US20050228427A1 - Method of making a catheter balloon by laser fusing wrapped material - Google Patents

Method of making a catheter balloon by laser fusing wrapped material Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20050228427A1
US20050228427A1 US11/140,753 US14075305A US2005228427A1 US 20050228427 A1 US20050228427 A1 US 20050228427A1 US 14075305 A US14075305 A US 14075305A US 2005228427 A1 US2005228427 A1 US 2005228427A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
polymeric material
balloon
sheet
fused seam
tubular body
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US11/140,753
Inventor
Srinivasan Sridharan
Bjorn Svensson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to US11/140,753 priority Critical patent/US20050228427A1/en
Publication of US20050228427A1 publication Critical patent/US20050228427A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/40General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
    • B29C66/41Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
    • B29C66/43Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles
    • B29C66/432Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles for making tubular articles or closed loops, e.g. by joining several sheets ; for making hollow articles or hollow preforms
    • B29C66/4322Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles for making tubular articles or closed loops, e.g. by joining several sheets ; for making hollow articles or hollow preforms by joining a single sheet to itself
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C53/00Shaping by bending, folding, twisting, straightening or flattening; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C53/56Winding and joining, e.g. winding spirally
    • B29C53/58Winding and joining, e.g. winding spirally helically
    • B29C53/581Winding and joining, e.g. winding spirally helically using sheets or strips consisting principally of plastics material
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C53/00Shaping by bending, folding, twisting, straightening or flattening; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C53/56Winding and joining, e.g. winding spirally
    • B29C53/58Winding and joining, e.g. winding spirally helically
    • B29C53/60Winding and joining, e.g. winding spirally helically using internal forming surfaces, e.g. mandrels
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/14Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using wave energy, i.e. electromagnetic radiation, or particle radiation
    • B29C65/16Laser beams
    • B29C65/1629Laser beams characterised by the way of heating the interface
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/14Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using wave energy, i.e. electromagnetic radiation, or particle radiation
    • B29C65/16Laser beams
    • B29C65/1629Laser beams characterised by the way of heating the interface
    • B29C65/1654Laser beams characterised by the way of heating the interface scanning at least one of the parts to be joined
    • B29C65/1658Laser beams characterised by the way of heating the interface scanning at least one of the parts to be joined scanning once, e.g. contour laser welding
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/11Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section
    • B29C66/112Single lapped joints
    • B29C66/1122Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/11Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section
    • B29C66/114Single butt joints
    • B29C66/1142Single butt to butt joints
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/40General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
    • B29C66/41Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
    • B29C66/43Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles
    • B29C66/432Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles for making tubular articles or closed loops, e.g. by joining several sheets ; for making hollow articles or hollow preforms
    • B29C66/4329Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles for making tubular articles or closed loops, e.g. by joining several sheets ; for making hollow articles or hollow preforms the joint lines being transversal but non-orthogonal with respect to the axis of said tubular articles, i.e. being oblique
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/40General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
    • B29C66/49Internally supporting the, e.g. tubular, article during joining
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/73General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/737General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the state of the material of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/7371General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the state of the material of the parts to be joined oriented or heat-shrinkable
    • B29C66/73711General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the state of the material of the parts to be joined oriented or heat-shrinkable oriented
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/73General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/739General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/7392General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
    • B29C66/73921General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/83General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof characterised by the movement of the joining or pressing tools
    • B29C66/836Moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined, e.g. transversely to the displacement of the parts to be joined, e.g. using a X-Y table
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C53/00Shaping by bending, folding, twisting, straightening or flattening; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C53/36Bending and joining, e.g. for making hollow articles
    • B29C53/38Bending and joining, e.g. for making hollow articles by bending sheets or strips at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the article being formed and joining the edges
    • B29C53/40Bending and joining, e.g. for making hollow articles by bending sheets or strips at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the article being formed and joining the edges for articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
    • B29C53/42Bending and joining, e.g. for making hollow articles by bending sheets or strips at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the article being formed and joining the edges for articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles using internal forming surfaces, e.g. mandrels
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/14Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using wave energy, i.e. electromagnetic radiation, or particle radiation
    • B29C65/16Laser beams
    • B29C65/1629Laser beams characterised by the way of heating the interface
    • B29C65/1635Laser beams characterised by the way of heating the interface at least passing through one of the parts to be joined, i.e. laser transmission welding
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/71General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/72General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/727General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being porous, e.g. foam
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29CSHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/73General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/737General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the state of the material of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/7377General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the state of the material of the parts to be joined amorphous, semi-crystalline or crystalline
    • B29C66/73775General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the state of the material of the parts to be joined amorphous, semi-crystalline or crystalline the to-be-joined area of at least one of the parts to be joined being crystalline
    • B29C66/73776General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the state of the material of the parts to be joined amorphous, semi-crystalline or crystalline the to-be-joined area of at least one of the parts to be joined being crystalline the to-be-joined areas of both parts to be joined being crystalline
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29KINDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2027/00Use of polyvinylhalogenides or derivatives thereof as moulding material
    • B29K2027/12Use of polyvinylhalogenides or derivatives thereof as moulding material containing fluorine
    • B29K2027/18PTFE, i.e. polytetrafluorethene, e.g. ePTFE, i.e. expanded polytetrafluorethene
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29LINDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2022/00Hollow articles
    • B29L2022/02Inflatable articles
    • B29L2022/022Balloons
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29LINDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2023/00Tubular articles
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29LINDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/753Medical equipment; Accessories therefor
    • B29L2031/7542Catheters
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T428/00Stock material or miscellaneous articles
    • Y10T428/13Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
    • Y10T428/1334Nonself-supporting tubular film or bag [e.g., pouch, envelope, packet, etc.]

Definitions

  • This invention generally relates to medical devices, and particularly to intracorporeal devices for therapeutic or diagnostic uses such as balloon catheters, and vascular grafts.
  • a guiding catheter In percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) procedures, a guiding catheter is advanced until the distal tip of the guiding catheter is seated in the ostium of a desired coronary artery.
  • a guidewire positioned within an inner lumen of a dilatation catheter, is first advanced out of the distal end of the guiding catheter into the patient's coronary artery until the distal end of the guidewire crosses a lesion to be dilated. Then the dilatation catheter having an inflatable balloon on the distal portion thereof is advanced into the patient's coronary anatomy, over the previously introduced guidewire, until the balloon of the dilatation catheter is properly positioned across the lesion.
  • the dilatation balloon is inflated with fluid one or more times to a predetermined size at relatively high pressures (e.g. greater than 8 atmospheres) so that the stenosis is compressed against the arterial wall and the wall expanded to open up the passageway.
  • relatively high pressures e.g. greater than 8 atmospheres
  • the inflated diameter of the balloon is approximately the same diameter as the native diameter of the body lumen being dilated so as to complete the dilatation but not over expand the artery wall.
  • Substantial, uncontrolled expansion of the balloon against the vessel wall can cause trauma to the vessel wall.
  • blood flow resumes through the dilated artery and the dilatation catheter can be removed therefrom.
  • angioplasty procedures there may be restenosis of the artery, i.e. reformation of the arterial blockage, which necessitates either another angioplasty procedure, or some other method of repairing or strengthening the dilated area.
  • a stent inside the artery at the site of the lesion.
  • Stents may also be used to repair vessels having an intimal flap or dissection or to generally strengthen a weakened section of a vessel.
  • Stents are usually delivered to a desired location within a coronary artery in a contracted condition on a balloon of a catheter which is similar in many respects to a balloon angioplasty catheter, and expanded to a larger diameter by expansion of the balloon.
  • the balloon is deflated to remove the catheter and the stent left in place within the artery at the site of the dilated lesion.
  • Stent covers on an inner or an outer surface of the stent have been used in, for example, the treatment of pseudo-aneurysms and perforated arteries, and to prevent prolapse of plaque.
  • vascular grafts comprising cylindrical tubes made from tissue or synthetic materials such as polyester, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and DACRON may be implanted in vessels to strengthen or repair the vessel, or used in an anastomosis procedure to connect vessels segments together.
  • characteristics such as strength,compliance, and profile of the balloon are carefully tailored depending on the desired use of the balloon catheter, and the balloon material and manufacturing procedure are chosen to provide the desired balloon characteristics.
  • a variety of polymeric materials are conventionally used in catheter balloons. Use of polymeric materials such as PET that do not stretch appreciably consequently necessitates that the balloon is formed by blow molding, and the deflated balloon material is folded around the catheter shaft in the form of wings, prior to inflation in the patient's body lumen.
  • balloons referred to as formed-in-place balloons, that are not folded prior to inflation, but which are instead expanded to the working diameter within the patient's body lumen from a generally cylindrical or tubular shape (i.e., essentially no wings) that conforms to the catheter shaft.
  • Catheter balloons formed of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) expanded in place within the patient's body lumen without blow molding the ePTFE tubing have been disclosed.
  • Prior methods of forming the ePTFE balloon involved wrapping a sheet of ePTFE on a mandrel and then heating the wrapped sheet in an oven to fuse the layers of wrapped material together. Heating the wrapped sheet in an oven will heat the entire sheet of ePTFE.
  • One difficulty has been further processing of the tube by stretching the tube, after the layers of wrapped material are fused together.
  • This invention is directed to a method of making a catheter balloon or other expandable medical device, and the balloon or other device formed thereby, in which a sheet of polymeric material is wrapped to form a tubular body, and at least a portion of the tubular body is heated with a localized heat source such as laser radiation to form a fused seam extending along at least a section of the length of the tubular body.
  • a localized heat source such as laser radiation
  • the portion of the sheet heated by the localized heat is less than the entire area of the sheet, so that the fused seam is formed by heating portions of the sheet at the desired location of the fused seam without heating sections of the sheet spaced apart from the fused seam.
  • the expandable medical device is a balloon for a catheter.
  • a balloon formed according to the method of the invention can be used on a variety of suitable balloon catheters including coronary and peripheral dilatation catheters, stent delivery catheters, drug delivery catheters, and the like.
  • stent delivery catheters include coronary and peripheral dilatation catheters, stent delivery catheters, drug delivery catheters, and the like.
  • other expandable medical devices are included within the scope of the invention including stent covers and vascular grafts.
  • the sheet of polymeric material comprises a polymer having a porous structure, which in one embodiment is selected from the group consisting of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), ultra high molecular weight polyolefin, polyethylene, and polypropylene.
  • ePTFE expanded polytetrafluoroethylene
  • the porous material has a node and fibril microstructure.
  • ePTFE and expanded ultra high molecular weight polyethylene typically have a node and fibril microstructure, and are not melt extrudable into tubular form.
  • the node and fibril microstructure is produced in the material using conventional methods in which the material is heated, compacted, and stretched, as described in greater detail below.
  • polymeric materials can be used in the method of the invention including conventional catheter balloon materials which are melt extrudable.
  • the polymeric material is not melt extrudable and is thus formed into a balloon by bonding wrapped layers of the polymeric material together.
  • the laser radiation is only applied at the desired location of the fused seam, so that the entire sheet of polymeric material does not have to be heated to fuse the layers of material together. Additionally, the laser radiation is applied at a specific power level to the selected area of the tubular body, to precisely heat the polymeric material to a desired temperature.
  • the method of the invention limits and controls the sintering of the polymeric material which would otherwise occur in materials such as ePTFE due to heating. Sintering ePTFE results in a change in crystal structure when the ePTFE is heated at or above its melting point of about 344° C.
  • the tube of ePTFE is stretched to a greater degree after formation of the fused seam than would be possible if the entire tube was 100% sintered.
  • the balloon has a decreased wall thickness, for example, of less than about 0.001 inch single wall thickness, and therefore an improved lower profile.
  • an intermediate product in the formation of the catheter balloon of the invention is a tube of polymeric material (e.g., ePTFE) having a fused seam, in which the polymeric material forming the fused seam is more highly sintered than the polymeric material forming sections of the sheet adjacent to the fused seam.
  • ePTFE polymeric material
  • the entire area of the tube is typically heated.
  • about 100% of the polymeric material of the finished balloon is sintered, as defined in the McClurken, M., et al. ASTM publication, incorporated by reference herein above.
  • the percent sintering is less than 100%, and preferably about 80% to less than 100%, and more specifically about 90% to less than 100%.
  • the polymeric material forming the fused seam is fully sintered and the polymeric material forming sections ofthe sheet adjacent to the fused seam is not fully sintered, i.e., partially unsintered or semi-sintered, so that the balloon comprises a wrapped sheet of polymeric material (e.g., ePTFE) having a fused seam, in which the polymeric material forming the fused seam is more highly sintered than the polymeric material forming sections of the sheet adjacent to the fused seam.
  • the method of the invention provides for selective heating of the wrapped polymeric material due to the use of a laser or other localized heat source to heat the material.
  • the sintering of the polymeric material which would otherwise occur in materials such as ePTFE is limited to the location of the fused seam.
  • the method provides for precise control over the temperature of the polymeric material during heat fusing to form the fused seam, and consequently over the sintering of the polymeric material at the fused seam. Additionally, heating the polymeric material with a laser to form the fused seam provides an improved reduced manufacturing time, and ease of manufacturing.
  • FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially in section, of a stent delivery balloon catheter embodying features of the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a transverse cross sectional view of the balloon catheter shown in FIG. 1 , taken along line 2 - 2 .
  • FIG. 3 illustrates the formation of a layer of the balloon of FIG. 1 , in which the sheet of polymeric material is spirally wrapped around a mandrel and fused during wrapping.
  • FIG. 4 is a partially in section view of the balloon shown in FIG. 3 , taken along line 4 - 4 , in which the sections of polymeric material about one another.
  • FIG. 5 is a partially in section view of an alternative embodiment of the balloon shown in FIG. 3 , in which the sections of wrapped polymeric material overlap one another.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the formation of a layer of the balloon of FIG. 1 , in which the sheet of polymeric material is wrapped around the mandrel by folding the sheet radially around the mandrel.
  • FIG. 7 is a transverse cross sectional view of the sheet of polymeric material wrapped around the mandrel shown in FIG. 6 , taken along line 7 - 7 , in which the sections of polymeric material abut one another.
  • FIG. 8 is a transverse cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the sheet of polymeric material wrapped around the mandrel shown in FIG. 6 , in which the sections of wrapped polymeric material overlap one another.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an over-the-wire type stent delivery balloon catheter 10 embodying features of the invention.
  • Catheter 10 generally comprises an elongated catheter shaft 12 having an outer tubular member 14 and an inner tubular member 16 .
  • Inner tubular member 16 defines a guidewire lumen 18 configured to slidingly receive a guidewire 20 , as best illustrated in FIG. 2 illustrating a transverse cross section view of the distal end of the catheter shown in FIG. 1 , taken along line 2 - 2 .
  • the coaxial relationship between outer tubular member 14 and inner tubular member 16 defines annular inflation lumen 22 .
  • An inflatable balloon 24 disposed on a distal section of catheter shaft 12 has a proximal skirt section 25 sealingly secured to the distal end of outer tubular member 14 and a distal skirt section 26 sealingly secured to the distal end of inner tubular member 16 , so that its interior is in fluid communication with inflation lumen 22 .
  • An adapter 30 at the proximal end of catheter shaft 12 is configured to provide access to guidewire lumen 18 , and to direct inflation fluid through arm 31 into inflation lumen 22 .
  • an expandable stent 32 is mounted on uninflated balloon 24 , with an expandable stent cover 35 on the stent 32 .
  • FIG. 1 an expandable stent 32 is mounted on uninflated balloon 24 , with an expandable stent cover 35 on the stent 32 .
  • the uninflated balloon 24 has a wingless, low profile configuration prior to inflation.
  • the distal end of catheter may be advanced to a desired region of a patient's body lumen 27 in a conventional manner and balloon 24 may be inflated to expand stent 32 , seating the stent 32 in the body lumen 27 .
  • balloon 24 has a first layer 33 and a second layer 34 .
  • the balloon 24 has at least one layer comprising a microporous polymeric material, and preferably a microporous F polymeric material having a node and fibril microstructure, such as ePTFE.
  • first layer 33 is formed of ePTFE
  • the second layer 34 is formed of a polymeric material preferably different from the polymeric material of the first layer 33 .
  • the first layer may comprise other materials including ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.
  • the second layer 34 is preferably formed of an elastomeric material, including polyurethane elastomers, silicone rubbers, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, polyamide block copolymers, and the like.
  • layer 34 is on the interior of balloon 24 , although in other embodiments it may be on the exterior of the balloon 24 .
  • Layer 34 formed of an elastomeric material limits or prevents leakage of inflation fluid through the microporous ePTFE to allow for inflation of the balloon 24 , and expands elastically to facilitate deflation of the balloon 24 to a low profile deflated configuration.
  • the elastomeric material forming layer 34 may consist of a separate layer which neither fills the pores nor disturbs the node and fibril structure of the ePTFE layer 33 , or it may at least partially fill the pores of the ePTFE layer.
  • the ePTFE layer 33 is formed according to a method which embodies features of the invention, in which a sheet of polymeric material is wrapped to form a tubular body and then heated to fuse the wrapped material together.
  • the wrapped material is fused by heating at least a portion of the polymeric material with laser radiation to form a fused seam extending along at least a section of the length of the tubular body.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates the formation of the ePTFE layer 33 of the balloon 24 of FIG. 1 .
  • a sheet 40 of polymeric material is spirally wrapped around a mandrel 41 to form a tubular body 42 .
  • a laser 43 emitting laser radiation 44 and the polymeric tubular body 42 are moved relative to one another, so that the laser radiation is applied to the spiral junction between sections of the wrapped sheet 40 to form fused seam 45 .
  • laser radiation 44 is illustrated at a perpendicular angle to the sheet 40 , in one embodiment it may be tangential to the sheet 40 , and particularly for the embodiment in which multiple layers of polymeric material are wrapped on the mandrel 41 as discussed below, to minimize the penetration of the laser heat into layers of material beneath the layer of material being heat fused.
  • the laser radiation 44 is applied to the spiral junction along the length of the polymeric tubular body and around the circumference thereof to fuse the sections of the wrapped sheet 40 together. In the embodiment of FIG.
  • the laser follows the winding pattern of the sheet 40 as it is wrapped onto the mandrel, so that the laser radiation is applied during the wrapping of the sheet 40 .
  • the laser 43 is moved along the length of the wrapped polymeric material.
  • laser-radiation is applied to the wrapped polymeric material as a separate processing step after the wrapping of the sheet 40 onto the mandrel is completed.
  • the sheet 40 is a long strip of polymeric material having longitudinal edges along the length of the strip which are longer than the width of the sheet 40 .
  • the sheet 40 is wrapped on the mandrel 41 so that the longitudinal edges of the sheet 40 are brought together in an abutting or overlapping relation.
  • the fused seam 45 is formed by spirally extending edges of the wrapped sheet 40 which abut one another, as best illustrated in FIG. 4 , showing a partial sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 3 , taken along line 4 - 4 .
  • the laser radiation heats the abutting edges to form the fused seam 45 , so that the fused seam 45 joins the abutting edges together.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the extending edge section of the wrapped sheet 40 overlaps the adjacent section of the wrapped sheet 40 so that the longitudinally adjacent section of the wrapped sheet has overlapping portions.
  • the laser radiation heats the overlapping 20 portions to form the fused seam 45 , so that the fused seam 45 joins the overlapping portions.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the sheet 40 is wrapped around mandrel 41 by folding the sheet around the circumference of the mandrel so that the longitudinal edges of the sheet 40 extend in a substantially straight line along the length of the mandrel 41 .
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a transverse cross section of the assembly-of FIG. 6 , taken along line 7 - 7 , showing the abutting longitudinal edges of the sheet 40 .
  • FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the extending edge section of the wrapped sheet 40 overlaps the adjacent edge section of the wrapped sheet 40 .
  • the sheet 40 of polymeric material is preferably wrapped along a length of the mandrel to form a single layer of wrapped material.
  • multiple layers of polymeric material are wrapped on the mandrel, by for example, wrapping the sheet 40 down the length of the mandrel 41 to form a first layer and then back again over the first layer one or more times to form additional layers.
  • the laser radiation 44 is preferably applied as the sheet 40 is being wrapped on the mandrel.
  • the multiple layers of material may be different materials with different heat fusing temperatures, in which case the laser radiation is preferably applied to each layer in turn at a different setting to produce the different heat fusion temperature for that specific material.
  • the sheet 40 is preferably a polymeric material having a microporous structure, which in one embodiment has a node and fibril structure, such as ePTFE.
  • the sheet 40 has preferably been stretched to form the desired microstructure (e.g., porous and/or node and fibril) before being wrapped on the mandrel 41 .
  • the sheet 40 of ePTFE is semi-sintered before wrapping.
  • the sheet 40 typically has a percent sintering of about 0% to about 80%, preferably about 20% to about 50%, of the polymeric material of the sheet 40 , as defined in the McClurken, M., et al. ASTM publication, incorporated by reference above, before wrapping.
  • the laser radiation is applied to the wrapped material at a specific power and for a specific duration to control temperature of the heated portion of the polymeric material.
  • the power level of the laser depends on variables such as the type and angle of the laser.
  • the ePTFE polymeric material is heated by the laser radiation to a temperature of about 330° C. to about 380° C., which is above the crystalline melting temperature of the ePTFE.
  • the heat spread during the heating of the ePTFE material is limited, so that the portion of the sheet 40 which is heated to thereby form the fused seam has a width of about 0.1 mm to about 1.0 mm, and preferably about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm.
  • the heated ePTFE forming the fused seam has a different crystal structure than the adjacent sections of the ePTFE which were not heated during formation of the fused seam and which consequently are not completely sintered.
  • the tubular body is typically further processed prior to being bonded to the layer 34 to form the balloon 24 .
  • the tubular body is further processed by being stretched, sintered, compacted, and then sintered again, to provide the desired properties such as the desired dimension, and dimensional stability (i.e., to minimize axial shortening occurring during inflation of the balloon).
  • the tubular body is longitudinally stretched to thereby increase the length of the tubular body by about 50% to about 200%.
  • the controlled, localized delivery of heat to form the fused seam 45 facilitates the subsequent stretching of the tubular body.
  • the heating of the ePTFE to form the fused seam results in a recrystallization of the ePTFE at the fused seam
  • the adjacent sections of the ePTFE tubular body are not sintered/recrystallized, and consequently are easier to stretch than the portions of the tubular body forming the fused seam.
  • the tensile strength of the tubular body after formation of the fused seam is about 2,000 psi to about 20,000 psi. Changes to other characteristics of the polymeric material, such as the porosity, melting point, strength and flexibility of the material are localized at the fused seam 45 during the fusing of the wrapped material together in the method of the invention.
  • the tubular body is preferably compacted and heated to further sinter the material, to provide the desired performance characteristics for balloon 24 .
  • the tubular body is heated to completely sinter the material, so that the percent of the polymeric material of the ePTFE layer 33 which is sintered is about 100%.
  • the tubular body is typically heated in an oven at about 360° C. to about 380° C., or to at least the melting point of the ePTFE.
  • the tubular body is incompletely sintered, so that the percent of the polymeric material of the ePTFE layer 33 which is sintered is about 80% or greater, or more specifically about 90% or greater, but less than 100%.
  • the completed ePTFE layer 33 is then combined with or bonded to the elastomeric liner 34 to complete the balloon 24 , and the balloon 24 is secured to the catheter shaft 12 .
  • catheter 10 The dimensions of catheter 10 are determined largely by the size of the balloon and guidewires to be employed, catheter type, and the size of the artery or other body lumen through which the catheter must pass or the size of the stent being delivered.
  • the outer tubular member 14 has an outer diameter of about 0.025 to about 0.04 inch (0.064 to 0.10 cm), usually about 0.037 inch (0.094 cm), the wall thickness of the outer tubular member 14 can vary from about 0.002 to about 0.008 inch (0.0051 to 0.02 cm), typically about 0.003 to 0.005 inch (0.0076 to 0.013 cm).
  • the inner tubular member 16 typically has an inner diameter of about 0.01 to about 0.018 inch (0.025 to 0.046 cm), usually about 0.016 inch (0.04 cm), and wall thickness of 0.004 to 0.008 inch (0.01 to 0.02 cm).
  • the overall length of the catheter 10 may range from about 100 to about 150 cm, and is typically about 143 cm.
  • balloon 24 may have a length about 0.5 cm to about 6 cm, and an inflated working diameter of about 2 to about 10 mm.
  • Inner tubular member 16 and outer tubular member 14 can be formed by conventional techniques, for example by extruding and necking materials already found useful in intravascular catheters such a polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, polyurethanes, and composite materials.
  • the various components may be joined using conventional bonding methods such as by fusion bonding or use of adhesives.
  • the shaft is illustrated as having an inner and outer tubular member, a variety of suitable shaft configurations may be used including a dual lumen extruded shaft having a side-by-side lumens extruded therein.
  • Rapid exchange catheters generally comprise a distal guidewire port in a distal end of the catheter, a proximal guidewire port in a distal shaft section distal of the proximal end of the shaft and typically spaced a substantial distance from the proximal end of the catheter, and a short guidewire lumen extending between the proximal and distal guidewire ports in the distal section of the catheter.

Abstract

A method of making a catheter balloon or other expandable medical device, and a balloon or other device formed thereby, in which at least a portion of a tubular, wrapped sheet of polymeric material is heated with laser radiation to form a fused seam extending along at least a section of the length of the tubular body. In one embodiment, the portion of the sheet heated by laser radiation is less than the entire area of the sheet, so that the fused seam is formed by heating portions of the sheet without heating sections of the sheet spaced apart from the fused seam. In one embodiment, the sheet of polymeric material comprises a polymer having a porous and preferably a node and fibril microstructure, which in one embodiment is selected from the group consisting of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) and expanded ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

Description

    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • This invention generally relates to medical devices, and particularly to intracorporeal devices for therapeutic or diagnostic uses such as balloon catheters, and vascular grafts.
  • In percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) procedures, a guiding catheter is advanced until the distal tip of the guiding catheter is seated in the ostium of a desired coronary artery. A guidewire, positioned within an inner lumen of a dilatation catheter, is first advanced out of the distal end of the guiding catheter into the patient's coronary artery until the distal end of the guidewire crosses a lesion to be dilated. Then the dilatation catheter having an inflatable balloon on the distal portion thereof is advanced into the patient's coronary anatomy, over the previously introduced guidewire, until the balloon of the dilatation catheter is properly positioned across the lesion. Once properly positioned, the dilatation balloon is inflated with fluid one or more times to a predetermined size at relatively high pressures (e.g. greater than 8 atmospheres) so that the stenosis is compressed against the arterial wall and the wall expanded to open up the passageway. Generally, the inflated diameter of the balloon is approximately the same diameter as the native diameter of the body lumen being dilated so as to complete the dilatation but not over expand the artery wall. Substantial, uncontrolled expansion of the balloon against the vessel wall can cause trauma to the vessel wall. After the balloon is finally deflated, blood flow resumes through the dilated artery and the dilatation catheter can be removed therefrom.
  • In such angioplasty procedures, there may be restenosis of the artery, i.e. reformation of the arterial blockage, which necessitates either another angioplasty procedure, or some other method of repairing or strengthening the dilated area. To reduce the restenosis rate and to strengthen the dilated area, physicians frequently implant a stent inside the artery at the site of the lesion. Stents may also be used to repair vessels having an intimal flap or dissection or to generally strengthen a weakened section of a vessel. Stents are usually delivered to a desired location within a coronary artery in a contracted condition on a balloon of a catheter which is similar in many respects to a balloon angioplasty catheter, and expanded to a larger diameter by expansion of the balloon. The balloon is deflated to remove the catheter and the stent left in place within the artery at the site of the dilated lesion. Stent covers on an inner or an outer surface of the stent have been used in, for example, the treatment of pseudo-aneurysms and perforated arteries, and to prevent prolapse of plaque. Similarly, vascular grafts comprising cylindrical tubes made from tissue or synthetic materials such as polyester, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and DACRON may be implanted in vessels to strengthen or repair the vessel, or used in an anastomosis procedure to connect vessels segments together.
  • In the design of catheter balloons, characteristics such as strength,compliance, and profile of the balloon are carefully tailored depending on the desired use of the balloon catheter, and the balloon material and manufacturing procedure are chosen to provide the desired balloon characteristics. A variety of polymeric materials are conventionally used in catheter balloons. Use of polymeric materials such as PET that do not stretch appreciably consequently necessitates that the balloon is formed by blow molding, and the deflated balloon material is folded around the catheter shaft in the form of wings, prior to inflation in the patient's body lumen. However, it can be desirable to employ balloons, referred to as formed-in-place balloons, that are not folded prior to inflation, but which are instead expanded to the working diameter within the patient's body lumen from a generally cylindrical or tubular shape (i.e., essentially no wings) that conforms to the catheter shaft.
  • Catheter balloons formed of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) expanded in place within the patient's body lumen without blow molding the ePTFE tubing have been disclosed. Prior methods of forming the ePTFE balloon involved wrapping a sheet of ePTFE on a mandrel and then heating the wrapped sheet in an oven to fuse the layers of wrapped material together. Heating the wrapped sheet in an oven will heat the entire sheet of ePTFE. One difficulty has been further processing of the tube by stretching the tube, after the layers of wrapped material are fused together.
  • It would be a significant advance to provide a catheter balloon with improved performance characteristics and ease of manufacture.
  • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • This invention is directed to a method of making a catheter balloon or other expandable medical device, and the balloon or other device formed thereby, in which a sheet of polymeric material is wrapped to form a tubular body, and at least a portion of the tubular body is heated with a localized heat source such as laser radiation to form a fused seam extending along at least a section of the length of the tubular body. In a presently preferred embodiment, the portion of the sheet heated by the localized heat is less than the entire area of the sheet, so that the fused seam is formed by heating portions of the sheet at the desired location of the fused seam without heating sections of the sheet spaced apart from the fused seam.
  • In a presently preferred embodiment, the expandable medical device is a balloon for a catheter. A balloon formed according to the method of the invention can be used on a variety of suitable balloon catheters including coronary and peripheral dilatation catheters, stent delivery catheters, drug delivery catheters, and the like. Although discussed below primarily in terms of the embodiment in which the medical device is a balloon for a catheter, it should be understood that other expandable medical devices are included within the scope of the invention including stent covers and vascular grafts.
  • In a presently preferred embodiment, the sheet of polymeric material comprises a polymer having a porous structure, which in one embodiment is selected from the group consisting of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), ultra high molecular weight polyolefin, polyethylene, and polypropylene. In one embodiment, the porous material has a node and fibril microstructure. ePTFE and expanded ultra high molecular weight polyethylene typically have a node and fibril microstructure, and are not melt extrudable into tubular form. The node and fibril microstructure is produced in the material using conventional methods in which the material is heated, compacted, and stretched, as described in greater detail below. However, a variety of suitable polymeric materials can be used in the method of the invention including conventional catheter balloon materials which are melt extrudable. In one presently preferred embodiment, the polymeric material is not melt extrudable and is thus formed into a balloon by bonding wrapped layers of the polymeric material together.
  • In the method of the invention, the laser radiation is only applied at the desired location of the fused seam, so that the entire sheet of polymeric material does not have to be heated to fuse the layers of material together. Additionally, the laser radiation is applied at a specific power level to the selected area of the tubular body, to precisely heat the polymeric material to a desired temperature. By controlling the location and the power of the laser radiation, the method of the invention limits and controls the sintering of the polymeric material which would otherwise occur in materials such as ePTFE due to heating. Sintering ePTFE results in a change in crystal structure when the ePTFE is heated at or above its melting point of about 344° C. and allowed to cool, as described in McCluken, M., et al., Physical Properties and Test Methods for Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Grafts, Special Technical Publication 898, American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), pp. 82-84, 1987, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Specifically, after melting, the ePTFE recrystalizes to a different crystal structure having a lower melting point and lower strength. The sintered ePTFE has a higher stiffness. During formation of the fused seam in the method of the invention, only the sections of the ePTFE which form the fused seam are heated, and the other sections of the ePTFE tube are not heated and are therefore not sintered. As a result, subsequent processing such as for example stretching of the ePTFE tube is facilitated, because the stiffer sintered form of the ePTFE is only at the fused seam of the ePTFE tube, and a strong highly sintered fused seam is formed which holds together during such subsequent stretching of the ePTFE tube. In one embodiment, the tube of ePTFE is stretched to a greater degree after formation of the fused seam than would be possible if the entire tube was 100% sintered. As a result, the balloon has a decreased wall thickness, for example, of less than about 0.001 inch single wall thickness, and therefore an improved lower profile.
  • In the embodiment in which the polymeric material of the balloon has a node and fibril microstructure, after the fused seam is formed, the tube of polymeric material is typically stretched, sintered, compacted, and sintered a final time, to form the balloon. As discussed above, heating the desired area of the fused seam with laser radiation, sinters the polymeric material at the site of the fused seam. Thus, an intermediate product in the formation of the catheter balloon of the invention is a tube of polymeric material (e.g., ePTFE) having a fused seam, in which the polymeric material forming the fused seam is more highly sintered than the polymeric material forming sections of the sheet adjacent to the fused seam. During subsequent processing of the intermediate polymeric tube to form the balloon by heating and thereby sintering the polymeric material, the entire area of the tube is typically heated. In one embodiment, about 100% of the polymeric material of the finished balloon is sintered, as defined in the McClurken, M., et al. ASTM publication, incorporated by reference herein above. However, in alternative embodiments, the percent sintering is less than 100%, and preferably about 80% to less than 100%, and more specifically about 90% to less than 100%. As a result, in one embodiment, the polymeric material forming the fused seam is fully sintered and the polymeric material forming sections ofthe sheet adjacent to the fused seam is not fully sintered, i.e., partially unsintered or semi-sintered, so that the balloon comprises a wrapped sheet of polymeric material (e.g., ePTFE) having a fused seam, in which the polymeric material forming the fused seam is more highly sintered than the polymeric material forming sections of the sheet adjacent to the fused seam. The method of the invention provides for selective heating of the wrapped polymeric material due to the use of a laser or other localized heat source to heat the material. As a result, during formation of the fused seam, the sintering of the polymeric material which would otherwise occur in materials such as ePTFE is limited to the location of the fused seam. Moreover, the method provides for precise control over the temperature of the polymeric material during heat fusing to form the fused seam, and consequently over the sintering of the polymeric material at the fused seam. Additionally, heating the polymeric material with a laser to form the fused seam provides an improved reduced manufacturing time, and ease of manufacturing. These and other advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying exemplary figures.
  • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially in section, of a stent delivery balloon catheter embodying features of the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a transverse cross sectional view of the balloon catheter shown in FIG. 1, taken along line 2-2.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates the formation of a layer of the balloon of FIG. 1, in which the sheet of polymeric material is spirally wrapped around a mandrel and fused during wrapping.
  • FIG. 4 is a partially in section view of the balloon shown in FIG. 3, taken along line 4-4, in which the sections of polymeric material about one another.
  • FIG. 5 is a partially in section view of an alternative embodiment of the balloon shown in FIG. 3, in which the sections of wrapped polymeric material overlap one another.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the formation of a layer of the balloon of FIG. 1, in which the sheet of polymeric material is wrapped around the mandrel by folding the sheet radially around the mandrel.
  • FIG. 7 is a transverse cross sectional view of the sheet of polymeric material wrapped around the mandrel shown in FIG. 6, taken along line 7-7, in which the sections of polymeric material abut one another.
  • FIG. 8 is a transverse cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the sheet of polymeric material wrapped around the mandrel shown in FIG. 6, in which the sections of wrapped polymeric material overlap one another.
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an over-the-wire type stent delivery balloon catheter 10 embodying features of the invention. Catheter 10 generally comprises an elongated catheter shaft 12 having an outer tubular member 14 and an inner tubular member 16. Inner tubular member 16 defines a guidewire lumen 18 configured to slidingly receive a guidewire 20, as best illustrated in FIG. 2 illustrating a transverse cross section view of the distal end of the catheter shown in FIG. 1, taken along line 2-2. The coaxial relationship between outer tubular member 14 and inner tubular member 16 defines annular inflation lumen 22. An inflatable balloon 24 disposed on a distal section of catheter shaft 12 has a proximal skirt section 25 sealingly secured to the distal end of outer tubular member 14 and a distal skirt section 26 sealingly secured to the distal end of inner tubular member 16, so that its interior is in fluid communication with inflation lumen 22. An adapter 30 at the proximal end of catheter shaft 12 is configured to provide access to guidewire lumen 18, and to direct inflation fluid through arm 31 into inflation lumen 22. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, an expandable stent 32 is mounted on uninflated balloon 24, with an expandable stent cover 35 on the stent 32. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the uninflated balloon 24 has a wingless, low profile configuration prior to inflation. The distal end of catheter may be advanced to a desired region of a patient's body lumen 27 in a conventional manner and balloon 24 may be inflated to expand stent 32, seating the stent 32 in the body lumen 27.
  • In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, balloon 24 has a first layer 33 and a second layer 34. In a presently preferred embodiment, the balloon 24 has at least one layer comprising a microporous polymeric material, and preferably a microporous F polymeric material having a node and fibril microstructure, such as ePTFE. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, first layer 33 is formed of ePTFE, and the second layer 34 is formed of a polymeric material preferably different from the polymeric material of the first layer 33. Although discussed below in terms of one embodiment in which the first layer 33 is formed of ePTFE, it should be understood that the first layer may comprise other materials including ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. The second layer 34 is preferably formed of an elastomeric material, including polyurethane elastomers, silicone rubbers, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, polyamide block copolymers, and the like. In a preferred embodiment, layer 34 is on the interior of balloon 24, although in other embodiments it may be on the exterior of the balloon 24. Layer 34 formed of an elastomeric material limits or prevents leakage of inflation fluid through the microporous ePTFE to allow for inflation of the balloon 24, and expands elastically to facilitate deflation of the balloon 24 to a low profile deflated configuration. The elastomeric material forming layer 34 may consist of a separate layer which neither fills the pores nor disturbs the node and fibril structure of the ePTFE layer 33, or it may at least partially fill the pores of the ePTFE layer.
  • The ePTFE layer 33 is formed according to a method which embodies features of the invention, in which a sheet of polymeric material is wrapped to form a tubular body and then heated to fuse the wrapped material together. In accordance with a method of the invention, the wrapped material is fused by heating at least a portion of the polymeric material with laser radiation to form a fused seam extending along at least a section of the length of the tubular body. FIG. 3 illustrates the formation of the ePTFE layer 33 of the balloon 24 of FIG. 1. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, a sheet 40 of polymeric material is spirally wrapped around a mandrel 41 to form a tubular body 42. A laser 43 emitting laser radiation 44 and the polymeric tubular body 42 are moved relative to one another, so that the laser radiation is applied to the spiral junction between sections of the wrapped sheet 40 to form fused seam 45. Although laser radiation 44 is illustrated at a perpendicular angle to the sheet 40, in one embodiment it may be tangential to the sheet 40, and particularly for the embodiment in which multiple layers of polymeric material are wrapped on the mandrel 41 as discussed below, to minimize the penetration of the laser heat into layers of material beneath the layer of material being heat fused. The laser radiation 44 is applied to the spiral junction along the length of the polymeric tubular body and around the circumference thereof to fuse the sections of the wrapped sheet 40 together. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the laser follows the winding pattern of the sheet 40 as it is wrapped onto the mandrel, so that the laser radiation is applied during the wrapping of the sheet 40. For example, with the mandrel 41 rotating to wrap the sheet 40 onto the mandrel 41, the laser 43 is moved along the length of the wrapped polymeric material. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), laser-radiation is applied to the wrapped polymeric material as a separate processing step after the wrapping of the sheet 40 onto the mandrel is completed.
  • In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the sheet 40 is a long strip of polymeric material having longitudinal edges along the length of the strip which are longer than the width of the sheet 40. The sheet 40 is wrapped on the mandrel 41 so that the longitudinal edges of the sheet 40 are brought together in an abutting or overlapping relation. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the fused seam 45 is formed by spirally extending edges of the wrapped sheet 40 which abut one another, as best illustrated in FIG. 4, showing a partial sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 3, taken along line 4-4. The laser radiation heats the abutting edges to form the fused seam 45, so that the fused seam 45 joins the abutting edges together. The abutting edges are easily held together in position during application of the laser radiation, so that the method provides improved ease of manufacture of an accurate fused seam. FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the extending edge section of the wrapped sheet 40 overlaps the adjacent section of the wrapped sheet 40 so that the longitudinally adjacent section of the wrapped sheet has overlapping portions. The laser radiation heats the overlapping 20 portions to form the fused seam 45, so that the fused seam 45 joins the overlapping portions.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the sheet 40 is wrapped around mandrel 41 by folding the sheet around the circumference of the mandrel so that the longitudinal edges of the sheet 40 extend in a substantially straight line along the length of the mandrel 41. FIG. 7 illustrates a transverse cross section of the assembly-of FIG. 6, taken along line 7-7, showing the abutting longitudinal edges of the sheet 40. FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the extending edge section of the wrapped sheet 40 overlaps the adjacent edge section of the wrapped sheet 40.
  • The sheet 40 of polymeric material is preferably wrapped along a length of the mandrel to form a single layer of wrapped material. Alternatively, multiple layers of polymeric material are wrapped on the mandrel, by for example, wrapping the sheet 40 down the length of the mandrel 41 to form a first layer and then back again over the first layer one or more times to form additional layers. In the embodiment having multiple layers of material, the laser radiation 44 is preferably applied as the sheet 40 is being wrapped on the mandrel. The multiple layers of material may be different materials with different heat fusing temperatures, in which case the laser radiation is preferably applied to each layer in turn at a different setting to produce the different heat fusion temperature for that specific material.
  • The sheet 40 is preferably a polymeric material having a microporous structure, which in one embodiment has a node and fibril structure, such as ePTFE. Thus, the sheet 40 has preferably been stretched to form the desired microstructure (e.g., porous and/or node and fibril) before being wrapped on the mandrel 41. In a presently preferred embodiment, the sheet 40 of ePTFE is semi-sintered before wrapping. The sheet 40 typically has a percent sintering of about 0% to about 80%, preferably about 20% to about 50%, of the polymeric material of the sheet 40, as defined in the McClurken, M., et al. ASTM publication, incorporated by reference above, before wrapping.
  • The laser radiation is applied to the wrapped material at a specific power and for a specific duration to control temperature of the heated portion of the polymeric material. The power level of the laser depends on variables such as the type and angle of the laser. The ePTFE polymeric material is heated by the laser radiation to a temperature of about 330° C. to about 380° C., which is above the crystalline melting temperature of the ePTFE. The heat spread during the heating of the ePTFE material is limited, so that the portion of the sheet 40 which is heated to thereby form the fused seam has a width of about 0.1 mm to about 1.0 mm, and preferably about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm. The heated ePTFE forming the fused seam has a different crystal structure than the adjacent sections of the ePTFE which were not heated during formation of the fused seam and which consequently are not completely sintered.
  • After the fused seam 45 is formed, the tubular body is typically further processed prior to being bonded to the layer 34 to form the balloon 24. Preferably, the tubular body is further processed by being stretched, sintered, compacted, and then sintered again, to provide the desired properties such as the desired dimension, and dimensional stability (i.e., to minimize axial shortening occurring during inflation of the balloon). For example, in one embodiment, the tubular body is longitudinally stretched to thereby increase the length of the tubular body by about 50% to about 200%. The controlled, localized delivery of heat to form the fused seam 45 facilitates the subsequent stretching of the tubular body. Although the heating of the ePTFE to form the fused seam results in a recrystallization of the ePTFE at the fused seam, the adjacent sections of the ePTFE tubular body are not sintered/recrystallized, and consequently are easier to stretch than the portions of the tubular body forming the fused seam. In one embodiment, the tensile strength of the tubular body after formation of the fused seam is about 2,000 psi to about 20,000 psi. Changes to other characteristics of the polymeric material, such as the porosity, melting point, strength and flexibility of the material are localized at the fused seam 45 during the fusing of the wrapped material together in the method of the invention. After the longitudinal stretching, the tubular body is preferably compacted and heated to further sinter the material, to provide the desired performance characteristics for balloon 24. In one embodiment, after the longitudinal stretching, the tubular body is heated to completely sinter the material, so that the percent of the polymeric material of the ePTFE layer 33 which is sintered is about 100%. The tubular body is typically heated in an oven at about 360° C. to about 380° C., or to at least the melting point of the ePTFE. In another embodiment, after the longitudinal stretching, the tubular body is incompletely sintered, so that the percent of the polymeric material of the ePTFE layer 33 which is sintered is about 80% or greater, or more specifically about 90% or greater, but less than 100%.
  • The completed ePTFE layer 33 is then combined with or bonded to the elastomeric liner 34 to complete the balloon 24, and the balloon 24 is secured to the catheter shaft 12.
  • The dimensions of catheter 10 are determined largely by the size of the balloon and guidewires to be employed, catheter type, and the size of the artery or other body lumen through which the catheter must pass or the size of the stent being delivered. Typically, the outer tubular member 14 has an outer diameter of about 0.025 to about 0.04 inch (0.064 to 0.10 cm), usually about 0.037 inch (0.094 cm), the wall thickness of the outer tubular member 14 can vary from about 0.002 to about 0.008 inch (0.0051 to 0.02 cm), typically about 0.003 to 0.005 inch (0.0076 to 0.013 cm). The inner tubular member 16 typically has an inner diameter of about 0.01 to about 0.018 inch (0.025 to 0.046 cm), usually about 0.016 inch (0.04 cm), and wall thickness of 0.004 to 0.008 inch (0.01 to 0.02 cm). The overall length of the catheter 10 may range from about 100 to about 150 cm, and is typically about 143 cm. Preferably, balloon 24 may have a length about 0.5 cm to about 6 cm, and an inflated working diameter of about 2 to about 10 mm.
  • Inner tubular member 16 and outer tubular member 14 can be formed by conventional techniques, for example by extruding and necking materials already found useful in intravascular catheters such a polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, polyurethanes, and composite materials. The various components may be joined using conventional bonding methods such as by fusion bonding or use of adhesives. Although the shaft is illustrated as having an inner and outer tubular member, a variety of suitable shaft configurations may be used including a dual lumen extruded shaft having a side-by-side lumens extruded therein. Similarly, although the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 is an over-the-wire stent delivery catheter, balloons of this invention may also be used with other types of intravascular catheters, such as rapid exchange dilatation catheters. Rapid exchange catheters generally comprise a distal guidewire port in a distal end of the catheter, a proximal guidewire port in a distal shaft section distal of the proximal end of the shaft and typically spaced a substantial distance from the proximal end of the catheter, and a short guidewire lumen extending between the proximal and distal guidewire ports in the distal section of the catheter.
  • While the present invention is described herein in terms of certain preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and improvements may be made to the invention without departing from the scope thereof. Moreover, although individual features of one embodiment of the invention may be discussed herein or shown in the drawings of the one embodiment and not in other embodiments, it should be apparent that individual features of one embodiment may be combined with one or more features of another embodiment or features from a plurality of embodiments.

Claims (8)

1-18. (canceled)
19. A balloon for a catheter, formed by the process comprising wrapping a sheet of polymeric material to form a tubular body having a length, and forming a fused seam extending along at least a section of the length of the tubular body by heating at least a portion of the polymeric material with laser radiation.
20. A balloon for a catheter, comprising a tubular body of polymeric material having a fused seam, the polymeric material forming the fused seam being fully sintered and the polymeric material forming sections of the tubular body adjacent to the fused seam being not fully sintered.
21. The balloon of claim 20 wherein the polymeric material forming the sections of the tubular body adjacent to the fused seam is about 80% to less than 100% sintered.
22. The balloon of claim 21 wherein the polymeric material forming the fused seam is 100% sintered.
23. The balloon of claim 20 wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, expanded ultra high molecular weight polyolefin, expanded ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, porous ultra high molecular weight polyolefin, porous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, porous polyethylene, and porous polypropylene.
24. The balloon of claim 20 wherein the polymeric material is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and the tensile strength of the tubular body after the fused seam is formed is about 2000 psi to about 20,000 psi.
25. The balloon of claim 20 wherein the polymeric material is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and the polymeric material of the fused seam has a different crystal structure than the polymeric material of sections of the tubular body spaced apart from the fused seam.
US11/140,753 2002-05-13 2005-05-31 Method of making a catheter balloon by laser fusing wrapped material Abandoned US20050228427A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US11/140,753 US20050228427A1 (en) 2002-05-13 2005-05-31 Method of making a catheter balloon by laser fusing wrapped material

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/144,978 US6929768B2 (en) 2002-05-13 2002-05-13 Method of making a catheter balloon by laser fusing wrapped material
US11/140,753 US20050228427A1 (en) 2002-05-13 2005-05-31 Method of making a catheter balloon by laser fusing wrapped material

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/144,978 Division US6929768B2 (en) 2002-05-13 2002-05-13 Method of making a catheter balloon by laser fusing wrapped material

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20050228427A1 true US20050228427A1 (en) 2005-10-13

Family

ID=29400414

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/144,978 Expired - Lifetime US6929768B2 (en) 2002-05-13 2002-05-13 Method of making a catheter balloon by laser fusing wrapped material
US11/140,753 Abandoned US20050228427A1 (en) 2002-05-13 2005-05-31 Method of making a catheter balloon by laser fusing wrapped material

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/144,978 Expired - Lifetime US6929768B2 (en) 2002-05-13 2002-05-13 Method of making a catheter balloon by laser fusing wrapped material

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (2) US6929768B2 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20130048200A1 (en) * 2007-08-06 2013-02-28 Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc. Non-compliant medical balloon
US11213660B2 (en) * 2007-08-06 2022-01-04 Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc. Non-compliant medical balloon

Families Citing this family (25)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5868704A (en) * 1995-09-18 1999-02-09 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. Balloon catheter device
US20060271091A1 (en) * 1995-09-18 2006-11-30 Campbell Carey V Balloon catheter device
US7789908B2 (en) * 2002-06-25 2010-09-07 Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. Elastomerically impregnated ePTFE to enhance stretch and recovery properties for vascular grafts and coverings
US7195638B1 (en) * 2002-12-30 2007-03-27 Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. Catheter balloon
US6841029B2 (en) * 2003-03-27 2005-01-11 Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. Surface modification of expanded ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (eUHMWPE) for improved bondability
US7806922B2 (en) 2004-12-31 2010-10-05 Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. Sintered ring supported vascular graft
US20060149366A1 (en) * 2004-12-31 2006-07-06 Jamie Henderson Sintered structures for vascular graft
US7857843B2 (en) * 2004-12-31 2010-12-28 Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. Differentially expanded vascular graft
US7691224B2 (en) * 2005-10-28 2010-04-06 Weller Kip D Thermal bonding method
US7678223B2 (en) * 2006-04-17 2010-03-16 Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. Catheter having a multi-section tubular member and method of making the same
US7785290B2 (en) * 2006-08-07 2010-08-31 Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc. Non-shortening high angle wrapped balloons
US20080140173A1 (en) * 2006-08-07 2008-06-12 Sherif Eskaros Non-shortening wrapped balloon
US9180279B2 (en) 2006-08-07 2015-11-10 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. Inflatable imbibed polymer devices
US20080097374A1 (en) * 2006-08-07 2008-04-24 Korleski Joseph E Inflatable shaped balloons
US20080125711A1 (en) 2006-08-07 2008-05-29 Alpini Alfred A Catheter balloons with integrated non-distensible seals
US8460240B2 (en) * 2006-08-07 2013-06-11 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. Inflatable toroidal-shaped balloons
US20090048657A1 (en) * 2007-08-15 2009-02-19 Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. Preferentially varying-density ePTFE structure
GB2455340A (en) * 2007-12-07 2009-06-10 Lamina Dielectrics Ltd Laser bonding during cable sheath formation
DE102008043541A1 (en) * 2008-11-07 2010-05-12 Biotronik Vi Patent Ag catheter shaft
US9370643B2 (en) * 2011-06-23 2016-06-21 W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. High strength balloon cover
US10016579B2 (en) 2011-06-23 2018-07-10 W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. Controllable inflation profile balloon cover apparatus
US10808054B2 (en) * 2012-10-10 2020-10-20 Atrium Medical Corporation Self-bonding fluoropolymers and methods of producing the same
WO2015011700A1 (en) * 2013-07-22 2015-01-29 Renalsense Ltd. An unravelable catheter
US10668257B2 (en) * 2014-10-16 2020-06-02 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. Blow molded composite devices and methods
GB2581805B (en) * 2019-02-26 2021-11-03 Ridgway Machines Ltd Method of manufacturing reinforced pipe

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5454881A (en) * 1991-12-04 1995-10-03 Colorado Laser Marking, Inc. Method for marking thin walled tubes
US5718973A (en) * 1993-08-18 1998-02-17 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. Tubular intraluminal graft
US6120477A (en) * 1995-09-18 2000-09-19 Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc. Balloon catheter device
US6273911B1 (en) * 1999-04-22 2001-08-14 Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. Variable strength stent
US6395208B1 (en) * 1999-01-25 2002-05-28 Atrium Medical Corporation Method of making an expandable fluoropolymer device
US6620190B1 (en) * 1994-05-06 2003-09-16 Impra, Inc., A Subsidiary Of C.R. Bard, Inc. Radially expandable polytetrafluoroethylene
US20030180488A1 (en) * 2002-03-21 2003-09-25 Florencia Lim Catheter balloon formed of ePTFE and a diene polymer

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5454881A (en) * 1991-12-04 1995-10-03 Colorado Laser Marking, Inc. Method for marking thin walled tubes
US5718973A (en) * 1993-08-18 1998-02-17 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. Tubular intraluminal graft
US6620190B1 (en) * 1994-05-06 2003-09-16 Impra, Inc., A Subsidiary Of C.R. Bard, Inc. Radially expandable polytetrafluoroethylene
US6120477A (en) * 1995-09-18 2000-09-19 Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc. Balloon catheter device
US6395208B1 (en) * 1999-01-25 2002-05-28 Atrium Medical Corporation Method of making an expandable fluoropolymer device
US6273911B1 (en) * 1999-04-22 2001-08-14 Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. Variable strength stent
US20030180488A1 (en) * 2002-03-21 2003-09-25 Florencia Lim Catheter balloon formed of ePTFE and a diene polymer

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20130048200A1 (en) * 2007-08-06 2013-02-28 Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc. Non-compliant medical balloon
US8679276B2 (en) * 2007-08-06 2014-03-25 Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc. Non-compliant medical balloon
US20140166193A1 (en) * 2007-08-06 2014-06-19 Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc. Non-compliant medical balloon
US9339635B2 (en) * 2007-08-06 2016-05-17 Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc. Non-compliant medical balloon
US10226601B2 (en) * 2007-08-06 2019-03-12 Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc. Non-compliant medical balloon
US11213660B2 (en) * 2007-08-06 2022-01-04 Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc. Non-compliant medical balloon

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US6929768B2 (en) 2005-08-16
US20030211258A1 (en) 2003-11-13

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US20050228427A1 (en) Method of making a catheter balloon by laser fusing wrapped material
US7195638B1 (en) Catheter balloon
US7011646B2 (en) Balloon catheter having a balloon with a thickened wall portion
US6863757B1 (en) Method of making an expandable medical device formed of a compacted porous polymeric material
US7175607B2 (en) Catheter balloon liner with variable thickness and method for making same
US20060184111A1 (en) Method of making a catheter ballon using a tapered mandrel
US6902571B2 (en) Compacted catheter balloon and method of incremental compaction
EP2474336B1 (en) Balloon catheter shaft having high strength and flexibility and method of making same
US7981244B2 (en) Catheter balloon having impregnated balloon skirt sections
US20060136032A1 (en) Balloon catheter having a balloon with hybrid porosity sublayers
US6878329B2 (en) Method of making a catheter balloon using a polyimide covered mandrel
US7147817B1 (en) Method of making a low profile balloon
US9555224B2 (en) Reduced material tip for catheter and method of forming same
US20140358176A1 (en) Soft Tip Balloon Catheter
US6939321B2 (en) Catheter balloon having improved balloon bonding
US20040061261A1 (en) Method of making a catheter balloon using a heated mandrel

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION