Note the bond strengths are such that various balloon pressures can be maintained. For example an internal gauge pressure between 0.05 bar to 3 bar. FIG. 5 illustrates an inflated balloon 120, expanded in accordance to at least one exemplary embodiment. Note that the tip is nearly obscured (the forward portion of the inflated balloon can vary in length, it can extent completely over (e.g. align with the tip or extent over several mms) the tip (through which 105 is shown) to recessed (e.g., 1 mm from the tip) in the radial direction from the expanding balloon.
FIG. 6 illustrates how an inflated balloon with an inverted bond has the pressure presses the bond (e.g., 620) to the stent rather than try and separate the balloon from the stent as the exterior pressure (610) would do if there were not an inverted bond. This allows some force to be exerted along and/or radial to the stent on the balloon 120. Note in FIG. 6 only one inverted bond is shown (e.g., bond 170 is not an inverted bond), however at least one exemplary embodiment has bond 170 also replaced with an inverted bond, in such a situation the sheath would be moved from B to A slightly and the B end flipped to form an inverted bond.
In addition to bonding a sheath balloon on a stent to form an inverted bond, an inverted bond can be molded (see FIGS. 7, 8, and 9).
