Appeal No. 1998-1789
Application No. 08/473,129
by terminating the distal end of the fibers short of the end
of the catheter, that is, inside the catheter. In the
embodiments of Figures 8-11, the tip of the catheter also is
provided with elements that are held within the catheter
during insertion into the vessel, and which are extended
radially outwardly of the catheter when the tip of the
catheter is in the vessel. In Figure 8 this comprises an
annular sleeve, in Figure 9, a plurality of fingers, in Figure
10, a plurality of wire-supported wings, and in Figure 11, a
balloon. These elements also act as an obstruction to blood
flow to generate a force on the tip of the catheter in the
direction of flow, thereby “flow directing” the catheter along
the path of flow (column 4, lines 1-57). There is no explicit
teaching in Johnson that the radially extending elements touch
the wall of the vessel, although it would appear that they do
at least at some time during the operation of the catheter.
There are two structural requirements in claim 1 that in
our view are not disclosed or taught by Johnson. The first is
that claim 1 recites tip immobilizing means which “maintain
the tip of the catheter in a spaced relationship from a blood
vessel wall and prevent the tip of the catheter from
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