Guidewire assembly and method of making
Guidewires having conductive elements are described where in one variation, the guidewire may be formed by disposing an insulative layer upon a surface of the guidewire core, and printing one or more conductive traces directly upon a surface of the insulative layer.
1. A guidewire assembly comprising:
a guidewire core having a distal end side that includes a smaller-diameter portion and a larger-diameter portion, the larger-diameter portion being located proximally with respect to the smaller-diameter portion,
a first insulative layer that is provided over the smaller-diameter portion and the larger-diameter portion,
a plurality of conductive traces that are each arranged on the first insulative layer and extend at least from the smaller-diameter portion to the larger-diameter portion,
a second insulative layer provided over the first insulative layer and the plurality of conductive traces; and
a sensor disposed on the smaller-diameter portion, wherein the sensor is electrically connected to the plurality of conductive traces at the distal end side, and at least one of the plurality of conductive traces includes a linear portion that extends along a lengthwise axis direction of the guidewire core and a spiral portion that is arranged spirally around the guidewire core.
2. The guidewire assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spiral portion is located proximally on the guidewire core relative to the linear portion.
3. The guidewire assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of conductive traces includes a linear portion that extends along the lengthwise axis direction of the guidewire core.
4. The guidewire assembly of claim 3 , wherein the linear portions of all of the plurality of conductive traces are arranged parallel to each other.
5. The guidewire assembly of claim 1 , wherein the linear portion extends continuously to the spiral portion.
6. The guidewire assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conductive traces extend from the smaller-diameter portion to a proximal end side of the guidewire core.
7. The guidewire assembly of claim 1 , wherein the linear portion is provided on the smaller-diameter portion.
8. The guidewire assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spiral portion extends from the smaller-diameter portion to the larger-diameter portion.