High hoop strength intraluminal stent
First Claim
1. An intraluminal stent, comprising a plurality of elongated members extending in a circumferential direction around an axis and curving in two opposite directions transverse to said circumferential direction, each said member being curved over substantially its entire extent, said members joining one another to define cusps pointing in directions transverse to said circumferential direction each said cusp including a portion of one member curving in a direction away from a portion of an adjacent member.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An intraluminal stent is constructed to provide improved hoop strength over conventional stents. The stent includes a plurality of elongated members extending in a circumferential direction around an axis and curving in two opposite directions transverse to the circumferential direction. Each of the elongated members is curved over substantially its entire extent, preferably so that the curved portions define an arc of a circle. The elongated members are joined to one another at cusps pointing in opposite axial directions. The cusps are movable in opposite axial directions between an expanded condition in which the opposed cusps are relatively close to one another and the elongated members define an expanded circumference, and a collapsed condition in which the opposed cusps are relatively distant to one another and the elongated members define a collapsed circumference which is smaller than the expanded circumference. The stent may be formed as a single loop or as a plurality of loops extending in an axial direction.
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Citations
26 Claims
- 1. An intraluminal stent, comprising a plurality of elongated members extending in a circumferential direction around an axis and curving in two opposite directions transverse to said circumferential direction, each said member being curved over substantially its entire extent, said members joining one another to define cusps pointing in directions transverse to said circumferential direction each said cusp including a portion of one member curving in a direction away from a portion of an adjacent member.
- 11. An intraluminal stent, comprising a plurality of elongated members extending in a circumferential direction around an axis and curving in two opposite directions transverse to said circumferential direction, said members joining one another to define cusps pointing in opposed axial directions, each said cusp including a portion of one member curving in a direction away from a portion of an adjacent member said cusps being movable in said opposed axial directions between an expanded condition in which said cusps pointing in one axial direction are spaced from said cusps pointing in another axial direction by a predetermined distance and said elongated members define an expanded circumference, and a collapsed condition in which said cusps pointing in said one axial direction are spaced from said cusps pointing in said another axial direction by a distance greater than said predetermined distance and said elongated members define a collapsed circumference smaller than said expanded circumference.
- 21. An intraluminal stent, comprising a plurality of loops extending in a circumferential direction around an axis at spaced distances along said axis between a first end and a second end, each of said loops including a plurality of elongated members curving in two opposite directions transverse to said circumferential direction, each said member being curved over substantially it entire extent, said members joining one another to define cusps pointing in directions transverse to said circumferential direction curving in a direction away from a portion of an adjacent member.
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26. An intraluminal stent, comprising a plurality of loops extending in a circumferential direction around an axis at spaced distances along said axis, each of said loops including a plurality of elongated members curving in two opposite directions transverse to said circumferential direction, said members joining one another to define cusps pointing in opposed axial directions each said cusp including a portion of one member curving in a direction away from a portion of an adjacent member, said cusps being movable in said opposed axial directions between an expanded condition in which said cusps pointing in one axial direction in at least one of said loops are spaced from said cusps pointing in another axial direction in said at least one loop by a predetermined distance and said elongated members define an expanded circumference, and a collapsed condition in which said cusps pointing in said one axial direction in said at least one loop are spaced from said cusps pointing in said another axial direction in said at least one loop by a distance greater than said predetermined distance and said elongated members define a collapsed circumference smaller than said expanded circumference.
Specification