US 12,324,887 B2
Microminiature patterned metal on medical grade balloons
Craig A. Ingalls, Burnsville, MN (US); David R. Kaar, Minneapolis, MN (US); and Ross William Peterson, Ramsey, MN (US)
Assigned to Professional Plating Inc., Anoka, MN (US)
Filed by Professional Plating Inc., Anoka, MN (US)
Filed on Apr. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/132,855.
Application 18/132,855 is a continuation of application No. 16/540,225, filed on Aug. 14, 2019, granted, now 11,690,982.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/719,042, filed on Aug. 16, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0241362 A1, Aug. 3, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C23C 14/14 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/25 (2021.01); A61B 18/18 (2006.01); A61M 25/10 (2013.01); C23C 14/04 (2006.01); C23C 14/20 (2006.01); C23C 14/34 (2006.01); C23C 14/54 (2006.01); C23C 14/56 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 25/1029 (2013.01) [A61B 5/25 (2021.01); A61B 5/6853 (2013.01); C23C 14/042 (2013.01); C23C 14/20 (2013.01); C23C 14/34 (2013.01); C23C 14/54 (2013.01); C23C 14/56 (2013.01); A61M 2025/1031 (2013.01); A61M 2025/1075 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A balloon for a medical grade device to be deployed within a human body, comprising:
flexible polymer tubing including a proximal tubing portion and a distal tubing portion each having a tubing outer diameter and a tubing wall thickness; a balloon disposed between the proximal tubing portion and the distal tubing portion, the
balloon being formed continuously from the polymer tubing with the proximal and distal tubing portions, the balloon having a balloon outer diameter of no greater than 50 mm and which is at least 1.5 times the tubing outer diameter, the balloon having a balloon wall thickness which is thinner than the tubing wall thickness, so as to be stretchable radially outward when pressure is increased inside the balloon relative to outside the balloon, and
a patterned metal layer on the balloon, the patterned metal layer being deposited on the balloon by physical vapor deposition through a stencil mask without deforming or degrading the polymer material of the balloon, the patterned metal layer covering less than two thirds of the balloon and having a metal layer thickness of no greater than about 4 μm, the patterned metal layer includes a plurality of layers comprising a bottom layer of titanium, a middle layer selected from palladium and silver, and an upper layer of gold.
 
15. A method of forming a balloon with a metal pattern thereon for a medical grade device to be deployed within a human body, the method comprising:
providing a balloon formed from flexible polymer tubing between a proximal tubing portion and a distal tubing portion, each of the proximal and distal tubing portions having a tubing outer diameter and a tubing wall thickness, the balloon having a balloon outer diameter which is larger than the tubing outer diameter, the balloon having a balloon wall thickness which is thinner than the tubing wall thickness, so as to be stretchable radially outward when pressure is increased inside the balloon relative to outside the balloon, the balloon having an external surface area;
inflating the balloon within a stencil mask, the stencil mask being rigid relative to the balloon, the inflation causing the balloon to increase in volume from a smaller volume to a constant interior volume of the stencil mask and such that a first portion of the balloon's external surface area is in intimate contact with an inside of the stencil mask and a second portion of the balloon's external surface area is exposed through one or more openings in the stencil mask; and
depositing a patterned metal layer on the balloon by physical vapor deposition through the stencil mask while the balloon is inflated within the stencil mask, such that the patterned metal layer covers the second portion of the balloon's external surface area.