Expandable medical device with S-shaped bridging elements
First Claim
1. A cylindrical expandable stent comprising:
- a plurality of cylindrical tubes each formed of a plurality of connected adjacent struts, the plurality of cylindrical tubes expandable from a first diameter to a second diameter;
wherein when in the second diameter, at least some of the adjacent struts form a substantially V-shape with respect to each other, said V-shape having a midline parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent, said adjacent struts interconnected at alternating ends to define an apex for each V-shape;
a plurality of “
S”
-shaped bridging elements connected between the adjacent cylindrical tubes, one end of each said “
S”
-shaped element having a pair of ends forming an end of said “
S”
-shape, said “
S”
-shaped element connected to one V-shape on a first cylindrical tube and the second end of said “
S”
-shaped element connected to an opposing V-shape on a second cylindrical tube, wherein each of the bridging elements are connected to a cylindrical tube entirely above a midline of each of the V-shapes on one cylindrical tube and entirely below the midline of each of the V-shapes on an adjacent cylindrical tube; and
wherein each of the bridging elements crosses a midline of a V-shape three times.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An expandable medical device includes a plurality of cylindrical tubes each formed of a plurality of adjacent struts interconnected at alternating ends. The plurality of cylindrical tubes are expandable from a first diameter to a second diameter at which the adjacent struts form substantially V-shapes. The plurality of cylindrical tubes are arranged with the interconnected ends of the struts aligned facing each other in adjacent cylindrical tubes and a plurality of S-shaped bridging elements connected between the interconnected ends of the struts in adjacent cylindrical tubes. The bridging elements are connected entirely above a midline of the V-shapes on one cylindrical tube and entirely below the midline of the V-shapes on an adjacent cylindrical tube.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A cylindrical expandable stent comprising:
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a plurality of cylindrical tubes each formed of a plurality of connected adjacent struts, the plurality of cylindrical tubes expandable from a first diameter to a second diameter;
wherein when in the second diameter, at least some of the adjacent struts form a substantially V-shape with respect to each other, said V-shape having a midline parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent, said adjacent struts interconnected at alternating ends to define an apex for each V-shape;a plurality of “
S”
-shaped bridging elements connected between the adjacent cylindrical tubes, one end of each said “
S”
-shaped element having a pair of ends forming an end of said “
S”
-shape, said “
S”
-shaped element connected to one V-shape on a first cylindrical tube and the second end of said “
S”
-shaped element connected to an opposing V-shape on a second cylindrical tube, wherein each of the bridging elements are connected to a cylindrical tube entirely above a midline of each of the V-shapes on one cylindrical tube and entirely below the midline of each of the V-shapes on an adjacent cylindrical tube; andwherein each of the bridging elements crosses a midline of a V-shape three times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification