Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric – Thermoelectric – Processes
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-21
2001-11-27
Gorgos, Kathryn (Department: 1741)
Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric
Thermoelectric
Processes
C136S228000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06323413
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexible tubular product with an interior lumen and a thermocouple imbedded in the wall of the product. Utilizing the disclosed methods of manufacture, tubular products can be manufactured with thin walls and outer diameters of only about 0.020 inches rendering the resulting microtubing suitable for use as a catheter component in medical applications. In some circumstances, the lumen may be filled with a guide wire or otherwise not be used for communication of fluids. The lumen may also be formed over a hypotube.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thermocouple temperature sensors require the junction of two dissimilar conductors. As utilized herein, a “thermoelement” is one conductor of a pair of dissimilar conductors which may be used to form a thermocouple. A “thermocouple pair” comprises two thermoelements made of different thermoelectric materials.
In many medical applications, it is desirable to place a thermocouple within a patient's body. Thermocouples can not only be used to measure temperatures during electrosurgical procedures and in other localized areas of a patient's body, but thermocouples can be used as a part of flow measurement devices and other metering systems to report on bodily functions.
In designing a medical apparatus, it is a continual goal to produce smaller and “smarter” instrumentation to permit greater flexibility in the performance of medical procedures. In addition, cost reduction is a goal in all manufacturing processes. Also, reducing the size and form factor of the resulting microtubing is a goal. Furthermore, the manufacture of other devices required time consuming hand assembly of components. The present invention allows for the manufacture of integrated single and multiple integrated thermocouples within the wall of a microtube.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a tubular type product with an open lumen suitable for use as a catheter with at least one thermocouple imbedded in the wall of the tubing. The inner diameter of the product will typically range from about 0.005 and 0.2 inches and the wall thickness will range from about 0.004 to 0.01 inches. The product is manufactured utilizing an automated continuous process which is preferable for products of small dimensions, and only a small amount of manual finishing work is required.
It is therefore a purpose of the invention to provide a smaller, more flexible, thinner walled catheter tube with an imbedded thermocouple than has heretofore been available.
It is another object of the invention to provide an automated manufacturing process for use in producing microtubing with an imbedded thermocouple.
It is yet another object of the invention to produce a flexible thermocouple less than about 0.1 inches in diameter, and preferably less than 0.09, 0.05, and 0.02 inches in diameter.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide at least one embodiment of a microtubing with multiple thermocouples imbedded in the tubing wall.
It is another objective of at least one embodiment to provide a single thermocouple in the wall that has been manufactured such that “backup” thermocouple joints exist such that if the primary joint should no longer be in contact, another nearby thermocouple joint takes effect.
Still another objective of at least one embodiment is to provide N thermocouples integrated into microtubing that are 360/N degrees apart (e.g, if N=2, the thermocouples are 180 degrees apart).
Another objective of one embodiment having multiple thermocouples is to provide multiple thermocouples that are evenly spaced apart from one another in a precise manner.
Another objective of one embodiment is to provide a thermocouple integrated microtubing in which a strain relief lead connection or reference junction does not occur on the microtubing itself. This may minimize the resulting complexity and profile of the microtubing.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a thermcouple integrated microtubing having a resulting time constant of less than about 100 milliseconds.
Another objective of an embodiment having multiple thermocouples is the use of a common negative lead wire in which N thermocouples result from N+1 wires.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in reviewing the features fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and drawings setting forth certain illustrative, but not exclusive, embodiments of the invention.
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Darby E. William
Roth Ronald B
Gorgos Kathryn
HV Technologies, Inc.
Miller & Martin LLP
Parsons Thomas H
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