Granted Patent B2

US 12,611,321 · App. 17/902,310 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Inventor: Eran Goldberg (Nesher, IL)

Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

A61F2/9517A61F2/2439A61F2002/9583

Abstract

Claims (37)

1 . A delivery apparatus for an implantable medical device comprising:

a handle;

a shaft having a shaft proximal end portion and a shaft distal end portion, the shaft proximal end portion being coupled to the handle; and

a nosecone coupled to the shaft distal end portion, wherein the nosecone comprises a nosecone proximal end portion and a nosecone distal end portion pivotably coupled to the nosecone proximal end portion,

wherein the nosecone proximal end portion is distally disposed relative to a portion of the shaft configured to receive the implantable medical device therearound.

2 . The delivery apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the nosecone comprises a ball and socket joint coupling the nosecone proximal end portion to the nosecone distal end portion.

3 . The delivery apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the ball and socket joint comprises a ball disposed in a socket, wherein one of the nosecone proximal end portion and the nosecone distal end portion comprises the ball and the other of the nosecone proximal end portion and nosecone distal end portion comprises the socket.

4 . The delivery apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the nosecone proximal end portion comprises the socket and the nosecone distal end portion comprises the ball; and

wherein the nosecone distal end portion comprises a tapered end portion, and wherein the tapered end portion is coupled to the ball.

5 . The delivery apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the tapered end portion has a cavity and the ball has a projection, and wherein the cavity is configured to receive the projection such that the tapered end portion is connected to the ball.

6 . The delivery apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the ball has a cavity and the tapered end portion has a projection, and wherein the cavity is configured to receive the projection such that the ball is connected to the tapered end portion.

7 . The delivery apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the nosecone distal end portion comprises the socket and the nosecone proximal end portion comprises the ball; and

wherein the nosecone proximal end portion comprises a tapered end portion, wherein the tapered end portion is coupled to the ball.

8 . The delivery apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the nosecone proximal end portion has a ridge extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the nosecone proximal end portion.

9 . The delivery apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the ridge extends circumferentially around the outer surface of the nosecone proximal end portion.

10 . The delivery apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the shaft comprises a first shaft and the delivery apparatus comprises a second shaft extending over the first shaft, the second shaft comprising a delivery capsule along a distal end section thereof, wherein the delivery capsule is configured to retain the implantable medical device in a radially collapsed state for delivery into a patient, and wherein a distal end section of the delivery capsule is sized to extend over the nosecone proximal end portion.

11 . The delivery apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the distal end section of the delivery capsule abuts the ridge while extending over the nosecone proximal end portion.

12 . The delivery apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the nosecone proximal end portion and the nosecone distal end portion are rotatably coupled to each other.

13 . A delivery apparatus for an implantable medical device comprising:

a handle;

a shaft having a shaft proximal end portion and a shaft distal end portion, the shaft proximal end portion being coupled to the handle; and

a nosecone coupled to the shaft distal end portion, wherein the nosecone comprises a nosecone proximal end portion and a nosecone distal end portion pivotably coupled to the nosecone proximal end portion by a ball and socket joint, the ball and socket joint comprising a ball disposed in a socket, wherein the nosecone proximal end portion comprises the socket and the nosecone distal end portion comprises the ball.

14 . The delivery apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the nosecone proximal end portion comprises a first lumen and the nosecone distal end portion comprises a second lumen, and wherein the first and second lumens are sized to receive a guidewire therethrough.

15 . The delivery apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the shaft distal end portion extends into the first lumen and the nosecone proximal end portion, and wherein the nosecone proximal end portion is adhered, welded, molded, or a combination thereof, to the shaft distal end portion.

16 . The delivery apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first lumen comprises a first tapered lumen and the second lumen comprises a second tapered lumen, wherein the first tapered lumen and the second tapered lumen are proximate to and taper in opposite directions from one another; and

wherein the first tapered lumen and the second tapered lumen are configured to permit the first lumen and the second lumen to be in constant communication as the nosecone proximal end portion and the nosecone distal end portion pivot relative to each other.

17 . The delivery apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first lumen comprises a socket lumen, the first tapered lumen, and a shaft lumen, wherein the socket lumen is proximate to the first tapered lumen and the first tapered lumen is proximate to the shaft lumen; and

wherein the socket lumen, the first tapered lumen, and the shaft lumen each comprise an inner diameter, wherein the inner diameter of the socket lumen is greater than or equal to the inner diameter of the first tapered lumen, and the inner diameter of the first tapered lumen is greater than or equal to the inner diameter of the shaft lumen.

18 . The delivery apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the second lumen comprises the second tapered lumen and a distal end lumen; and

wherein the nosecone distal end portion comprises a tapered portion and the ball, and wherein the tapered portion comprises the distal end lumen and the ball comprises the second tapered lumen.

19 . An implantable medical device delivery assembly comprising:

a delivery apparatus comprising a handle, a nosecone, a first shaft, and a second shaft extending over the first shaft, the first shaft comprising a first shaft distal end portion and a first shaft proximal end portion coupled to the handle, the second shaft comprising a delivery capsule along a second shaft distal end section thereof, and the nosecone comprising a nosecone proximal end portion and a nosecone distal end portion pivotably coupled to the nosecone proximal end portion; and

an expandable implantable medical device mounted in a radially compressed configuration around the first shaft distal end portion and within the delivery capsule of the second shaft; and

wherein the nosecone distal end portion and the nosecone proximal end portion are pivotably coupled by a ball and socket joint comprising a ball disposed in a socket, wherein the nosecone distal end portion comprises the ball and the nosecone proximal end portion comprises the socket, and

wherein a distal end section of the delivery capsule is sized to extend over the nosecone proximal end portion.

20 . The delivery assembly of claim 19 , wherein the nosecone proximal end portion comprises an outer surface and an outer ridge, wherein the outer ridge extends outwardly from the outer surface and circumferentially around the nosecone proximal end portion, wherein the distal end section of the delivery capsule abuts the outer ridge while extending over the nosecone proximal end portion; and

wherein the outer ridge comprises a first outer circumference and the distal end section of the delivery capsule comprises a second outer circumference, wherein the first outer circumference is equal to or substantially equal to the second outer circumference such that the outer ridge and the distal end section of the delivery capsule form a continuous outer surface extending from the nosecone to the handle.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (366)