Flexible stent
First Claim
1. An expandable tubular reinforcing member used for a body lumen comprising,a tortuous section having a plurality of laterally extending elongated members formed of one kind of long members and one kind of short members arranged one after the other, and a plurality of vertically extending end members situated between two adjacent elongated members for connecting the same, said tortuous section being arranged diagonally to form a cylindrical shape with a first diameter and extending in a spiral form so that the elongated members generally extend along a central axis of the cylindrical shape, anda plurality of joint members extending between two end members arranged in the cylindrical shape and situated adjacent to each other so that when a radial force is applied from an inside of the reinforcing member, the elongated members are bent relative to the end members to thereby allow the tubular reinforcing member to have a second diameter larger than the first diameter.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An expandable tubular reinforcing member of the invention is used for a body lumen, such as a blood vessel for reinforcement. The reinforcing member is formed of a tortuous section having a plurality of laterally extending elongated members, and a plurality of vertically extending end members situated between two adjacent elongated members for connecting the same. The tortuous section is arranged diagonally to form a cylindrical shape with a first diameter extending in a spiral form. The elongated members generally extend parallel to a central axis of the cylindrical shape. A plurality of joint members is situated between two end members arranged in the cylindrical shape to keep the shape. When a radial force is applied from an inside of the reinforcing member, the elongated members are bent relative to the end members to thereby allow the tubular reinforcing member to have a second diameter larger than the first diameter to thereby hold the body lumen.
362 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An expandable tubular reinforcing member used for a body lumen comprising,
a tortuous section having a plurality of laterally extending elongated members formed of one kind of long members and one kind of short members arranged one after the other, and a plurality of vertically extending end members situated between two adjacent elongated members for connecting the same, said tortuous section being arranged diagonally to form a cylindrical shape with a first diameter and extending in a spiral form so that the elongated members generally extend along a central axis of the cylindrical shape, and a plurality of joint members extending between two end members arranged in the cylindrical shape and situated adjacent to each other so that when a radial force is applied from an inside of the reinforcing member, the elongated members are bent relative to the end members to thereby allow the tubular reinforcing member to have a second diameter larger than the first diameter.
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2. An expandable tubular reinforcing member used for a body lumen comprising,
a tortuous section having a plurality of laterally extending elongated members, and a plurality of vertically extending end members situated between two adjacent elongated members for connecting the same, said tortuous section being arranged diagonally to form a cylindrical shape with a first diameter extending in a spiral form so that the elongated members generally extend along a central axis of the cylindrical shape, and a plurality of joint members extending between two end members arranged in the cylindrical shape and situated adjacent to each other so that when a radial force is applied from an inside of the reinforcing member, the elongated members are bent relative to the end members to thereby allow the tubular reinforcing member to have a second diameter larger than the first diameter, wherein said tortuous section includes: -
a first tortuous member having a plurality of first lateral members, and a plurality of first vertical members situated between two adjacent first lateral members for connecting the same, said first tortuous member extending continuously from an end to an end, a second tortuous member having a plurality of second lateral members, and a plurality of second vertical members situated between two adjacent second lateral members for connecting the same, said second tortuous member extending continuously from an end to an end, said first and second lateral members constituting the elongated members and said first and second vertical members constituting the end members, and a plurality of connecting members, each being situated between the first and second vertical members to connect the first and second tortuous members together as one unit, said connecting members being arranged diagonally along the periphery of the cylindrical shape in the direction of expansion from the first diameter to the second diameter. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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12. An expandable tubular reinforcing member used for a body lumen comprising,
a tortuous section including a plurality of laterally extending elongated members formed of first and second members arranged one after the other, and a plurality of vertically extending end members situated between two adjacent elongated members for connecting the same, said tortuous section extending in a spiral form to form a cylindrical shape with a first diameter so that locations of the end members gradually change from one side to the other side of the cylindrical shape along a central axis thereof, said first members extending substantially parallel to the central axis of the cylindrical shape, and a plurality of joint members extending between two end members arranged in the cylindrical shape and situated adjacent to each other so that when a radial force is applied from an inside of the reinforcing member, the elongated members are bent relative to the end members to thereby allow the tubular reinforcing member to have a second diameter larger than the first diameter.
Specification