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:
Sep. 22, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1997
Sorin Adrian, Penn Valley, PA (US);
Medelex, Inc., Penn Valley, PA (US);
Abstract
An acoustic ablation catheter driven by a rotating shaft (18) includes a rotary-to-axial-motion converter (210), which includes a rotary driver (220, 420) in the form of a shell (222, 422) defining an inner surface (228, 428) which features a depressed groove (230, 330, 430). A follower (250, 490, 724) includes protuberance(s) (254, 494) which extend radially outward to engage the groove. This arrangement provides higher frequency response than some prior-art arrangements, and has the advantage of lesser diameter. In a particular embodiment, the shell (422) is made up of a cylinder (422) with a smooth interior, together with two end pieces (470, 480) which have axially-directed bumps or teeth (472, 482) which together define the guide path (330, 430). In a particular embodiment of the invention, the body (12) of the catheter (10) is made from a braided tube impregnated with a cured liquid, such as polymer. The body of the catheter is made by braiding threads to form a tube, expanding the tube to fit over a mandrel having the shape of the body of the catheter, impregnating the braided tube with uncured liquid polymer, vacuum bagging the impregnated tube and the mandrel, and curing the impregnant.