Optical window for an intracorporeal device

Abstract

Optical windows for intracorporeal devices, intracorporeal devices comprising a window and a method for forming a window for an intracorporeal device are provided. The method comprises placing within a mold an assembly comprising a mandrel located within a pair of parts separated by a collar of window material, heating the window preform effective to cause the window material to soften, and applying force to urge together the pair of parts to deform the window material so as to form a window. The intracorporeal devices, such as imaging devices, include guidewires, catheters, endoscopes. In addition, the method is suitable for joining plastic parts to other parts, such as metal and ceramic parts.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This is a divisional application of co-pending parent application having U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 025,334, filed Dec. 18, 2001, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for manufacturing an optical window for an intracorporeal device that provides functional access to a body lumen, and to methods for joining parts together. In particular, the invention is directed to methods and apparatus for making an optical window for an imaging guidewire, catheter, or endoscope. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Intracorporeal devices are devices suitable for introduction into a patient's body, for example, into a body lumen of a patient. Many clinical procedures require the insertion of wires, tubes, probes or other objects into a body lumen of a patient. For example, guidewires and catheters may be used for gaining access to the coronary vascu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] The invention includes methods for forming a window for an intracorporeal device, comprising placing an assembly with a window preform at least partially within a mold, softening the window preform, and applying force. In some embodiments, softening the window preform may be accomplished by heating the window preform. The assembly includes a proximal tubular member, a distal member, a window preform, and a mandrel. A window preform is disposed between the proximal tubular member and the distal member. A window preform may flow when desired, and may be made, at least in part, of a material that softens when its temperature is raised. The softened window preform material may be deformed onto proximal and distal portions of an intracorporeal device, which portions may be configured so as to contact, engage or grip the window perform or formed window. The assembly has a longitudinal axis, and the mandrel is disposed along the longitudinal axis at least partially within the proximal tubular member, the window preform, and the distal member. The step of raising the temperature of the window preform may be effective to soften the window preform. The step of applying force is effective to urge together the proximal tubular member and the distal member, and is effective to deform the window preform so as to form a window or to join separate parts together. In other embodiments, the window preform is made, at least in part, of a material that hardens upon warming, exposure to light, or other treatment.

[0018] The invention also provides methods for joining a plastic part with a tubular member. Such methods include placing at least partially within a mold an assembly comprising a tubular member, a mandrel and a plastic preform that softens when heated; softening the plastic preform; and applying force effective to urge together the tubular member and the plastic preform effective to deform the plastic preform and to join the plastic preform to the tubular member. In some embodiments, the plastic preform may be softened by heating.

[0021] It is preferred that the window absorb, reflect or scatter as little light as possible. The windows of the present invention are very thin, so that light will pass through most polymers, resins, and other materials suited for such windows, without excessive attenuation. Light is reflected at boundaries at which the index of refractance changes. Such light reflectance at each surface (both inner and outer surfaces) may be a major source of loss of light entering the window. Such losses due to reflectance at interface boundaries may be reduced or eliminated by using materials with indices of refraction similar to that of the material adjacent the interface. Thus, losses due to reflectance at the outer interface boundary may be reduced or eliminated by using materials with indices of refractance similar to that of the blood or plasma that will surround the window during use. For this reason, a window comprising a polymer or resin with an index of refraction between 1.3 to 1.4, preferably very near to 1.34 will have reduced or negligible losses due to reflectance at the outer window interface. Similarly, filling the space between the fiber-optic assembly and the inner face of the window (where the window's index of refraction is matched to blood or plasma) with saline or other solution with an index of refractance similar to blood or plasma, losses at the inner window surface would also be reduced.

[0023] The novel methods disclosed herein avoid problems associated with conventional methods. Instead of press fitting an extruded window over formed guidewire ends to cause undesired expansion of the extruded window, the novel methods of the invention provide for deformation of a window preform softened by an increase in temperature, effective to form a window that is dimensioned within desired tolerances and without the need for excess window material that must be cleanly removed by some other operation. The methods of the present invention avoid problems of improper flow speed and of too-rapid cooling within the mold by the placement of the window preform in position within the mold before application of heat to soften it, so that no rapid flowing of melted plastic occurs, and there is no problem of cooling during flow of melted plastic.

Problems solved by technology

A window made of brittle material may break and shatter if it fails, leading to the dispersion of broken window shards within a body lumen if such failure occurs during a clinical procedure.

Such materials are thus unacceptable in devices designed for use within a body lumen.

Conventional techniques for forming and attaching windows have been found to be difficult and unsuccessful.

Use of rods to connect two parts of a guidewire or other intracorporeal imaging device across a window blocks visual access and interferes with the imaging function of a window.

The extremely small dimensions of the window components makes conventional molding, extrusion molding, injection molding and insert molding processes difficult and costly to use in making a window for these intracorporeal devices, and such methods only provide a low likelihood of success.

For example, the small outer diameter of a guidewire makes it extremely difficult to use conventional methods to successfully press fit an extruded window over the formed guidewire mating ends.

Conventional attempts to expand or drill out the inner diameter of the window tubing to obtain a fit present problems with alignment, obtaining tooling and maintaining low enough tolerances to make a good bond of either desired type.

Additionally, the tolerances associated with extrusion (typically + / −0.001″) would require that the average cross-sectional area of the window wall be significantly lower than the maximum cross-section possible within its dimensional constraints, so that, with prior art methods, the strength and utility of the window could be impaired.

Conventional methods for bonding the ends of the window with an adhesive so as to mate appropriately with the proximal and distal portions of a guidewire or catheter suffer from similar disadvantages as other conventional methods.

However, with such conventional techniques, while forcing melted plastic into a mold, at least a portion of the melted plastic would cool significantly while flowing into the mold.

However, such rapid, high pressure flow would damage or warp the mold pin forming the inner diameter of the window.

Attempting to balance the molding forces by having more than one plastic entrance into the mold requires a more complex and expensive mold.

This method suffers from disadvantages due to the low volume of plastic in the window, and the uncertainty involved in timing the plastic flow's entry into the cavity.

Additionally, molds and equipment of this type are very expensive.

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