Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc.

Richard W Cobean

Lawrence F Becker

Michael F Wicnienski

Gary Feldman

A thermoplastic member such as a length of tubing for forming a catheter balloon is sealed by radiant heat to a thermoplastic shaft of a medical device such as a Foley catheter. Radiant heat is supplied as a narrow annular band by an apparatus which also automatically locates portions of the shaft at the narrow annular band. A length of shrink tubing is placed over the balloon tubing and adjoining portions of the shaft, is then preshrunk while at that location, and is further shrunk therearound and is subjected to radiant heat by the apparatus in order to seal the balloon tubing onto the shaft and complete assembly of a balloon catheter. It is especially preferred that the shrink tubing be tinted so as to enhance the seal formed beneath the shrink tubing.

Apparatus for radiant heat sealing of balloon onto catheter shaft

Apparatus for applying a radiant beam against an opaque diaphragm (18) to melt an aperture in the diaphragm (18). Bracket means (12) are provided for positioning the diaphragm (18) at a predetermined position, along with a source of the radiant beam (20) and electric circuit means (21) for activating the source (20). Photocell means (52) may be positioned whereby a properly positioned diaphragm (18) initially shades the photocell (52) from the beam, and the beam strikes the photocell (52) when the aperture is formed. Means are provided to shut off the radiant beam responsive to the beam striking the photocell (52). The photocell (52) may be positioned in a pivotable switch arm (46), and the radiant beam source (20) may be a special filament-type light bulb (20) with a focusing reflector (24).

Apparatus for applying radiant beam

Lengths of tubing, especially that type of tubing suitable for use in medical equipment and devices, are weakly bound into a coil shape in order to facilitate handling and storage thereof while at the same time placing the tubing into a form that will make the full length thereof readily available by merely applying a slight pulling force to the ends of the coiled tubing. The solvent is applied in a very narrow uninterrupted stream, which stream tracks along one or more locations on a length of tubing that has been wound around a mandrel, which stream is dispensed by a mechanism that simultaneously carries out such tracking in a manner that is synchronized automatically with the dispensing of the stream and without the need for separate control mechanisms with the result that the tracking and dispensing are carried out at substantially the same ratio, with the same general consistency or inconsistency of travel, to the extent that the amount of solvent dispensed per turn of the coil is inherently uniform.

Apparatus and method for solvent adhesion of coiled tubing, and product

A thermoplastic member such as a length of tubing for forming a catheter balloon is positioned on the thermoplastic shaft of a medical device. A length of shrink tubing is placed over each end of the balloon tubing and adjoins a portion of the shaft. Each length of shrink tubing may then be preshrunk to maintain its position. The shaft, balloon tubing, and shrink tubing are then inserted in an apparatus capable of supplying radiant heat in a narrow annular band. The apparatus automatically positions each portion of the shaft and balloon tubing covered by shrink tubing at a location at which it will intercept the narrow annular band of radiant heat. Radiant heat is supplied by the apparatus to cause further shrinkage of the shrink tubing and to seal the balloon tubing onto the shaft. The shrink tubing may be removed to complete the assembly of a balloon catheter. It is preferred that the shrink tubing be tinted so as to enhance the seal formed between the balloon tubing and the shaft.

Growing community of inventors

Libertyville, IL, United States of America

Richard W Cobean