1. A balloon catheter, comprising:
a) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least a first lumen; and
b) a balloon on a distal shaft section, having an interior in fluid communication with the first lumen, a proximal end, a distal end, a length extending from the proximal to the distal end of the balloon, and having at least a first layer with a first section, and with a second section longitudinally adjacent to the first section and extending at least in part along a central portion of the length of the balloon, the first layer second section being longitudinally compacted by more than the first layer first section, so that in a noninflated configuration prior to inflation of the balloon the second section has a lower porosity than the first section.
2. The balloon catheter of claim 1 wherein the balloon has a proximal skirt section secured to the shaft, a distal skirt section secured to the shaft, an inflatable working section, an inflatable proximal section which inflates to a tapered configuration and which is between the proximal skirt section and the inflatable working section, and an inflatable distal section which inflates to a tapered configuration and which is between the distal skirt section and the inflatable working section, and the second section of the first layer is located at the inflatable working section of the balloon.
3. The balloon catheter of claim 2 wherein the first section of the first layer is located at the inflatable proximal section of the balloon.
4. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the second section of the first layer is longitudinally compacted by more than a section of the first layer located at the inflatable distal section of the balloon.
5. The balloon catheter of claim 4 wherein the sections of the first layer located at the inflatable proximal and distal sections of the balloon are longitudinally compacted by more than sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal skirt sections of the balloon.
6. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the second section of the first layer has a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 60% of the section’s pre-longitudinal compaction length.
7. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the section of the first layer located at the inflatable proximal section has a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 40% of the section’s pre-longitudinal compaction length.
8. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the section of the first layer located at the inflatable distal section has a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 40% of the section’s pre-longitudinal compaction length.
9. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal skirt sections each have a longitudinal compaction of about 0% to about 30% of the section’s pre-longitudinal compaction length.
10. The balloon catheter of claim 1 wherein the sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal skirt sections are not longitudinally compacted.
11. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the inflatable proximal section extending between the proximal skirt section and the working length has an inflated length of about 1 to about 5 mm.
12. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the inflatable distal section extending between the distal skirt section and the working length has an inflated length of about 1 to about 5 mm.
13. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the distal skirt section has a length of about 1 to about 5 mm, and the proximal skirt section has a length of about 1 to about 5 mm.
14. The balloon catheter of claim 2 wherein the second section of the first layer has a porosity about 0 to about 40% lower than a porosity of the sections of the first layer located at the inflatable proximal and distal sections of the balloon.
15. The balloon catheter of claim 2 wherein the second section of the first layer has a lower porosity than the sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal skirt sections of the balloon.
16. The balloon catheter of claim 2 wherein the sections of the first layer located at the inflatable proximal and distal sections have a lower porosity than the sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal skirt sections.
17. The balloon catheter of claim 16 wherein the section of the first layer located at the inflatable proximal and distal sections each have a porosity about 10 to about 30% lower than the sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal skirt sections.
18. The balloon catheter of claim 1 wherein the first layer of the balloon is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, ultra high molecular weight polyolefin, porous polyolefin, and porous polyurethane.
19. The balloon catheter of claim 18 wherein the balloon includes a second layer formed of an elastomeric material, which extends from the proximal skirt section to the distal skirt section, and which is secured to the first layer.
20. A balloon catheter, comprising:
a) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least a first lumen; and
b) a balloon on a distal shaft section, having an interior in fluid communication with the first lumen, a proximal end, a distal end, and at least a first layer formed of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, the first layer in a noninflated configuration having an inflatable central section between the proximal and distal ends of the balloon with a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 60%, an inflatable proximal section proximal to the central section with a longitudinal compaction less than the first layer inflatable central section and which inflates to a tapered configuration, an inflatable distal section distal to the central section with a longitudinal compaction less than the first layer inflatable central section and which inflates to a tapered configuration, a proximal skirt section secured to the shaft, and a distal skirt section secured to the shaft.
21. The balloon catheter of claim 20 wherein the longitudinal compaction of the inflatable proximal section and the inflatable distal section of the first layer is about 10% to about 40%.
22. The balloon catheter of claim 20 wherein the inflatable central section of the first layer has a longitudinal compaction of about 30% to about 50%, and the inflatable proximal and distal sections each have a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 20%, and the proximal and distal skirt sections each are not longitudinally compacted.
23. An expandable tubular medical device or component, comprising a tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, a length extending from the proximal to the distal end, and having at least a first layer formed of a porous polymeric material with a first section, and with a second section longitudinally adjacent to the first section and extending at least in part along a central portion of the length of the tubular body, the second section being longitudinally compacted by more than the first section, so that in a nonexpanded configuration prior to expansion of the tubular body the second section has a lower porosity than the first section.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A ring illuminator comprising:
a) a light channeling section comprising an input face for optically coupling the light channeling section to a flash unit of a camera for obtaining flash illumination therefrom;
b) a ring section optically coupled to the light channeling section and extending around an aperture for fitting the ring illuminator around a lens of the camera;
wherein the ring section comprising a rear surface comprising a plurality of light redirecting features for redirecting at least a portion of the flash illumination from within the ring section outward from the camera, around the lens of the camera; and
wherein the input face of the light channeling section is parallel to an output face of the flash unit.
2. A ring illuminator according to claim 1 wherein the light redirecting features are selected from a set consisting of grooves, prism structures, and scattering spots.
3. A ring illuminator according to claim 1 wherein the ring illuminator is fabricated as a single piece.
4. A ring illuminator according to claim 1 wherein the light channeling section is separable from the ring section.
5. A ring illuminator according to claim 1 wherein the ring illuminator is a molded plastic unit.
6. An image capture system for obtaining an image of a subject, comprising:
a) a camera comprising a flash unit;
b) a lens attached to the camera;
c) a ring illuminator fitted around the lens, the ring illuminator comprising a light channeling section optically coupled to the flash unit and a ring section optically coupled to the light channeling section and curved about the lens;
wherein a rear surface of the ring section comprises a plurality of light-redirecting features for redirecting a portion of the illumination obtained from the flash unit outward, toward the subject; and
wherein an input face of the light channeling section is substantially parallel to an output face of the flash unit.
7. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein the ring illuminator is a single piece.
8. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein the flash unit is a pop-up flash unit.
9. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein the flash unit is a built-in flash unit.
10. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein the light redirecting features are selected from a set consisting of grooves, prism structures, indentations, and scattering spots.
11. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein the ring illuminator is comprised of plastic.
12. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein a bend radius of said light channeling section substantially preserves total internal reflection.
13. An image capture system according to claim 11 wherein said light channeling section transmits greater than 50 percent of light generated by said flash unit.
14. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein said light channeling section and said light ring section are comprised of multiple components.
15. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein the lens is integral to said camera.
16. An image capture system as in claim 6 wherein said light channeling section is comprised of glass.
17. A method for providing ring illumination, comprising:
a) disposing an input face of a light pipe proximate a flash unit of a camera, obtaining flash illumination thereby;
b) routing a portion of the light pipe at least partially around a camera objective lens to redirect at least a portion of the flash illumination around the lens;
c) redirecting a portion of the flash illumination from within said light pipe outward along at least one surface of said portion of said curved light pipe; and
wherein the input face is substantially parallel to an output face of the flash unit.
18. A method as in claim 17 wherein said redirected flash illumination is parallel an axis of said lens.