Varying circumferential spanned connectors in a stent

• US 20060129230A1
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Gregorich, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,635,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.160
• 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

1-37. -37. (canceled)

38. A stent having a proximal end and a distal end, the stent comprising:

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

said serpentine circumferential band proximal end portion having a plurality of first proximal turns and a plurality of second proximal turns, wherein said first proximal turns extend farther toward the stent proximal end than said second proximal turns;

said serpentine circumferential band distal end portion having a plurality of first distal turns and a plurality of second distal turns, wherein said first distal turns extend farther toward the stent distal end than said second distal turns; 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.

39. The stent as recited in claim 38, wherein said first type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a first distal turn of a serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a first proximal turn of another serpentine circumferential band.

40. The stent as recited in claim 38, wherein said first type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a first distal turn of a serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a second proximal turn of another serpentine circumferential band.

41. The stent as recited in claim 38, wherein said first type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a second distal turn of a serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a first proximal turn of another serpentine circumferential band.

42. The stent as recited in claim 38, wherein said first type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a second distal turn of a serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a second proximal turn of another serpentine circumferential band.

43. The stent as recited in claim 42, wherein said second type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a second distal turn of a serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a second proximal turn of another serpentine circumferential band.

44. The stent as recited in claim 43, wherein proximal turns of a serpentine band that are not connected to a connector strut comprise first proximal turns.

45. The stent as recited in claim 43, wherein distal turns of a serpentine band that are not connected to a connector strut comprise first distal turns.

46. The stent as recited in claim 43, wherein the first connector struts of a connector column are circumferentially offset from the first connector struts of an adjacent connector column.

47. The stent as recited in claim 42, wherein the proximal turns of a serpentine band are aligned with the distal turns of an adjacent serpentine band in a stent longitudinal direction.

48. The stent as recited in claim 41, wherein a first proximal turn of a serpentine band is aligned with a second distal turn of an adjacent serpentine band in a stent longitudinal direction.

49. The stent as recited in claim 38, 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.

50. The stent as recited in claim 38, wherein the second type of connector strut spans a greater circumferential distance than the first type of connector strut.

51. The stent as recited in claim 39, wherein said second type of connector strut is coupled at the first end to a second distal turn of a serpentine circumferential band, and coupled at the second end to a second proximal turn of another serpentine circumferential band.

52. The stent as recited in claim 51, wherein proximal turns of a serpentine band that are not connected to a connector strut comprise first proximal turns.

53. The stent as recited in claim 52, wherein distal turns of a serpentine band that are not connected to a connector strut comprise first distal turns.

54. The stent as recited in claim 51, wherein the first connector struts of a connector column are circumferentially offset from the first connector struts of an adjacent connector column.

55. The stent as recited in claim 39, wherein the proximal turns of a serpentine band are aligned with the distal turns of an adjacent serpentine band in a stent longitudinal direction.

56. The stent as recited in claim 55, wherein a first proximal turn of a serpentine band is aligned with a second distal turn of an adjacent serpentine band in a stent longitudinal direction.

57. The stent as recited in claim 38, wherein at least one serpentine band comprises a strut having a first length, a strut having a second length and a strut having a third length.

58. A stent having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis, the stent comprising:

a plurality of serpentine bands including a first end serpentine band, a second end serpentine band and at least one interior serpentine band, each interior serpentine band comprising alternating turns connected by struts, the struts comprising a strut having a first length, a strut having a second length and a strut having a third length; and

a plurality of connector columns, each connector column located between two adjacent serpentine 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 band and coupled at a second end to another serpentine band;

wherein a first type of connector strut is parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the first end of a second type of connector strut is longitudinally and circumferentially offset from the second end.