Mechanical heart valve with compressible stiffening ring
First Claim
1. A heart valve prosthesis comprisinga generally annular valve body configured around an axis and having an inner surface defining a central orifice through which blood flows and an outer surface with a circumferential groove therein, said groove having a bottom surface;
- at least one leaflet proportioned to be pivotally received within said valve body and to move between an open position permitting blood to flow in a downstream direction and a closed position blocking flow of blood in an upstream direction;
a stiffening ring circumferentially mounted about said annular valve body within said circumferential groove, said stiffening ring having an inner surface facing said bottom surface of said groove, said inner surface being radially spaced away from said bottom surface a distance sufficient to permit resistance to compressive forces and forming a gap there between; and
a sewing ring mounted on said stiffening ring.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A prosthetic mechanical heart valve with an annular valve body and with a suture ring and stiffening ring combination wherein the stiffening ring is compressible before contacting a wall of the valve body. The inside diameter of the stiffening ring is consistently greater than the outside diameter of the annular valve body, forming a gap. This inhibits compressive forces from being transmitted to the annular valve body. The heart valve also has beveled stops or recesses for controlling the opening angle of leaflets mounted in the valve body. Because of the gap between the valve body and the stiffening ring, the body can deform in a spring-like manner, providing a spring-closing action.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A heart valve prosthesis comprising
a generally annular valve body configured around an axis and having an inner surface defining a central orifice through which blood flows and an outer surface with a circumferential groove therein, said groove having a bottom surface; -
at least one leaflet proportioned to be pivotally received within said valve body and to move between an open position permitting blood to flow in a downstream direction and a closed position blocking flow of blood in an upstream direction; a stiffening ring circumferentially mounted about said annular valve body within said circumferential groove, said stiffening ring having an inner surface facing said bottom surface of said groove, said inner surface being radially spaced away from said bottom surface a distance sufficient to permit resistance to compressive forces and forming a gap there between; and a sewing ring mounted on said stiffening ring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification