Heart valve prosthesis with improved bi-leaflet pivot design

Claim 1

A heart valve prosthesis comprising: a generally annular valve body configured around an axis and having an inner surface defining a central passageway through which blood flows; a pair of leaflet occluders proportioned to be pivotally received within said valve body and to move between an open position permitting blood to flow in a downstream direction and a closed position blocking flow of blood in an upstream direction, said leaflet occluders each having a diametral edge; a generally arcuate edge opposite the diametral edge; and a pair of opposed outwardly protruding mounting ears on the generally arcuate edge adjacent the diametral edge for pivotally mounting the leaflet occluder to the valve body, the mounting ears having a proximal end adjacent the diametral edge; and a distal end spaced away from the diametral edge; said valve body defining four recesses, a pair for each leaflet occluder, each recess comprising a generally triangular-shaped opening in the valve body inner surface, each said recess further comprising a first arcuate end portion adjacent an upstream side of said annular valve body and configured to periodically receive the proximal end of the respective mounting ear in generally rolling contact and second and third arcuate end portions downstream from said first arcuate end portion with a downstream side wall extending between said first end portion and said second end portion and a convex upstream side wall extending between said first end portion and said third end portion, said second arcuate end portion being adjacent to a center line lying parallel to the axis of the valve body and between the two occluders and said third arcuate end portion being spaced away from said center line, the second end portion being downstream from the third end portion, and said downstream side wall being angled away from the center line from the first arcuate end portion to the second arcuate end portion; and a third side wall extending between said second end portion and said third end portion and configured to periodically receive the distal end of the respective mounting ear in generally sliding contact.