Medical devices with a slotted tubular member having improved stress distribution

1. A medical device, comprising:

an elongate tubular member including a first circumferential tube segment, a second circumferential tube segment disposed next to the first circumferential tube segment, and a third circumferential tube segment disposed next to the second circumferential tube segment;

wherein the first tube segment and the second tube segment are separated by a first pair of opposed slots both formed in the tubular member at a first longitudinal position along the tubular member;

wherein the second tube segment and the third tube segment are separated by a second pair of opposed slots both formed in the tubular member at a second longitudinal position along the tubular member;

wherein each of the slots includes a first rounded region having a first width, a second rounded region having a second width the same as the first width, and a middle region between the first rounded region and the second rounded region having a third width smaller than the first width;

wherein the second tube segment is connected to the first tube segment with a proximally-extending beam having a first longitudinal axis and being formed in the tubular member;

wherein the second tube segment is also connected to the third tube segment with a distally-extending beam having a second longitudinal axis and being formed in the tubular member, wherein the first and second longitudinal axes are circumferentially offset from each other and wherein each of the first and second longitudinal axes intersects at least one beam and at least one slot;

wherein a ring is defined in the second tube segment between the proximally-extending beam and the distally-extending beam; and

wherein the ring has a first portion with a first width, a second portion with a second width different from the first width, and a third portion with a third width that is the same as the first width.

2. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a guidewire.

3. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a catheter.

4. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the tubular member includes a nickel-titanium alloy.

5. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the first tube segment includes a second ring that has a varying width.

6. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the third tube segment includes a third ring that has a varying width.

7. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the second tube segment includes one or more additional rings with a varying width.

8. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

9. The medical device of claim 8 , wherein the first portion is disposed adjacent the proximally-extending beam.

10. The medical device of claim 8 , wherein the first portion is disposed adjacent the distally-extending beam.

11. The medical device of claim 8 , wherein the first width is the largest width of the ring.

12. The medical device of claim 8 , wherein the second width is the smallest width of the ring.

13. The medical device of claim 8 , wherein the second portion is disposed a distance away from both the proximally-extending beam and the distally-extending beam.

14. The medical device of claim 13 , wherein the second portion is disposed midway between the proximally-extending beam and the distally-extending beam.

15. A medical device, comprising:

an elongate tubular member including a plurality of circumferential tube segments that are each defined between two longitudinally-adjacent sets of at least two slots each formed in the tubular member, the at least two slots of each set being disposed at a single longitudinal position along the tubular member;

wherein each slot includes a first rounded region having a first width, a second rounded region having a second width the same as the first width, and a middle region between the first rounded region and the second rounded region having a third width smaller than the first width;

wherein longitudinally-adjacent tube segments are connected together by flanking sets of beams that are disposed on opposite sides of each tube segment and that are circumferentially offset from one another;

wherein each tube segment includes one or more rings that are defined between a pair of beams on opposing sides of the tube segment; and

wherein at least one of the one or more rings has a varying width and has an hourglass shape, wherein each beam has a longitudinal axis extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongate tubular member, each beam axis extending through at least one slot, and wherein each beam has a varying height along its longitudinal axis from a first end to a second of the beam.

16. The medical device of claim 15 , wherein the ring having the varying width includes a first width and a second width, wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

17. The medical device of claim 16 , wherein the first width is the maximum width of the ring and the second width is the minimum width of the ring.

18. The medical device of claim 17 , wherein the first width is disposed adjacent one of the beams.

19. The medical device of claim 18 , wherein the second width is disposed midway between a proximally-extending beam and a distally-extending beam.

20. A slotted tubular member for use in a medical device, comprising:

a tubular member including a first circumferential tube segment, a second circumferential tube segment disposed next to the first circumferential tube segment, and a third circumferential tube segment disposed next to the second circumferential tube segment;

a first set of at least two slots defined in the tubular member and positioned between the first tube segment and the second tube segment at a first longitudinal position along the tubular member, each of the first set of at least two slots having a first rounded upper portion having a first width, a first rounded lower portion having the first width, and a first narrow portion between the first upper portion and the first lower portion having a second width smaller than the first width;

a second set of at least two slots defined in the tubular member and positioned between the second tube segment and the third tube segment at a first longitudinal position along the tubular member, each of the second set of at least two slots having a second rounded upper portion having the first width, a second rounded lower portion having the first width, and a second narrow portion between the second upper portion and the second lower portion having a second width smaller than the first width;

wherein a first beam is formed in the tubular member and extends between the first tube segment and the second tube segment;

wherein a second beam is formed in the tubular member and extends between the second tube segment and the third tube segment, wherein the second beam is circumferentially offset from the first beam;

wherein each of the first beam and the second beam has a longitudinal axis extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongate tubular member, each beam axis extending through at least one slot, and wherein each beam has a varying height along its longitudinal axis from a first end to a second of the beam;

wherein a ring is defined in the second tube segment between the first beam and the second beam;

wherein the ring is disposed between the first upper portion of one of the first set of at least two slots and the second lower portion of one of the second set of at least two slots;

wherein the ring has a varying width and has an hourglass shape.