1. An intravascular guide wire, comprising:
a wire core having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the wire core includes an inner core made of a first material that is a rhenium alloy at least partially covered by an outer shell made of a second material that is a nickel-titanium alloy;
a stainless steel proximal portion attached to the proximal end of the wire core;
a taper at the distal end of the wire core;
a coil disposed at the distal end of the wire core; and
a distal tip disposed at the distal end of the wire core.
2. The intravascular guide wire of claim 1, wherein the wire core is more flexible than the stainless steel proximal portion.
3. The intravascular guide wire of claim 1, wherein the second material includes an alloy selected from the group consisting of nickel-titanium, nickel-titanium-vanadium, nickel-titanium-niobium, nickel-titanium-chromium, nickel-titanium-palladium, nickel-titanium-platinum, or nickel-titanium-tantalum.
4. The intravascular guide wire of claim 1, wherein the taper includes a gradual reduction in a thickness of the outer shell to ultimately expose the inner core.
5. The intravascular guide wire of claim 1, wherein a modulus of elasticity of the first material is at least about 15\xd7106 psi greater than the modulus of elasticity of the second material.
6. The intravascular guide wire of claim 1, wherein an outside diameter of the inner core is about 15 to 40 percent of an outside diameter of the outer shell.
7. The intravascular guide wire of claim 1, wherein the first material is mechanically joined to the second material through a compressive force.
8. The intravascular guide wire of claim 1, wherein the outer shell has an outside diameter of about 0.008 to 0.0035 inch, and wherein an outside diameter of the inner core is about 15 to 40 percent of the outside diameter of the outer shell.
9. The intravascular guide wire of claim 1, wherein the rhenium alloy is tungsten-rhenium.
10. An intravascular guide wire, comprising:
a wire core having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the wire core includes an inner core made of a first material that is a rhenium alloy at least partially covered by and mechanically joined to an outer shell made of a second material that is a nickel-titanium alloy;
a stainless steel proximal portion attached to the proximal end of the wire core;
a taper at the distal end of the wire core, wherein the taper includes a portion of the inner core not covered by the outer shell and a portion covered by the outer shell;
a coil disposed at the distal end of the wire core;
a distal tip disposed at the distal end of the wire core; and
a polymer coating at least partially covering the wire core.
11. The intravascular guide wire of claim 10, wherein the outer shell is clad to the inner core.
12. The intravascular guide wire of claim 10, wherein the second material includes an alloy selected from the group consisting of nickel-titanium, nickel-titanium-vanadium, nickel-titanium-niobium, nickel-titanium-chromium, nickel-titanium-palladium, nickel-titanium-platinum, or nickel-titanium-tantalum.
13. The intravascular guide wire of claim 10, wherein the first material includes about 50 to 60 percent molybdenum and a remaining balance of rhenium.
14. The intravascular guide wire of claim 10, wherein the first material and the second material extend continuously from the tapered distal end of the wire core to the proximal end thereof.
15. The intravascular guide wire of claim 10, wherein the rhenium alloy is tungsten-rhenium.
16. The intravascular guide wire of claim 10, wherein the wire core has greater flexibility than the stainless steel proximal core portion.
17. A method for providing an intravascular guide wire, comprising:
providing a wire core having a distal end and a proximal end, and including
an inner core made of a first material that is a rhenium alloy;
an outer shell made of a second material that is a nickel-titanium alloy that at least partially covers the inner core;
compressing the inner core and the outer shell together to create a mechanical bond therebetween;
wherein the first material has a modulus of elasticity that is at least about 20 percent greater than a modulus of elasticity of the second material;
attaching a stainless steel proximal core portion to the proximal end of the wire core;
disposing a coil at the distal end of the wire core; and
disposing a ball tip at the distal end of the wire core.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein compressing the inner core and the outer shell together includes drawing the outer shell over the inner core.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the second material includes an alloy selected from the group consisting of nickel-titanium, nickel-titanium-vanadium, nickel-titanium-niobium, nickel-titanium-chromium, nickel-titanium-palladium, nickel-titanium-platinum, or nickel-titanium-tantalum.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises at least partially covering the outer shell with a polymer coating.
21. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises grinding the distal end of the wire core to create a tapered profile.
22. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises grinding a distal end of the outer shell creating a gradual taper that exposes the inner core.
23. The method of claim 17, wherein the wire core has greater flexibility than the stainless steel proximal core portion.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A method of making an electronic currency value available to a user, the method comprising the steps of:
verifying the identity of the user via a portable communications device;
identifying a currency value which is accessible to the user via the portable communications device.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of identifying a currency value requires prior verification of the user’s identity.
3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
storing the currency value in a storage medium provided in the portable communications device.
4. Apparatus for accessing electronic currency, the apparatus comprising:
user verification means for verifying the identity of a user;
data processing means for responding to user instructions;
means for communicating user instructions to the data processing means; and
a portable communications facility for sending and receiving data.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the user verification means comprises a biometrics recognition device.
6. Apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising data storage means for storing certificated electronic currency values.
7. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the data processing means includes means for encrypting andor decrypting data.
8. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the portable communications facility is connectable in data communication with a mobile telephony network.
9. Apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a local data communications facility.
10. A mobile communications device for allowing a user to access electronic currency, the device comprising:
user verification means for verifying the identity of a user;
data processing means for responding to user instructions;
means for communicating user instructions to the data processing means; and
a portable communications facility for sending and receiving data.
11. A mobile communications device according to claim 10, wherein the user verification means comprises a biometrics recognition device.
12. A mobile communications device according to claim 10, further comprising data storage means for storing certificated electronic currency values.
13. A mobile communications device according to claim 10, wherein the data processing means includes means for encrypting andor decrypting data.
14. A mobile communications device according to claim 10, wherein the portable communications facility is connectable in data communication with a mobile telephony network.
15. A method of securely storing electronic currency values, the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a biometrics identifier from a user;
generating a request for a certificated currency value;
sending the request to a certified currency issuer;
obtaining a certified currency value from the issuer;
encrypting the certified currency value in a manner dependent at least in part on the biometrics identifier; and
storing the encrypted certified currency value.