Balloon assemblies and valves for balloons have improved inflation capabilities. The inlet ends of the balloon valves are disrupted either with a slit or a portion of material removal to prevent the inlet end from being folded back into the valve passageway during insertion of an inflation probe. With the inlet end slit, the slit portions are readily folded back by the inflation probe, thus preventing potential blockage of the valve inlet.

A balloon in the shape of an apple when inflated, comprising an elastically expansible balloon having an opening for introducing a gas to inflate the balloon; an anchor wrapped at least partially by an external portion of the balloon; a valve secured to the balloon at the opening, the valve having a first end extending outwardly from the balloon and a second end extending inwardly within the balloon, the valve having a circumferential wall defining a first through aperture for introducing gas to...

Dilatation balloons and catheters including same are provided. The balloons are fabricated of a material such as a nylon or a polyamide material, and they have an inflated, non-distended working profile as well as a stretched inflated profile which is achieved by applying pressure through a dilatation catheter or the like that is in excess of that needed to achieve the inflated, non-distended profile and which is adequate to effect dilatation or the like up to a maximum pre-bursting pressure app...

An inflatable ballon including an elastically expansible material formed into a closed shape so as to define an expansible chamber therein, the material having an inflation opening for supplying a pressurized gas thereto so as to inflate the material; an upper eye unit having an upper portion and a lower portion partially depressed into a top portion of the material substantially opposite to the inflation opening so that the top portion of the material surrounds the lower portion of the upper ey...

A toy gun can be equipped with a specially configured ram for firing air-filled or water-filled balloons. The forward surface of the ram has a hemi-spheric contour, so that the ram has extensive surface area engagement with the balloon rear surface. When the ram is fired forwardly the balloon is subjected to relatively low unit area acceleration forces, so that the balloon has a lessened likelihood of rupture or excessive deformation.

A polymeric heat shrinkable tubular sheath for mounting about a balloon on a dilatation catheter by heat treating at a temperature which does not detrimentally effect the properties of the balloon to shrink the sheath onto the balloon. The tubular sheath is preferably heated to a temperature above body temperature, e.g. 40<100.degree. C., preferably less than 85.degree. C., to heat shrink the sheath onto the balloon. A presently preferred polymeric material is a copolymer of ethylene(75%) and...

Angioplasty and related medical dilatation balloons are molded from a polyurethane in which the "soft" segment is a minor segment by weight and the "hard" segment is the major segment by weight and which polyurethane has a hardness of at least 75D and a glass transition temperature of more than about 38.degree. C. The balloons can be integrally molded on one end of a catheter fabricated from the above type of polyurethane. Alternatively, the balloon is formed from polyurethane of the above type ...

A method of producing laminated inflatable, substantially inextensible expander members having composite properties enhancing their use on intravascular catheters, such as angioplasty catheters is described. Diverse polymeric compounds of differing properties are coextruded to create a multilayer parison. The parison is subsequently drawn and expanded in a blow molding operation to yield an expander member exhibiting enhanced properties including lubricity, burst-strength, limited radial expansi...

A holding device for inflatable balloons or the like which have a balloon envelope and a filling connection has a holding part which has clamping means for the airtight clamping off of the filling connection of the balloon after its inflation. The holding part has the shape of a bowl (2; 2') which is open towards the balloon (1), and the clamping means comprise a groove (6, 7; 6', 7') which is formed in the circumferential wall of the bowl (2; 2') and passes through said circumferential wall, th...

An apparatus and process are described for turning inside out (i.e. everting) a part of the neck (7) of a balloon (5). The apparatus essentially comprises an elongate mandrel (1) which is tapered at one end so that is can be inserted into the neck (7) of the balloon (5), and pressure applying means (3), which in use press a portion of the neck (7) against the inserted mandrel (1). The neck (7) is everted simply by a reciprocating motion of the mandrel (1) relative to the pressure applying means ...