Varying circumferential spanned connectors in a stent

• US 7,131,993 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Gregorich, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): SNOW, BRUCE EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US10/606,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/1.17
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• 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 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

A stent comprises a plurality of serpentine circumferential bands and a plurality of connector columns. Each connector column is located between two adjacent serpentine circumferential bands and comprises a plurality connector struts. Each connector strut is connected at one end to one serpentine circumferential band and at another end to another serpentine circumferential band. Each connector column may contain multiple types of connector struts having varying circumferential spans. Each serpentine circumferential band may have sections which vary in amplitude and/or wavelength.

Claims

1. A stent comprising:

a plurality of serpentine circumferential bands, each serpentine circumferential band having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, a plurality of proximal turns at said proximal end portion and a plurality of distal turns at said distal end portion; and

a plurality of connector columns, each connector column located between two adjacent serpentine circumferential bands, each connector column comprising a plurality of connector struts including a first type of connector strut and a second type of connector strut, each connector strut coupled at a first end to a serpentine circumferential band and coupled at a second end to another serpentine circumferential band, wherein the second type of connector strut spans a greater circumferential distance than the first type of connector strut, wherein the first end of at least one second type of connector strut is circumferentially offset from the second end;

wherein the number of proximal turns in a serpentine circumferential band is a multiple of 3, and wherein the number of connector struts in a connector column is a multiple of 2, and wherein the number of connector struts in a connector column is less than the number of proximal turns in an adjacent serpentine circumferential band.

2. The stent as recited in claim 1, wherein the proximal turns of adjacent serpentine circumferential bands are longitudinally offset from one another.

3. The stent as recited in claim 2, wherein adjacent serpentine circumferential bands reverse orientation with respect to each other.

4. The stent as recited in claim 1, wherein the connector struts of adjacent connector columns are angularly aligned with one another.

5. The stent as recited in claim 1, wherein the connector struts of adjacent connector columns are longitudinally offset from one another.

6. The stent as recited in claim 1, wherein the number of distal turns in a serpentine circumferential band is a multiple of 3.

7. The stent as recited in claim 1, wherein each serpentine circumferential band proximal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

and wherein each serpentine circumferential band distal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

wherein the first type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn upper portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn lower portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

8. The stent as recited in claim 7, wherein the second type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn upper portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn lower portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

9. The stein as recited in claim 7, wherein the second type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn lower portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn upper portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

10. The stent as recited in claim 1, wherein each serpentine circumferential band proximal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

and wherein each serpentine circumferential band distal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

wherein the first type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn lower portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn upper portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

11. The stent as recited in claim 10, wherein the second type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn lower portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn upper portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

12. The stent as recited in claim 1, wherein each serpentine circumferential band proximal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

and wherein each serpentine circumferential band distal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

wherein the first type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn upper portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn upper portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

13. The stent as recited in claim 1, wherein each serpentine circumferential band proximal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

and wherein each serpentine circumferential band distal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

wherein the first type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn lower portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn lower portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

14. A stent comprising:

a plurality of serpentine circumferential bands, each serpentine circumferential band having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, a plurality of proximal turns at said proximal end portion and a plurality of distal turns at said distal end portion; and

a plurality of connector columns, each connector column located between two adjacent serpentine circumferential bands, each connector column comprising a plurality of connector struts including a first type of connector strut and a second type of connector strut, each connector strut coupled at a first end to a serpentine circumferential band and coupled at a second end to another serpentine circumferential band, wherein the first end of at least one second type of connector strut is circumferentially offset from the second end;

wherein the number of proximal turns in a serpentine circumferential band is a multiple of 3, and wherein the number of connector struts in a connector column is a multiple of 2, and wherein the number of connector struts in a connector column is less than the number of proximal turns in an adjacent serpentine circumferential band;

wherein the first type of connector strut provides the stein with greater axial strength than the second type of connector strut.

15. A stent comprising:

a plurality of serpentine circumferential bands, each serpentine circumferential band having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, a plurality of proximal turns at said proximal end portion and a plurality of distal turns at said distal end portion; and

a plurality of connector columns, each connector column located between two adjacent serpentine circumferential bands, each connector column comprising a plurality of connector struts including at least one first type of connector strut and at least one second type of connector strut, each connector strut coupled at a first end to a serpentine circumferential band and coupled at a second end to another serpentine circumferential band, wherein the first end of at least one second type of connector strut is circumferentially offset from the second end, wherein the second type of connector strut spans a greater circumferential distance than the first type of connector strut;

wherein the number of proximal turns in a serpentine circumferential band is a multiple of 3, and wherein the number of connector struts in a connector column is a multiple of 2.

16. The stent as recited in claim 15, wherein the proximal turns of adjacent serpentine circumferential bands are longitudinally offset from one another.

17. The stent as recited in claim 16, wherein adjacent serpentine circumferential bands reverse orientation with respect to one another.

18. The stent as recited in claim 15, wherein the first type of connector stints of adjacent connector columns are angularly aligned.

19. The stent as recited in claim 15, wherein the connector struts of adjacent connector columns are longitudinally offset from one another.

20. The stent as recited in claim 15, wherein a first type of connector strut is angularly aligned with the second type of connector stint of art adjacent connector column.

21. The stent as recited in claim 15, wherein the number of distal turns in a serpentine circumferential band is a multiple of 3.

22. The stint as recited in claim 15, wherein the first type of connector strut provides the stent with greater axial strength than the second type of connector strut.

23. The stent is recited in claim 15, wherein each serpentine circumferential band proximal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

and wherein each serpentine circumferential band distal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

wherein the first type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn upper portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn lower portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

24. The stent as recited in claim 23, wherein the second type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn upper portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn lower portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

25. The stent as recited in claim 23, wherein the second type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn lower portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn upper portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

26. The stent as recited in claim 15, wherein each serpentine circumferential band proximal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion and wherein each serpentine circumferential band distal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

wherein the first type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn lower portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn upper portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

27. The stent as recited in claim 26, wherein the second type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn lower portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn upper portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

28. The stent as recited in claim 15, wherein each serpentine circumferential band proximal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

and wherein each serpentine circumferential band distal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

wherein the first type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn upper portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn upper portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

29. The stent as recited in claim 15, wherein each serpentine circumferential band proximal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

and wherein each serpentine circumferential band distal turn comprises an upper portion and a lower portion;

wherein the first type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a distal turn lower portion of one serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a proximal turn lower portion of another serpentine circumferential band.

30. The stent as recited in claim 15, wherein the number of connector struts in a connector column is less than the number of proximal turns in an adjacent serpentine circumferential band.