cited
US4984581A
Cited
US5069226A
Cited
WO1990013329A1
Cited
US5120308A
Cited
US4991602A
Cited
WO1991015152A1
Cited
US5069217A
Cited
US5174302A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-09-13 | 1997-03-15 | 1997-09-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-09-13 | 2001-03-15 | 2001-09-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-09-13 | 2005-03-15 | 2005-09-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |