US 12,409,606 B2
Additive manufacturing for medical devices
Thomas A. Wong, Maple Grove, MN (US); Timothy M. Ramos, Blaine, MN (US); William J. Clemens, Fridley, MN (US); Kristin M. Johnson, Circle Pines, MN (US); Gregory N. Nesseth, Forest Lake, MN (US); Ryan E. Begley, Minneapolis, MN (US); Scott N. Tuominen, Columbia Heights, MN (US); Elyssa M. Edgeton, Andover, MN (US); and Dina L. Williams, Andover, MN (US)
Assigned to Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Jul. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/219,939.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/388,049, filed on Jul. 11, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0009925 A1, Jan. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. B29C 64/321 (2017.01); B29C 64/118 (2017.01); B29C 64/295 (2017.01); B29C 64/40 (2017.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/321 (2017.08) [B29C 64/118 (2017.08); B29C 64/295 (2017.08); B29C 64/40 (2017.08); B29L 2031/7542 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An additive manufacturing system for producing a medical catheter or lead, the system comprising:
a heating cartridge extending from a proximal side to a distal side and comprising a substrate inlet port at the proximal side and a substrate outlet port at the distal side, the heating cartridge defining an interior volume and a substrate channel extending through the interior volume from the proximal side to the distal side, wherein the heating cartridge defines a first filament port in fluid communication with the interior volume to receive a first filament;
a heating element thermally coupled to the heating cartridge to heat the interior volume;
a filament handling system comprising one or more motors to feed at least the first filament through the first filament port into the interior volume;
a substrate handling system comprising:
a clamp configured to secure a distal portion of an elongate substrate, wherein the substrate is positioned to pass through the substrate channel when secured by the clamp, wherein the clamp comprises a sleeve and a collar, and wherein the elongate substrate extends through the sleeve and the collar is configured to compress the sleeve on the elongate substrate, and
one or more motors to move one or both of the substrate when secured by the clamp and the heating cartridge relative to one another; and
a controller operably coupled to the heating element, one or more motors of the filament handling system, and one or more motors of the substrate handling system, the controller configured to:
activate the heating element to melt any portion of the first filament in the interior volume;
control the one or more motors of the filament handling system to selectively control the feeding of the first filament into the interior volume; and
control one or more motors of the substrate handling system to move one or both of the substrate and the heating cartridge relative to one another in at least a longitudinal direction to form a printed jacket around the substrate, wherein the printed jacket comprises material from the first filament.
 
12. A method for additive manufacturing of a medical catheter or lead, the method comprising:
securing a substrate via a clamp, wherein the clamp comprises a sleeve and a collar, and wherein the substrate extends through the sleeve and the collar is configured to compress the sleeve on the substrate;
feeding the substrate through a substrate channel in a heating cartridge, the substrate channel in fluid communication with an interior cavity of the heating cartridge;
feeding at least a first filament through a filament port into the interior cavity;
melting the first filament in the interior cavity; and
moving the heating cartridge relative to the substrate at least in a longitudinal direction to form a printed jacket comprising material from at least the first filament.