Patent US2096109A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US6540774B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Stent design with end rings having enhanced strength and radiopacity

Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc
•
Filing: 1999-08-31
•
Granted: 2003-04-01
•
Expires: 2019-08-31
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An expandable stent having end rings with enhanced strength and radiopacity for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, is disclosed. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and interconnected by one or more interconnecting members placed so that the stent is flexible in the longitudinal direction. The expandable cylindrical elements have regions which are subject to high stresses and regions subject to low stresses when the cylindrical elements are radially expanded. In order to increase the radiopacity of the stent, the width of the strut in the low stress region of the stent is designed to be wider than the width of the strut in the high stress regions. If a high radiopaque material is utilized and reduced radiopacity is desired, the width of the strut in the low stress region of the stent can be designed to be narrower than the strut width in the high stress regions. The end rings of the stent are strengthened by utilizing a plurality of W-shaped members having a strut construction which increases the overall hoop-strength of the ring.

Inventors

  • 👤 Daniel L. Cox

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 00:58
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61L; A61L31/00; A61L31/14; A61L31/18; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/82; A61F2/86; A61F2/90; A61F2/91; A61F2/915; A61L31/02; A61L31/022; A61F2002/91516; A61F2002/91533; A61F2002/9155; A61F2002/91575; A61F2230/00; A61F2230/0002; A61F2230/0004; A61F2230/0013; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0014; A61F2250/0018; A61F2250/0032; A61F2250/0058; A61F2250/0096; A61F2250/0098

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 173 words
A longitudinally flexible stent for implanting in a body lumen and expandable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition, comprising: a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements defining struts, the cylindrical elements being substantially independently expandable in a radial direction, the plurality of cylindrical elements defining a first end and a second end with at least one cylindrical element forming a center section therebetween; a plurality of interconnecting members extending between the adjacent cylindrical elements and connecting the adjacent cylindrical elements to one another, the interconnecting members connecting the end cylindrical elements to the center section having a taper with the wider portion of the taper being connected to the end cylindrical elements; and wherein at least one of said cylindrical elements has regions which experience high stresses and regions which experience low stresses during radial deployment, the width of the strut of the stent in the low stress regions being larger than the width of the strut of the stent in the high stress regions to increase the radiopacity of the stent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 173 words
A longitudinally flexible stent for implanting in a body lumen and expandable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition, comprising: a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements defining struts, the cylindrical elements being substantially independently expandable in a radial direction, the plurality of cylindrical elements defining a first end and a second end with at least one cylindrical element forming a center section therebetween; a plurality of interconnecting members extending between the adjacent cylindrical elements and connecting the adjacent cylindrical elements to one another, the interconnecting members connecting the end cylindrical elements to the center section having a taper with the wider portion of the taper being connected to the end cylindrical elements; and wherein at least one of said cylindrical elements has regions which experience high stresses and regions which experience low stresses during radial deployment, the width of the strut of the stent in the low stress regions being larger than the width of the strut of the stent in the high stress regions to increase the radiopacity of the stent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 51 words
The stent of claim 1 , wherein each of said cylindrical elements has regions which experience high stresses and low stresses, the width of the struts in the low stress regions being larger than the width of the struts in the high stress regions to increase the radiopacity of the stent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 40 words
The stent of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical elements are formed in a generally serpentine wave pattern transverse to the longitudinal axis and contain alternating valley portions and, peak portions, which constitute the high stress regions of the stent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
The stent of claim 1 , wherein the stent is made from a biocompatible material having low radiopacity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
The stent of claim 1 , wherein the stent is formed from a biocompatible material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, superelastic nickel titanium alloys, or thermal plastic polymers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
The stent of claim 1 , wherein the width of the interconnecting members is larger than the width of the strut in the high stress regions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 24 words
The stent of claim 1 , wherein each of the cylindrical elements at the first and second ends include at least three W-shaped portions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 198 words
A longitudinally flexible stent for implanting in a body lumen and expandable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition, comprising: a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements defining struts, each cylindrical element having a circumference extending about a longitudinal stent axis and being substantially independently expandable in a radial direction, wherein the plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements are arranged in alignment along the longitudinal stent axis and form a generally serpentine wave pattern transverse to the longitudinal axis containing alternating valley portions and peak portions with linking portions interconnecting said valley portions and peak portions, the plurality of cylindrical elements defining a first end and a second end with at least one cylindrical element forming a center section therebetween; a plurality of interconnecting members extending between the adjacent cylindrical elements to connect adjacent cylindrical elements to one another, the interconnecting members connecting the end cylindrical elements to the center section having a taper with the wider portion of the taper being connected to the end cylindrical elements; and wherein at least one cylindrical element has linking portions having strut widths which are wider than the strut widths of the valley portions and peak portions of said cylindrical element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 198 words
A longitudinally flexible stent for implanting in a body lumen and expandable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition, comprising: a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements defining struts, each cylindrical element having a circumference extending about a longitudinal stent axis and being substantially independently expandable in a radial direction, wherein the plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements are arranged in alignment along the longitudinal stent axis and form a generally serpentine wave pattern transverse to the longitudinal axis containing alternating valley portions and peak portions with linking portions interconnecting said valley portions and peak portions, the plurality of cylindrical elements defining a first end and a second end with at least one cylindrical element forming a center section therebetween; a plurality of interconnecting members extending between the adjacent cylindrical elements to connect adjacent cylindrical elements to one another, the interconnecting members connecting the end cylindrical elements to the center section having a taper with the wider portion of the taper being connected to the end cylindrical elements; and wherein at least one cylindrical element has linking portions having strut widths which are wider than the strut widths of the valley portions and peak portions of said cylindrical element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 36 words
The stent of claim 8 , wherein each of said cylindrical elements has linking portions having strut widths which are wider than the strut widths of the valley portions and peak portion of said cylindrical element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
The stent of claim 8 , wherein the stent is made from a biocompatible material having low radiopacity.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 31 words
The stent of claim 8 , wherein the stent is formed from a biocompatible material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, superelastic nickel titanium alloys, or thermal plastic polymers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 28 words
The stent of claim 8 , wherein the width of the interconnecting members is larger than the width of the strut in the valley portions and peak portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 62 words
The stent of claim 8 , wherein each of the cylindrical elements at the first and second ends includes a plurality of W-shaped portions having strut widths in the linking portion of the W-shaped portion which are larger than the strut width in the remaining portion of the W-shaped portion to increase the strength and radiopacity of the ends of the stent.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 191 words
A method for constructing a longitudinally flexible stent for implanting in a body lumen which is expandible from a contracted condition to an expanded condition, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements, each cylindrical element having a circumference extending about a longitudinal stent axis and being substantially independently expandible in a radial direction, the plurality of cylindrical elements defining a first end and a second end with at least one cylindrical element forming a center section therebetween; forming struts in each cylindrical element in a generally serpentine wave pattern transverse to the longitudinal axis and containing alternating valley portions and peak portion with linking portions interconnecting each of said alternating valley portions and peak portions; providing a plurality of interconnecting members extending between the adjacent cylindrical elements to connect adjacent cylindrical elements to one another, the interconnecting members connecting the end cylindrical elements to the center section having a taper with the wider portion of the taper being connected to the end cylindrical elements; and providing struts of the linking portions which are wider than the struts of the alternating valley portions and peak portions.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 191 words
A method for constructing a longitudinally flexible stent for implanting in a body lumen which is expandible from a contracted condition to an expanded condition, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements, each cylindrical element having a circumference extending about a longitudinal stent axis and being substantially independently expandible in a radial direction, the plurality of cylindrical elements defining a first end and a second end with at least one cylindrical element forming a center section therebetween; forming struts in each cylindrical element in a generally serpentine wave pattern transverse to the longitudinal axis and containing alternating valley portions and peak portion with linking portions interconnecting each of said alternating valley portions and peak portions; providing a plurality of interconnecting members extending between the adjacent cylindrical elements to connect adjacent cylindrical elements to one another, the interconnecting members connecting the end cylindrical elements to the center section having a taper with the wider portion of the taper being connected to the end cylindrical elements; and providing struts of the linking portions which are wider than the struts of the alternating valley portions and peak portions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method as defined in claim 14 , wherein the stent is made from a biocompatible material having low radiopacity.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 36 words
The method for constructing a longitudinally flexible stent as defined in claim 14 , wherein interconnecting members have a strut width which is wider than the strut width of the alternating valley portions and peak portions.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3105492A Cited
US3657744A Cited
US3993078A Cited
US4140126A Cited
US4159719A Cited
US4130904A Cited
US4241146A Cited
GB2070490B Cited
EP0045627B1 Cited
US4387952A Cited
EP0062300A3 Cited
US4553545A Cited
US4655771B1 Cited
US4655771A Cited
GB2135585B Cited
US4504354A Cited
US4531933A Cited
US4512338A Cited
US4503569A Cited
US4619246A Cited
US4580568A Cited
US4728328A Cited
US5037377A Cited
EP0201466A3 Cited
US4706671A Cited
US4725334A Cited
US4650466A Cited
US4739762A Cited
US4739762B1 Cited
US4733665A Cited
US4733665C2 Cited
US5102417A Cited
US4776337A Cited
US4776337B1 Cited
EP0221570B2 Cited
US4733665B1 Cited
US4922905A Cited
US4681110A Cited
US4649922A Cited
US4767418A Cited
US4878906A Cited
US5061275A Cited
US4740207A Cited
US4848343A Cited
US4893623A Cited
US4762128A Cited
US5041126A Cited
US4907336A Cited
US5314444A Cited
US4800882A Cited
US5037427A Cited
US5059211A Cited
US4795458A Cited
US4969458A Cited
US4969890A Cited
US5089005A Cited
EP0380668B1 Cited
US4886062A Cited
US5133732A Cited
US5192307A Cited
US4998539A Cited
US4870966A Cited
US4877030A Cited
US4892539A Cited
EP0335341B1 Cited
EP0338816B1 Cited
US4986831A Cited
US4830003A Cited
EP0357003B2 Cited
US5092877A Cited
US5019090A Cited
US5226913A Cited
EP0361192B1 Cited
US4943346A Cited
EP0364787B1 Cited
US5195984A Cited
US4963022A Cited
US4913141A Cited
US5019085A Cited
US4950227A Cited
EP0372789A3 Cited
US4856516A Cited
US5078726A Cited
US5163958A Cited
US5007926A Cited
US5062829A Cited
US5100429A Cited
US4990155A Cited
US4994071A Cited
US5037392A Cited
US5116318A Cited
US5171262A Cited
US5015253A Cited
EP0407951A3 Cited
US5084065A Cited
US5026377A Cited
US5292331A Cited
US5034001A Cited
US5180368A Cited
US5002560A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2006-03-31 2006-09-30 2007-04-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2010-03-31 2010-09-30 2011-04-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2014-03-31 2014-09-30 2015-04-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag