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:
Jun. 09, 1998
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1996
Applicant:
Inventors:
Robert Bley, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Glenn Kubacki, Cupertino, CA (US);
Assignee:
Johnson & Johnson Medical, Inc., Arlington, TX (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A61M / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
604164 ; 604264 ; 604272 ; 604280 ; 128772 ;
Abstract
The present invention describes a stylet that softens dramatically upon insertion into a living body with a temperature of about 37.degree. C. The stylet has a distal end and a proximal end. Upon insertion of the distal end into a living body, the distal end softens from a stiffness of about 78 Durometer Shore D units to 25 Durometer Shore D units in a preferred embodiment. Moreover, the proximal end of the stylet, which is not inserted into the living body, retains its stiffness to aid a physician or a nurse in inserting and placing the catheter and stylet assembly.