Stent forming apparatus with stent deforming blades

• US 5,906,759 A
• Filed: 12/26/1996
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medinol Limited (Medinol USA Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Medinol Limited (Medinol USA Incorporated)
• Inventors: Richter, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLS, GREGORY L
• Application Number:
  US08/774,970
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 219/61.11, 219/78.16, 219/121.63, 219/121.64, 219/121.82, 219/160, 228/17.5, 72/51, 72/398
• US Class Current: 219/121.63
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B21F 45/008 of medical instruments, e.g. stents, corneal rings medical science A61
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/083 Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/10 using a fixed support , i.e. involving moving the laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/12 in a special atmosphere, e.g. in an enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/127 in an enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/22 Spot welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/38 by boring or cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 33/006 for cylindrical workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/053 aligning cylindrical work; Clamping devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12188 having marginal feature for indexing or weakened portion for severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12201 Width or thickness variation or marginal cuts repeating longitudinally
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12229 Intermediate article [e.g., blank, etc.]

Abstract

A stent and a method for fabricating the stent are disclosed. The stent has an originally flat pattern and connection points where the sides of the flat pattern are joined. The method includes the steps of a) cutting a stent pattern into a flat piece of metal thereby to produce a metal pattern, b) deforming the metal pattern so as to cause two opposing sides to meet, and c) joining the two opposing sides at least at one point. Substantially no portion of the stent projects into the lumen of the stent when the stent is expanded against the internal wall of a blood vessel.

Claims

1. Apparatus for fabricating a stent, comprising:

a) a base having a platform adapted to receive a flat sheet of metal to be formed into said stent, said flat sheet of metal having a longitudinal axis, a first major surface, a second major surface, a first long side, and a second long side, said first and said second long sides substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said stent;

b) a mandrel having a substantially cylindrical external surface and having a first end and a second end defining a longitudinal axis, said mandrel sized to have a cross-sectional diameter substantially equal to or less than the internal diameter of said stent to be fabricated;

c) means for securing said mandrel against a major surface of said flat sheet of metal;

d) a plurality of deforming blades disposed around the periphery of said mandrel for deforming said flat sheet of metal against said external surface of said mandrel so that said flat sheet of metal is deformed into a substantially tubular shape, said blades disposed between said first end and said second end of said mandrel, each of said deforming blades adapted for independent and selective movement in a first direction toward said mandrel and a second direction away from said mandrel so as to selectively impinge upon said mandrel or upon a portion of said sheet disposed between said mandrel and each of said deforming blades, each of said deforming blades further adapted so that said first long side and said second lone side of said sheet remain substantially parallel to each other when said stent is deformed into said tubular shape;

e) means for selectively moving each of said deforming blades in a first direction toward said mandrel and in a second direction away from said mandrel; and

f) means for securing said first long side of said sheet to said second lone side of said sheet, wherein a plurality of said deforming blades are adapted to secure said first long side and said second long side against said external surface of said mandrel while permitting a laser to contact said first long side and said second long side to secure said first long side to said second lone side, and wherein a plurality of said deforming blades are provided with a plurality of scalloped apertures, said apertures sized and disposed to permit said plurality of blades to secure said first long side and said second long side against said external surface of said mandrel while providing access to said laser to predetermined portions of said first side and said long side to secure said first long side to said second long side.

2. Apparatus for fabricating a stent, comprising:

a) a laser housing;

b) a laser disposed within and selectively movable within said housing;

c) a movable table having a first end and a second end and adapted for selective movement into and out of said laser housing, said table adapted so that when said first end of said table is disposed within said laser housing said second end of said table is disposed outside of said housing and when said second end of s aid table is disposed within said laser housing said first end of said table is disposed outside of said laser housing;

d) a plurality of stent folders disposed at said first end of said table and a plurality of stent folders disposed at said second end of said table, each of said stent folders comprising;

a) a base having a platform adapted to receive a flat sheet of metal to be formed into said stent, said flat sheet of metal having a longitudinal axis, a first major surface, a second major surface, a first long side, and a second long side, said first and said second long side s substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, said sheet provided with a plurality of alignment of apertures;

b) a plurality of alignment pins projecting from each of said platforms, said pins sized to engage said alignment apertures and align said sheet on said platform;

c) a mandrel having a substantially cylindrical external surface and having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis, said mandrel sized to have a cross-sectional diameter substantially equal to or less than the internal diameter of said stent to be fabricated, said platform provided with a first concave recess adapted to receive said first end of said mandrel and a second concave recess adapted to receive said second end of said mandrel;

d) a means for securing said mandrel, said means an arm hingedly connected to said platform and adapted for movement in a first direction toward said platform and in a second direction away from said platform for securing said mandrel against a major surface of said flat sheet of metal;

e) a first deforming blade provided with a first deforming blade tip;

a second deforming blade provided with a second deforming blade tip;

a third deforming blade provided with a third deforming blade tip;

a fourth deforming blade provided with a fourth deforming blade tip;

a fifth deforming blade provided with a fifth deforming blade tip; and

a sixth deforming blade provided with a sixth deforming blade tip, said blades disposed around said external surface of said mandrel, said deforming blade tips adapted to deform said flat sheet of metal against said external surface of said mandrel so that said flat sheet of metal is deformed into a substantially tubular shape substantially conforming to said external surface, said deforming blades disposed between said first end and said second end of said mandrel, each of said deforming blades adapted for independent and selective movement in a first direction toward said mandrel and a second direction away from said mandrel so as to selectively impinge said deforming blade tips against said mandrel or upon a portion of said sheet disposed between said mandrel and each of said deforming blade tips, each of said deforming blades further adapted so that said first long side and said second long side of said sheet remain substantially parallel to each other when said stent is deformed into said tubular shape, said third and said sixth deforming blade tips provided with a plurality of scalloped laser apertures, said apertures sized and disposed to permit said third and said sixth deforming blade tips to secure said first long side and said second long side against said external surface of said mandrel while providing said laser access to predetermined portions of said first long side and said second long side in order to weld said first long side to said second long side;

f) a first motor connected to said first deforming blade;

a second motor connected to said second deforming blade;

a third motor connected to said third deforming blade;

a fourth motor connected to said fourth deforming blade;

a fifth motor connected to said fifth deforming blade; and

a sixth motor connected to said sixth deforming blade, each of said motors adapted for selectively moving each of said deforming blades to which it is connected in a first direction toward said mandrel and in a second direction away from said mandrel; and

g) a computer for controlling;

the sequence which said first end of said table and said second end of said table are disposed within said laser housing;

for controlling the sequence and degree to which each of said plurality of deforming blade tips impinges upon said mandrel or a portion of said sheet disposed between said mandrel and each of said deforming blade tips; and

for controlling the sequence, pattern, location, and amount of energy said laser applies to each of said first and second long sides of each of said sheets disposed on each of said plurality of stent folders.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of said blade deforming tips has a length substantially equal to said first and said second long sides of said flat sheet of metal.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said deforming blade tips are concave.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said third deforming blade tip is substantially identical to said sixth deforming blade tip;

said second deforming blade tip is substantially identical to said fifth deforming blade tip; and

said first deforming blade tip is substantially identical to said fourth deforming blade tip.