Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
Catheter apparatus for unblocking occluded vessels and delivering stents, said catheter apparatus comprising: a catheter defining a longitudinal axis and having a distal end sized for insertion into a vessel in a living being; mechanically expanding dilation means, disposed on the catheter distal end, for pressing against walls of the vessel in order to cause an increase in a diameter of the vessel, said dilation means including mechanical expander means for causing radial expansion of the dilation means upon contraction of expander means in a longitudinal direction, said mechanically expanding dilation means comprising a plurality of pairs of adjacent bellow shaped expanders, each pair of expanders being interconnected by a support ring, each of the plurality of pairs being disposed in an equidistant angular relationship around the longitudinal axis, each expander having two pairs of opposing wings with each pair of wings being connected to one another by hinges; and actuator means for causing the longitudinal contraction of the expander means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
Catheter apparatus for unblocking occluded vessels and delivering stents, said catheter apparatus comprising: a catheter defining a longitudinal axis and having a distal end sized for insertion into a vessel in a living being; mechanically expanding dilation means, disposed on the catheter distal end, for pressing against walls of the vessel in order to cause an increase in a diameter of the vessel, said dilation means including mechanical expander means for causing radial expansion of the dilation means upon contraction of expander means in a longitudinal direction, said mechanically expanding dilation means comprising a plurality of pairs of adjacent bellow shaped expanders, each pair of expanders being interconnected by a support ring, each of the plurality of pairs being disposed in an equidistant angular relationship around the longitudinal axis, each expander having two pairs of opposing wings with each pair of wings being connected to one another by hinges; and actuator means for causing the longitudinal contraction of the expander means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the dilation means includes quadrate means, disposed about the expander means, for promoting uniform pressure on the walls of the vessel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the actuator means comprises a cable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the actuator means comprises a micromotor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the actuator means comprises an artificial muscle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
177 words
Catheter apparatus for unblocking occluded vessels and delivering stents, said catheter apparatus comprising: a catheter having a distal end sized for insertion into a vessel in a living being mechanically expanding dilation means, disposed on the catheter distal end, for pressing against walls of the vessel in order to cause an increase in a diameter of the vessel, said mechanically expanding dilation means including permeable mechanical expander means for causing radial expansion of the dilation means upon contraction of expander means in a longitudinal direction said permeable mechanical expander means allowing unobstructed fluid flow through the dilation means during the radial expansion thereof, said mechanically expanding dilation means comprising a plurality of pairs of adjacent bellow shaped expanders, each pair of expanders being interconnected by a support ring, each of the plurality of pairs being disposed in an equidistant angular relationship around the longitudinal axis, each expander having two pairs of opposing wings with each pair of wings being connected to one another by hinges; and actuator means for causing the longitudinal contraction of the expander means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
177 words
Catheter apparatus for unblocking occluded vessels and delivering stents, said catheter apparatus comprising: a catheter having a distal end sized for insertion into a vessel in a living being mechanically expanding dilation means, disposed on the catheter distal end, for pressing against walls of the vessel in order to cause an increase in a diameter of the vessel, said mechanically expanding dilation means including permeable mechanical expander means for causing radial expansion of the dilation means upon contraction of expander means in a longitudinal direction said permeable mechanical expander means allowing unobstructed fluid flow through the dilation means during the radial expansion thereof, said mechanically expanding dilation means comprising a plurality of pairs of adjacent bellow shaped expanders, each pair of expanders being interconnected by a support ring, each of the plurality of pairs being disposed in an equidistant angular relationship around the longitudinal axis, each expander having two pairs of opposing wings with each pair of wings being connected to one another by hinges; and actuator means for causing the longitudinal contraction of the expander means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the dilation means includes quadrate means, disposed about the expander means, for promoting uniform pressure on the walls of the vessel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the actuator means comprises a cable.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the actuator means comprises a micromotor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the actuator means comprises an artificial muscle.