IMPROVED METHOD OF SOFT TIP FORMING

摘要

The present invention comprises a catheter and method of manufacture. The catheter includes an elongated core having a unitary lubricous liner and a reinforcement means. The lubricous liner defines at least one lumen. The lubricous liner has the reinforcement means over its outer diameter and fused to the lubricous liner. The reinforcement means 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 than 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 means, the distal end of the tip tube forming a rounded edge which overlaps the distal end of the lubricous liner by about .5 mm such that the distal end of the lubricous liner is not exposed.