Stent

• US 6,596,021 B1
• Filed: 10/24/2000
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biotronik Mess-Und Therapiegeraete GmbH & Company Ingenieurbuero Berlin (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Biotronik Mess-Und Therapiegeraete GmbH & Company Ingenieurbuero Berlin (Biotronik SE & Company KG)
• Inventors: Lootz, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Matthews, William H.
• Application Number:
  US09/695,453
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 623/1.18, 623/1.32, 623/1.34
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• 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 2002/91508 the meander having a difference in amplitude along the band
• 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 2002/91566 connected trough to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91583 by a bridge, whereby at least one of its ends is connected along the length of a strut between two consecutive apices within a band

Abstract

A stent, in particular a coronary stent, has at least one first tubular portion, and at least one second tubular portion. The first and second tubular portions are connected together by at least one first connecting means. The stent is distinguished in that the at least one first connecting means is in the form of a double bar.

Claims

1. A stent having longitudinal and peripheral directions comprising:

at least one fist tubular portion; and

at least one second tubular portion;

wherein each said first and second tubular portion comprises;

a plurality of cells arranged in adjacent relationship in the peripheral direction;

wherein the plurality of cells comprises two meander bars that are mutually facing closed bars that extend in a substantially sinusoidal meander configuration in the peripheral direction, the two meander bars joined by a plurality of single bar connectors extending substantially in the longitudinal direction;

each of the meander bars comprising a plurality of first arcuate portions and second arcuate portions, with the first and second arcuate portions joined in alternating fashion, with each second arcuate portion longer in the longitudinal direction than the first arcuate portions; and

at least one double bar connector connecting cells of each first tubular portion to cells of a longitudinally-adjacent second tubular portion.

2. The stent of claim 1 wherein each of the at least one first and second tubular portions have an identical structure.

3. The stent of claim 1 wherein the meander bars are formed in mirror image-symmetrical relationship with respect to a peripheral line of the tubular portion formed thereby.

4. The stent of claim 3 wherein the single bar connectors connect regions of the meander bars, which regions are respectively arranged in adjacent relationship in the longitudinal direction of the tubular portions.

5. The stent of claim 4 wherein the single bar connectors connect two respective meander bars in the proximity of their regions which are at a maximum spacing in the longitudinal direction of the tubular portions.

6. The stent of claim 5 wherein the single bar connectors extend substantially in the longitudinal direction.

7. The stent of claim 6 wherein the ends of the single bar connectors extend substantially in the peripheral direction.

8. The stent of claim 7 wherein the single bar connectors connect the meander bars at points of minimum deformation of the meander bars upon expansion of the stent.

9. The stent of claim 8 wherein the single bar connectors narrow towards their ends.

10. The stent of claim 9 wherein the double bar connectors extend substantially in the longitudinal direction.

11. The stent of claim 10 wherein each of the at least one double bar connectors has first and second ends that extend substantially in the peripheral direction.

12. The stent of claim 11 wherein the at least one double bar connectors connect together the tubular portions proximate to a smallest mutual longitudinal spacing of the tubular portions.

13. The stent as set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one double bar connectors are attached to the meander bars proximate to a location at which the single bar connector is also fixed to said meander bars.

14. The stent of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of the cells in each of the at least one first tubular portions has an identical structure to a corresponding cell in the plurality of cells in the each of the at least one adjacent second tubular portions.

15. The stent of claim 14 wherein the plurality of cells comprise small cells and large cells which alternate in the peripheral direction, each said double bar connector joining one of the small cells on the first tubular portion to one of the small cells on the adjacent second tubular portion.