Importance

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Abstract

A guide wire includes a wire body having a first wire disposed at a distal end thereof and a second wire joined to a proximal end of the first wire. The first wire and the second wire are preferably joined to each other by welding, providing a layer joint therebetween. The joint is of a curved shape, particularly a convex curved shape that is convex toward the proximal end of the wire body. In the joint, at least one component (e.g., Ti) of the material of the first wire decreases toward the proximal end and at least one component (e.g., Fe) of the material of the second wire decreases toward the distal end. When a tensile test is conducted on a region of the wire body including the joint, the region of the wire body has, in a tensile load and elongation diagram, an elastic section extending substantially straight upwardly to the right, a yield section extending substantially horizontally or upwardly to the right from the elastic section, and a substantially straight section extending upwardly to the right from the yield section. This region of the wire body possesses characteristics such that the region is fracturable near a terminal end of the straight section at a fracture position on other than the joint.

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First Claim