The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 30, 1985
Filed:
Aug. 08, 1983
Robert A Van Tassel, Minnetonka, MN (US);
Mark A Rydell, Excelsior, MN (US);
Gilmore T Schjeldahl, Minnetonka, MN (US);
Angiomedics Corporation, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A catheter for insertion in a body orifice or blood vessel comprising an elongated tubular body with a soft, symmetrically deformable member on the distal end thereof for decreasing the likelihood of injury to body tissue upon the insertion and removal thereof. In one embodiment, the tip member comprises a toroidally shaped inflatable and non-distensible expandable 'balloon' mounted on the end of the otherwise relatively rigid tip of the catheter. The catheter has a lumen extending the length thereof and communicating with the tip member whereby a fluid may be introduced to control the size, shape and firmness of the tip member. In a second embodiment, the soft deformable tip member comprises an annular plastic or rubber sleeve surrounding the otherwise rigid tip of the catheter and normally extending there beyond by a predetermined distance. The thickness or composition of the sleeve is varied about a circumferential ring so as to provide a preferred location for the collapse of the sleeve.