Expandable stent
First Claim
1. A radially expandable intraluminal stent comprising:
- a tubular member formed from a plurality of ladder elements, each ladder element comprising at least two elongated ribs bowed to define a circumferential arc of said tubular member and at least two end rungs affixed to the elongated ribs, said ribs and said end rungs defining a rectangular shape, wherein the elongated ribs are circumferentially disposed and substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tubular member and the end rungs are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and substantially perpendicular to the elongated ribs;
wherein adjacent ladder elements overlap in a symmetrical repeating pattern, wherein an elongated rib of a first ladder element is slideably engaged by at least one end rung of an adjacent ladder element, such that sliding of the end rungs along the circumferential arc defined by the elongated ribs creates a variable circumferential distance between the end rungs of adjacent ladder elements;
the tubular member having a first diameter in which the circumferential distance between end rungs of adjacent ladder elements is collapsed; and
the tubular member having a second diameter, in which the circumferential distance between end rungs of adjacent ladder elements is expanded.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a lumen support stent for use in an artery or any body lumen. The stent is formed from a plurality of ladder elements having elongated ribs bowed to define a circumferential arc of the tubular member and end rungs affixed to the elongated ribs. The elongated ribs of adjacent ladder elements are substantially parallel to one another and slidably engaged by the end rungs of adjacent ladder elements. Sliding of the end rungs along the circumferential arc defined by the engaged ribs creates a variable circumferential distance between the end rungs of adjacent ladder elements. Consequently, the stent has a first diameter in which the circumferential distance between end rungs of adjacent ladder elements is collapsed, and a variable second diameter in which the circumferential distance between end rungs of adjacent ladder elements is expanded.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A radially expandable intraluminal stent comprising:
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a tubular member formed from a plurality of ladder elements, each ladder element comprising at least two elongated ribs bowed to define a circumferential arc of said tubular member and at least two end rungs affixed to the elongated ribs, said ribs and said end rungs defining a rectangular shape, wherein the elongated ribs are circumferentially disposed and substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tubular member and the end rungs are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and substantially perpendicular to the elongated ribs; wherein adjacent ladder elements overlap in a symmetrical repeating pattern, wherein an elongated rib of a first ladder element is slideably engaged by at least one end rung of an adjacent ladder element, such that sliding of the end rungs along the circumferential arc defined by the elongated ribs creates a variable circumferential distance between the end rungs of adjacent ladder elements; the tubular member having a first diameter in which the circumferential distance between end rungs of adjacent ladder elements is collapsed; and the tubular member having a second diameter, in which the circumferential distance between end rungs of adjacent ladder elements is expanded. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A radially expandable intraluminal stent comprising:
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a tubular member formed from a plurality of ladder elements, each ladder element comprising at least two elongated ribs bowed to define a circumferential arc of the tubular member and at least two end rungs affixed to the elongated ribs, said ribs and said end rungs defining a parallelogram shape, wherein the end rungs are substantially parallel to one another and aligned diagonally at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the tubular member; wherein adjacent ladder elements overlap in a symmetrical repeating pattern, wherein an elongated rib of a first ladder element is slideably engaged by at least one end rung of an adjacent ladder element, such that sliding of the end rungs along the circumferential arc defined by the elongated ribs creates a variable circumferential distance between the end rungs of adjacent ladder elements; the tubular member having a first diameter in which the circumferential distance between end rungs of adjacent ladder elements is collapsed; and the tubular member having a second diameter, in which the circumferential distance between end rungs of adjacent ladder elements is expanded. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A radially expandable intraluminal stent comprising:
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a tubular member having a proximal and a distal end and a ribbed wall surface disposed between the proximal and distal ends, said ribbed wall surface being formed from a plurality of rectangular ladder elements, each ladder element having two elongated ribs which form the sides of said rectangular ladder element and two end rungs which are affixed to the elongated ribs, said ribs being bowed to define a circumferential arc of the tubular member, and said rungs being substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of said tubular member, wherein the ribs of adjacent ladder elements, which are disposed substantially parallel to one another, overlap in a symmetrical repeating pattern, such that a rib from one ladder element is disposed between the ribs from an adjacent ladder element, and wherein said overlapping ribs are slidably engaged by the end rungs of adjacent ladder elements, such that sliding of adjacent end rungs along the circumferential arc defined by the engaged rib creates a variable circumferential distance between adjacent end rungs; said tubular member having a first diameter in which the circumferential distance between adjacent end rungs is collapsed, thereby facilitating intraluminal delivery of the tubular member into a body lumen; and said tubular member having a second diameter, in which the circumferential distance between adjacent end rungs is expanded, wherein the tubular member may expand said body lumen.
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Specification