×

Expandable stents and method for making same

  • US 5,569,295 A
  • Filed: 05/31/1995
  • Issued: 10/29/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A longitudinally flexible stent for implanting in a body lumen and expandable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition, comprising:

  • a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements each having a circumference extending around a longitudinal stent axis and each element being substantially independently expandable in the radial direction, said elements being arranged in alignment along the longitudinal stent axis;

    said cylindrical elements formed in a generally serpentine wave pattern transverse to the longitudinal axis and containing a plurality of alternating peaks and valleys;

    said peaks and valleys having different radii of curvature;

    at least one interconnecting member extending between adjacent cylindrical elements and connecting them to one another;

    said serpentine pattern having varying radii of curvature at least in regions of said peaks, the varying radii of curvature being selected to provide a generally uniform radial expansion of said cylindrical elements and a generally uniform expansion of said serpentine pattern around the circumference of each cylindrical element during expansion of the stent from the contracted condition to the expanded condition.

View all claims
  • 0 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×