Dilitation catheter

Claim 2

A catheter comprising: a torque transmitting shaft having a tip; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip tube surrounding the shaft, the tip tube having a first end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon, the tip tube also having a second end extending to the distal end of the balloon wherein the distal end of the balloon is fixedly mounted to the tip tube; and a tip spring having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft within the tip tube.

Claim 3

A catheter comprising: a torque transmitting shaft having a distal end and a proximal end and comprised of a core wire extending the length of the character; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip tube surrounding the shaft, the tip tube having a first end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon and having a second end fixedly mounted to the distal end of the balloon wherein the tip tube is sufficiently flexible so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the tip while minimizing twisting of the balloon; and a tip spring having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon and a distal end attached to the distal tip of the shaft.

Claim 4

A catheter comprising: a torque transmitting shaft having a distal end and a proximal end and comprised of a core wire extending the length of the character; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip tube surrounding the shaft, the tip tube having a first end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon and having a second end fixedly mounted to the distal end of the balloon wherein the tip tube is sufficiently flexible so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the tip while minimizing twisting of the balloon; and a tip spring having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon and a distal end attached to the distal tip of the shaft.

Claim 5

A catheter comprising: a torque transmitting shaft having a distal end and a proximal end and comprised of a core wire extending the length of the catheter; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip tube surrounding the shaft, the tip tube having a first end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon and having a second end fixedly mounted to the distal end of the balloon wherein the tip tube is sufficiently flexible so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the tip while minimizing twisting of the balloon; a housing having a first body with a male segment with a longitudinal groove; a second body portion mounted for rotational movement about the male portion of the first body, the second body having a helical groove; and a ball means mounted for movement along the helical groove and along the longitudinal slot so that movement of the first body relative to the second body is stopped when the ball reaches the end of the slot.

Claim 6

A catheter comprising: a torque transmitting shaft having a distal end and a proximal end and comprised of a core wire extending the length of the catheter; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip tube surrounding the shaft, the tip tube having a first end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon and having a second end fixedly mounted to the distal end of the balloon wherein the tip tube is sufficiently flexible so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the tip while minimizing twisting of the balloon; a housing having a first body with a male segment with a longitudinal groove; a second body portion mounted for rotational movement about the male portion of the first body, the second body having a helical groove; and a ball means mounted for movement along the helical groove and along the longitudinal slot so that movement of the first body relative to the second body is stopped when the ball reaches the end of the slot.

Claim 7

A catheter comprising: a torque transmitting shaft having a tip; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip tube surrounding the shaft, the tip tube having a first end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon, the tip tube also having a second end extending beyond the distal end of the balloon wherein the distal end of the balloon is fixedly mounted to the tip tube and the tip tube is sufficiently flexible so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the tip while minimizing twisting of the balloon; and wherein the shaft is comprised of a core wire extending the length of the catheter.

Claim 8

A catheter comprising: a torque transmitting shaft having a tip; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip tube surrounding the shaft, the tip tube having a first end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon, the tip tube also having a second end extending beyond the distal end of the balloon wherein the distal end of the balloon is fixedly mounted to the tip tube and the tip tube is sufficiently flexible so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the tip while minimizing twisting of the balloon; and wherein the shaft is comprised of a core wire extending the length of the catheter.

Claim 9

A catheter comprising: a torque transmitting shaft having a tip; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip tube surrounding the shaft, the tip tube having a first end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon, the tip tube also having a second end extending beyond the distal end of the balloon wherein the distal end of the balloon is fixedly mounted to the tip tube and the tip tube is sufficiently flexible so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the tip while minimizing twisting of the balloon; and a tip spring having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon and a distal end fixedly attached to a distal tip of the shaft so that rotation of the catheter causes rotation of the tip while reducing rotation of the spring where it contacts the vascular system.

Claim 10

A catheter comprising: a torque transmitting shaft having a tip; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip tube surrounding the shaft, the tip tube having a first end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon, the tip tube also having a second end extending beyond the distal end of the balloon wherein the distal end of the balloon is fixedly mounted to the tip tube and the tip tube is sufficiently flexible so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the tip while minimizing twisting of the balloon; and a tip spring having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon and a distal end fixedly attached to a distal tip of the shaft so that rotation of the catheter causes rotation of the tip while reducing rotation of the spring where it contacts the vascular system.

Claim 11

A catheter with limited shaft rotation comprising: a torque-transmitting shaft; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; a housing comprising a first body with a male segment having a longitudinal slot, a second body mounted on the shaft for rotation about the first body, the second body having a helical groove therein; a ball means mounted for movement in the helical groove and the slot so that movement of the second body relative to the first is stopped when the ball means reaches the end of the slot; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip spring having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon and a distal end fixedly attached to a distal tip of the shaft; and a tip tube having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft and a distal end extending through the distal end of the balloon, the distal end of the balloon being fixedly attached to the tip tube, the tip tube being sufficiently flexible and the proximal end being sufficiently removed from the distal end of the balloon so that the rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the tip substantially without twisting the balloon and while reducing rotation of the tip spring where it contacts the vascular system.

Claim 12

A catheter with limited shaft rotation comprising: a torque-transmitting shaft; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; a housing comprising a first body with a male segment having a longitudinal slot, a second body mounted on the shaft for rotation about the first body, the second body having a helical groove therein; a ball means mounted for movement in the helical groove and the slot so that movement of the second body relative to the first is stopped when the ball means reaches the end of the slot; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip spring having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon and a distal end fixedly attached to a distal tip of the shaft; and a tip tube having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft and a distal end extending through the distal end of the balloon, the distal end of the balloon being fixedly attached to the tip tube, the tip tube being sufficiently flexible and the proximal end being sufficiently removed from the distal end of the balloon so that the rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the tip substantially without twisting the balloon and while reducing rotation of the tip spring where it contacts the vascular system.

Claim 13

A dilatation catheter comprising: a torque transmitting shaft; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip spring having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon and a distal end fixedly attached to a distal tip of the shaft; and a tip tube having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft and a distal end extending through the distal end of the balloon, the distal end of the balloon being fixedly attached to the tip tube the tip tube being sufficiently flexible and the proximal end being sufficiently removed from the distal end of the balloon so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the tip substantially without twisting the balloon and substantially without rotation of the tip spring.

Claim 14

A dilatation catheter comprising: a torque transmitting shaft; a flexible body surrounding the shaft; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end mounted on the flexible body; a tip spring having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft proximal to the distal end of the balloon and a distal end fixedly attached to a distal tip of the shaft; and a tip tube having a proximal end fixedly mounted to the shaft and a distal end extending through the distal end of the balloon, the distal end of the balloon being fixedly attached to the tip tube the tip tube being sufficiently flexible and the proximal end being sufficiently removed from the distal end of the balloon so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the tip substantially without twisting the balloon and substantially without rotation of the tip spring.

Claim 15

The catheter of claim 7 further comprising a housing having a first body with a male segment with a longitudinal groove; a second body portion mounted for rotational movement about the male portion of the first body, the second body having a helical groove; and a ball means mounted for movement along the helical groove and along the longitudinal slot so that movement of the first body relative to the second body is stopped when the ball reaches the end of the slot.

Claim 16

A catheter according to claim 7 and wherein the flexible body is formed of one or more spring coils.

Claim 17

A catheter according to claim 7 and wherein the tip spring is formed of at least one stretched portion and at least one unstretched portion.

Claim 18

A catheter according to claim 7 and wherein the shaft has only one continuous taper to a flat tip.