US 11,850,378 B2
Steerable intra-luminal medical device
Daniel H. Kim, Houston, TX (US); Dong Suk Shin, Houston, TX (US); and Viljar Palmre, Pearland, TX (US)
Assigned to BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM, Austin, TX (US)
Filed by BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM, Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Feb. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/792,755.
Application 16/792,755 is a division of application No. 15/562,690, granted, now 10,960,182, previously published as PCT/US2017/016513, filed on Feb. 3, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/292,064, filed on Feb. 5, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0197666 A1, Jun. 25, 2020
Int. Cl. A61M 25/01 (2006.01); A61L 29/04 (2006.01); A61M 25/09 (2006.01); A61M 25/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 25/0158 (2013.01) [A61L 29/041 (2013.01); A61M 25/0009 (2013.01); A61M 25/0113 (2013.01); A61M 25/09041 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0042 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0058 (2013.01); A61M 2025/09133 (2013.01); A61M 2025/09175 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for preparing an ionic electroactive polymer actuator of a medical device in tubular shape, comprising:
providing a polymer electrolyte layer having an exterior wall;
providing a mixture of a carbon-based conductive powder in a volatile solvent;
providing a plurality of electrically-conductive conduits, each having a proximal end and a distal end;
disposing the mixture on the exterior wall of the polymer electrolyte layer to form a carbon electrode layer thereon;
contacting the distal end of each electrically-conductive conduit to the carbon electrode layer;
providing a heat-shrink tube;
covering the polymer electrolyte layer and the carbon electrode layer thereon with the heat-shrink tube; and
heating the heat-shrink tube to cause reflow of the polymer electrolyte layer to form the ionic electroactive polymer actuator.