Patent US5879370A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5879370A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Stent having a multiplicity of undulating longitudinals
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1997-05-28
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Granted: 1999-03-09
•
Expires: 2017-05-28
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides for an expandable stent (10 or 20) for use in an artery or other vessel of a human body. The stent structure (10 or 20) maintains the patency of the vessel within which the stent (10 or 20) is expanded radially outward. One embodiment of the present invention is a stent (10) having a multiplicity of frames (12) joined together by at least two undulating longitudinal structures (14L and 14R) which can readily change their length in the longitudinal direction so as to provide increased longitudinal flexibility for the stent (10) for easy passage through and placement within a curved vessel such as a coronary artery. The stent (20) is an embodiment of the present invention having frames (22) joined with longitudinal structures (24B, 24T and 24R) and formed from a single, thin-walled piece of metal by means of laser cutting or chemical etching. Because the stent (20) is fabricated from a single piece of metal, it provides a multiplicity of closed perimeter cells that are formed as a continuous metal structure.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert E. Fischell
- 👤 David R. Fischell
- 👤 Tim A. Fischell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 10:58
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/82; A61F2/844; A61F2/86; A61F2/90; A61F2/91; A61F2/915; A61F2002/825; A61F2002/91533; A61F2002/9155; A61F2210/00; A61F2210/0014; A61F2210/0019
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
41 words
A stent structure for maintaining patency of a vessel of a human body comprising a multiplicity of structures forming longitudinals extending in a substantially longitudinal direction, at least a portion of at least one of said longitudinals having an undulating shape.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
41 words
A stent structure for maintaining patency of a vessel of a human body comprising a multiplicity of structures forming longitudinals extending in a substantially longitudinal direction, at least a portion of at least one of said longitudinals having an undulating shape.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The stent structure as recited in claim 1 including a frame extending around a longitudinal axis of said stent structure, said longitudinals being fixedly coupled to said frame.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The stent structure as recited in claim 2 where said frame is formed of at least a pair of longitudinally displaced frame elements, said longitudinals being secured to at least two of said frame elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The stent structure as recited in claim 3 where said frame elements are formed in a closed contour.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The stent structure as recited in claim 3 where said frame includes a pair of opposing end frame elements having a radiopacity value different than a radiopacity value of other frame elements forming said frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The stent structure as recited in claim 3 where said stent structure is formed from a metal having a shape memory characteristic.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
A stent structure for maintaining patency of a vessel of a human body comprising: (a) a frame displaceable in a radial direction for contiguous interface with an inner wall of said vessel of said human body; and, (b) a multiplicity of longitudinals secured to said frame, at least two of said longitudinals having an undulating contour for enhancing longitudinal flexibility.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
A stent structure for maintaining patency of a vessel of a human body comprising: (a) a frame displaceable in a radial direction for contiguous interface with an inner wall of said vessel of said human body; and, (b) a multiplicity of longitudinals secured to said frame, at least two of said longitudinals having an undulating contour for enhancing longitudinal flexibility.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The stent structure as recited in claim 7 where said longitudinals extend in a substantially longitudinal direction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The stent structure as recited in claim 7 where said frame includes a plurality of longitudinally displaced frame elements, each of said frame elements being fixedly coupled to at least one of said longitudinals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The stent structure as recited in claim 8 where said frame elements are formed in closed contour formation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The stent structure as recited in claim 8 where said frame elements are formed of wire members.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The stent structure as recited in claim 8 where said longitudinals are formed of wire members.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The stent structure as recited in claim 8 where said frame elements and said longitudinals are formed of a metal composition.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The stent structure as recited in claim 9 where said frame includes a pair of longitudinally displaced end frame elements having a differing radiopacity when taken with respect to at least one other frame element of said frame.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
107 words
A pre-deployment stent structure having a longitudinal axis comprising at least two longitudinal structures each having at least one straight section and at least one undulating section with each said straight section being joined continuously to said at least one undulating section, the straight sections of all of the longitudinal structures being generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent, the undulating section of each longitudinal structure extending generally in a circumferential direction and being of a generally curved shape so as to allow each undulating longitudinal structure to readily change length during insertion of the stent structure into a curved vessel of a human body.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
107 words
A pre-deployment stent structure having a longitudinal axis comprising at least two longitudinal structures each having at least one straight section and at least one undulating section with each said straight section being joined continuously to said at least one undulating section, the straight sections of all of the longitudinal structures being generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent, the undulating section of each longitudinal structure extending generally in a circumferential direction and being of a generally curved shape so as to allow each undulating longitudinal structure to readily change length during insertion of the stent structure into a curved vessel of a human body.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The pre-deployment stent structure of claim 15 wherein the undulating section of the longitudinal structures extend first in one circumferential direction and then extend in the opposite circumferential direction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The pre-deployment stent structure of claim 15 wherein each undulating section is joined at each of its ends to a straight section.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The pre-deployment stent structure of claim 15, wherein each undulating structure is in the general form of a sine wave.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The pre-deployment stent structure of claim 15 in which the stent is formed as a one piece structure that is photo-etched from a single piece of metal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The pre-deployment stent structure of claim 15 in which the stent is formed as a one piece structure that is EDM machined from a thin-walled tube.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The pre-deployment stent structure of claim 15 in which the stent is formed as a one piece structure that is laser machined from a thin-walled tube.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
91 words
A pre-deployment balloon expandable stent structure adapted for percutaneous delivery to the curved coronary arteries, the stent structure being generally in the form of a thin-walled metal tube having a longitudinal axis, the stent structure having a multiplicity of closed perimeter cells, each cell having one or more undulating sections, each undulating section having a generally curved shaped and having a first end point and a second end point wherein a line drawn from the first end point to the second end point is generally parallel to the stent's longitudinal axis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
91 words
A pre-deployment balloon expandable stent structure adapted for percutaneous delivery to the curved coronary arteries, the stent structure being generally in the form of a thin-walled metal tube having a longitudinal axis, the stent structure having a multiplicity of closed perimeter cells, each cell having one or more undulating sections, each undulating section having a generally curved shaped and having a first end point and a second end point wherein a line drawn from the first end point to the second end point is generally parallel to the stent's longitudinal axis.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
43 words
The stent of claim 22 wherein the line drawn from the first end point to the second end point of the generally curved shape remains generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent as the stent is expanded into its post-deployment state.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
The stent of claim 22 wherein each cell has at least one circumferentially adjacent cell which shares one undulating section.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The stent of claim 22 wherein the undulating section of each closed perimeter cell comprises a "U" shaped curve.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
94 words
A balloon expandable coronary stent comprising: (a) a stent in the form of a thin-walled metal tube capable of being mounted on an expandable balloon for percutaneous delivery of the stent into a coronary artery, the stent having a plurality of zig-zag segments, the zig-zag segments capable of being expanded by the balloon; and, (b) a plurality of longitudinally undulating sections of a generally curved shape positioned between and connecting the zig-zag segments, wherein the plurality of longitudinally undulating sections can expand and contract in length while being passed through a curved coronary artery.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
94 words
A balloon expandable coronary stent comprising: (a) a stent in the form of a thin-walled metal tube capable of being mounted on an expandable balloon for percutaneous delivery of the stent into a coronary artery, the stent having a plurality of zig-zag segments, the zig-zag segments capable of being expanded by the balloon; and, (b) a plurality of longitudinally undulating sections of a generally curved shape positioned between and connecting the zig-zag segments, wherein the plurality of longitudinally undulating sections can expand and contract in length while being passed through a curved coronary artery.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-08 | 2002-09-07 | 2003-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-08 | 2006-09-07 | 2007-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-08 | 2010-09-07 | 2011-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |