Medtronic, Inc.

Michael C Riopel

John B Horrigan

The present invention comprises a catheter method of manufacture. The method includes the provision of a subassembly of a lubricious liner and reinforcement. Over the subassembly, a shaft tube, transition tube, and soft tip tube are placed in an abutting relationship to each other, forming an assembly. A first tube of heat shrink is advanced over the assembly, heat is applied to fuse the assembly, and the first heat shrink is removed. Subsequently, the soft tip of the catheter is shaped using a second tube of heat shrink, which is placed over the distal end of the assembly. Heat is applied to the second heat shrink to cause the tip material to flow and to draw the tip material over the distal end of the lubricious liner. The second heat shrink is removed, completing the catheter manufacture.

Method of soft tip forming

The present invention comprises a catheter and method of manufacture. The catheter includes an elongated core having a unitary lubricous liner and a reinforcement. The lubricous liner defines at least one lumen. The lubricous liner has the reinforcement over the its outer diameter and fused to the lubricous liner. The reinforcement terminates proximal to the distal end of the lubricous liner. The catheter also has an elongated shaft tube which defines a shaft tube lumen. The shaft tube lumen is sized to receive the core, the core which extends longitudinally through the shaft tube lumen. The shaft tube is fused to the core. The catheter also has an elongated transition tube which defines a transition tube lumen. The transition tube lumen is sized to receive the core which extends longitudinally through the transition tube lumen. The distal end of the shaft tube is fused to the proximal end of the transition tube. The transition tube is made of softer material than the shaft tube and is fused to the core. The catheter further includes an elongated tip tube made of softer material then the transition tube. The tip tube defines a tip tube lumen sized to receive the core which extends longitudinally throughout the tip tube lumen. The distal end of the transition tube is fused to the proximal end of the tip tube. The tip tube is fused to the core distal to the distal end of the reinforcement, the distal end of the tip tube forming a rounded edge which overlaps the distal end of the lubricous liner by about 0.5 mm such that the distal end of the lubricous liner is not exposed.

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Ipswich, MA, United States of America

Michael C Riopel