Method and apparatus for producing steerable coated guidewires and the steerable guidewires produced thereby
US6371929B1 · kind B1 · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 26, 2000 |
| Grant date | Apr 16, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 26, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB29L2031/7542
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Method and apparatus for producing steerable coated guidewires and the steerable guidewires produced thereby. The steerable coated guidewire has an inner wire member having a constant outer diameter over a major segment thereof and a tapered outer decreasing diameter over a minor segment thereof and a coating adhered to the inner wire member. The coating has a constant outer diameter such that the coated steerable guidewire has a constant outer diameter. The diameter decreases preferably in a linear manner over the length of the minor segment from a maximum diameter Dmax to a minimum diameter Dmin. The apparatus for producing the guidewires has an extrusion device having an extruder cross-head through which the coated wire advances, preferably a caterpillar haul-off machine for advancing the wire at a haul-off rate controlled by a processor generated control signal, a programmable microprocessor for generating haul-off/take-off control signals, the controlled haul-off rate thereby causing the wire to be coated with variable thickness coating such that the outer diameter of the resulting steerable coated guidewire is substantially constant.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.