US5709703A — Stent delivery device and method for manufacturin…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 186 words

A stent delivery device comprising: an elongated sheath having a distal area with a distal end; a self-expandable stent having proximal and distal end portions with proximal and distal ends and a braided tubular wall, said stent being placed in contracted condition within the distal area of the sheath; elongated core means having proximal and distal areas, said core means arranged in said sheath for relative longitudinal motion between the sheath and core means; and drive means between the distal area of the core means and the self-expandable stent, whereby relative longitudinal motion between said sheath and core means results in longitudinal relative motion between said stent and sheath so as to cause radial self-expansion of at least a longitudinal portion of the stent out of the distal area of the sheath or radial contraction of at least a longitudinal portion of the stent into the distal area of the sheath, and scratch protection tubular means of biocompatible material having an inner wall surrounding at least an end portion of the stent when the stent is in contracted condition in the distal area of the sheath.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 186 words

A stent delivery device comprising: an elongated sheath having a distal area with a distal end; a self-expandable stent having proximal and distal end portions with proximal and distal ends and a braided tubular wall, said stent being placed in contracted condition within the distal area of the sheath; elongated core means having proximal and distal areas, said core means arranged in said sheath for relative longitudinal motion between the sheath and core means; and drive means between the distal area of the core means and the self-expandable stent, whereby relative longitudinal motion between said sheath and core means results in longitudinal relative motion between said stent and sheath so as to cause radial self-expansion of at least a longitudinal portion of the stent out of the distal area of the sheath or radial contraction of at least a longitudinal portion of the stent into the distal area of the sheath, and scratch protection tubular means of biocompatible material having an inner wall surrounding at least an end portion of the stent when the stent is in contracted condition in the distal area of the sheath.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 34 words

A device according to claim 1, wherein said scratch protection tubular means comprises reinforcement tubular means secured at least in the proximal vicinity of the distal end of the distal area of the sheath.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 42 words

A device according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcement tubular means is formed by a reinforcement ring surrounding at least the distal end portion of the stent when the stent is in a contracted condition in the distal area of the sheath.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 14 words

A device according to claim 3, wherein the reinforcement ring has a rectangular cross-section.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

A device according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcement tubular means comprises an outer surface embedded in the sheath.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

A device according to claim 5, wherein the reinforcement tubular means is embedded in a multilayer structure of the sheath.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

A device according to claim 6, wherein said multilayer structure is heat shrunk on the reinforcement tubular means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 15 words

A device according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcement tubular means is made of metal.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 16 words

A device according to claim 8, wherein the reinforcement tubular means is made of radiopaque metal.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 36 words

A device according to claim 9, wherein the core means extends through the stent, and wherein a distal ring of radiopaque material is mounted on the core means within the reinforcement tubular means of radiopaque metal.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 35 words

A device according to claim 10, further comprising tip means ending the distal area of the core means concentrically to the distal ring of radiopaque material and to the reinforcement tubular means of radiopaque metal.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 31 words

A device according to claim 11, wherein said reinforcement tubular means has a first outer diameter and the tip means have a second outer diameter greater than said first outer diameter.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 30 words

A device according to claim 1, wherein said scratch protection tubular means comprises coverage tube means secured to the proximal end portion of the stent and to the core means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 34 words

A device according to claim 13, wherein the coverage tube means is formed by a tube of thermoformable material heat shrunk over the proximal end portion of the stent and over the core means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 23 words

A device according to claim 14, wherein the heat shrunk tube of thermoformable material comprises longitudinal cuts extending along a distal portion thereof.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 42 words

A device according to claim 14, further comprising a proximal ring of radiopaque material mounted on the core means in the immediate proximal vicinity of the proximal end of the stent, said ring of radiopaque material being embedded in the shrunk tube.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 72 words

A stent delivery device comprising: (a) an inner member; (b) a radially self-expanding stent disposed about the inner member, the stent having a proximal portion; (c) a sheath disposed about at least part of the radially self-expanding stent; and (d) a tubular scratch protection element disposed about at least part of the proximal stent portion and between at least part of the proximal stent portion and at least part of the sheath.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 72 words

A stent delivery device comprising: (a) an inner member; (b) a radially self-expanding stent disposed about the inner member, the stent having a proximal portion; (c) a sheath disposed about at least part of the radially self-expanding stent; and (d) a tubular scratch protection element disposed about at least part of the proximal stent portion and between at least part of the proximal stent portion and at least part of the sheath.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 14 words

The device of claim 17 wherein the scratch protection element comprises a metal tube.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 165 words

A method for manufacturing a stent delivery device comprising: (a) engaging on a mandrel a reinforcement ring having a proximal end, a distal end, and a first outer diameter; (b) engaging on the mandrel and proximally of the proximal end of the reinforcement ring a first tube of thermoformable material having a second outer diameter greater than said first outer diameter; (c) engaging on the reinforcement ring a second tube of thermoformable material having a third outer diameter substantially equal to said second outer diameter of the first tube of thermoformable material; (d) engaging on the first and second tubes of thermoformable material a third tube of thermoformable material; (e) heat shrinking said third tube of thermoformable material over said first and second tubes of thermoformable material and reinforcement ring; (f) withdrawing the mandrel out of the reinforcement ring and first tube of thermoformable material; and (g) taking off unwanted surplus portions of the heat shrunk material at the distal end of the reinforcement ring.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 165 words

A method for manufacturing a stent delivery device comprising: (a) engaging on a mandrel a reinforcement ring having a proximal end, a distal end, and a first outer diameter; (b) engaging on the mandrel and proximally of the proximal end of the reinforcement ring a first tube of thermoformable material having a second outer diameter greater than said first outer diameter; (c) engaging on the reinforcement ring a second tube of thermoformable material having a third outer diameter substantially equal to said second outer diameter of the first tube of thermoformable material; (d) engaging on the first and second tubes of thermoformable material a third tube of thermoformable material; (e) heat shrinking said third tube of thermoformable material over said first and second tubes of thermoformable material and reinforcement ring; (f) withdrawing the mandrel out of the reinforcement ring and first tube of thermoformable material; and (g) taking off unwanted surplus portions of the heat shrunk material at the distal end of the reinforcement ring.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-01-19	2001-07-21	2002-01-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-01-19	2005-07-21	2006-01-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-01-19	2009-07-21	2010-01-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Stent delivery device and method for manufacturing same

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