US6287336B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Variable flexibility stent
Assignee: Medtronic Inc
•
Filing: 1997-11-07
•
Granted: 2001-09-11
•
Expires: 2017-11-07
Abstract
Abstract A stent ( 1 ) is provided for having variable flexibility and stiffness along its length. The stent ( 1 ) comprises portions ( 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 ) of the stent having different bending and durability characteristics, and may be fabricated, using any of a variety of methods out of any of a variety of materials.
Inventors
- 👤 Oren Globerman
- 👤 Mordechay Beyar
- 👤 Rafael Beyar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 08:17
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/82; A61F2/86; A61F2/90; A61F2/91; A61F2/915; A61F2/88; A61F2/95; A61F2/958; A61F2/02; A61F2/04; A61F2/06; A61F2002/065; A61F2002/91525; A61F2002/91533; A61F2002/9155; A61F2002/91583; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0014; A61F2250/0018; A61F2250/0019; A61F2250/0029; A61F2250/0039
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
63 words
A stent comprising a plurality of expandable annular members; and a plurality of cross members having ends, the ends of each cross member being attached to an annular member at a point in common with a longitudinally adjacent cross member; the cross members differing in their relative rigidity and positioned so as to vary the bending flexibility of the stent along its length.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
63 words
A stent comprising a plurality of expandable annular members; and a plurality of cross members having ends, the ends of each cross member being attached to an annular member at a point in common with a longitudinally adjacent cross member; the cross members differing in their relative rigidity and positioned so as to vary the bending flexibility of the stent along its length.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The stent of claim 1 comprising a plurality of dimensionally variable members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The stent of claim 1 comprising a plurality of compositionally variable members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The stent of claim 1 , wherein the cross members positioned at the ends of the stent are less rigid than the cross members positioned at the center of the stent, such that the bending flexibility of the stent is greater at the ends of the stent than in the middle of the stent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The stent of claim 1 fabricated from at least one material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, nitinol, titanium, tantalum, and other metals and metal alloys.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The stent of claim 1 , which has been fabricated using a method selected from the group consisting of forming, stamping, and etching.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The stent of claim 1 , which has been fabricated using a film contact imaging method.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The stent of claim 1 , which has been fabricated using a laser cutting method.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The stent of claim 1 , wherein both the expandable annular members and the cross members differ in their relative rigidities.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The stent of claim 1 comprising a plurality of distal ends and a middle portion, wherein the bending flexibility of the stent is greater at the distal ends than at the middle portion.
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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) | 2004-09-10 | 2005-03-12 | 2005-09-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-09-10 | 2009-03-12 | 2009-09-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-09-10 | 2013-03-12 | 2013-09-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |