Flexible and expandable stent
First Claim
1. A stent having a proximal end and a distal end comprisinga first undulating band forming a closed path about a whole circumference of the stent, the first undulating band comprising a series of alternating first peaks and first troughs, the first peaks oriented in a distal direction, the first troughs oriented in a proximal direction, the first undulating band having a first wavelength and a first amplitude, a second undulating band forming a closed path about a whole circumference of the stent, the second undulating band comprising a series of alternating second peaks and second troughs, the second peaks oriented in a distal direction, the second troughs oriented in a proximal direction, the second undulating band having a second wavelength and a second amplitude, the second amplitude different from the first amplitude, the second wavelength different from the first wavelength, a third undulating band comprising a series of alternating third peaks and third troughs, the third peaks oriented in a distal direction, the third troughs oriented in a proximal direction, the third undulating band having a third wavelength and a third amplitude, the third wavelength equal to the first wavelength and the third amplitude equal to the first amplitude, a plurality of longitudinally oriented first connectors extending between first peaks and second peaks, and a plurality of longitudinally oriented second connectors extending between second troughs and third troughs.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment of the invention, a stent may be provided comprising a first undulating band comprising a series of alternating first peaks and first troughs and a second undulating band comprising a series of alternating second peaks and second troughs. The first undulating band has a first wavelength and a first amplitude and the second undulating band has a second wavelength and a second amplitude where the second amplitude is different from the first amplitude and the second wavelength is different from the first wavelength. A plurality of longitudinally oriented first connectors extend between the first peaks and second peaks.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A stent having a proximal end and a distal end comprising
a first undulating band forming a closed path about a whole circumference of the stent, the first undulating band comprising a series of alternating first peaks and first troughs, the first peaks oriented in a distal direction, the first troughs oriented in a proximal direction, the first undulating band having a first wavelength and a first amplitude, a second undulating band forming a closed path about a whole circumference of the stent, the second undulating band comprising a series of alternating second peaks and second troughs, the second peaks oriented in a distal direction, the second troughs oriented in a proximal direction, the second undulating band having a second wavelength and a second amplitude, the second amplitude different from the first amplitude, the second wavelength different from the first wavelength, a third undulating band comprising a series of alternating third peaks and third troughs, the third peaks oriented in a distal direction, the third troughs oriented in a proximal direction, the third undulating band having a third wavelength and a third amplitude, the third wavelength equal to the first wavelength and the third amplitude equal to the first amplitude, a plurality of longitudinally oriented first connectors extending between first peaks and second peaks, and a plurality of longitudinally oriented second connectors extending between second troughs and third troughs.
-
4. The stent of claim 4 wherein the first wavelength is greater than the second wavelength.
-
7. The stent of claim 7 wherein first and second connectors which are circumferentially adjacent are separated by at least one second peak and one second trough.
- 9. The stent of claim 9 wherein the first, second and third connectors are circumferentially displaced from one another.
-
12. The stent of claim 12 wherein the width of the first undulating band exceeds the width of the second undulating band.
-
14. A stent comprising a plurality of first expansion cells, each first expansion cell having
a proximal end, a distal end, a first side extending between the proximal and distal ends, and a second side opposite the first side and extending between the proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the cell consisting of an undulating segment having a first trough opening in a distal direction, a second trough opening in a distal direction, and a first peak opening in a proximal direction, the first peak disposed between the first trough and the second trough, the distal end of the cell consisting of an undulating segment having a first half peak and a second half peak, three troughs opening in a distal direction and two peaks opening in a proximal direction, the peaks and troughs alternating with one another and disposed between the first and second half peaks, the first and second sides being substantially straight, longitudinally extending members wherein the first expansion cells form closed bands, which extend all the way around the circumference of the stent.
Specification