Patent ID: 11957349
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus comprising:
(a) a plurality of links, wherein each link of the plurality of links defines a chord length; and
(b) a plurality of beads interconnected together using the plurality of links and configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement, wherein each bead of the plurality of beads includes at least one magnet configured to emit a magnetic field, wherein the annular arrangement is sized and configured to form a loop around an anatomical structure in a patient, wherein the loop is configured to move between a contracted configuration where adjacent beads of the plurality of beads are in contact, and an expanded configuration where the adjacent beads are spaced apart, wherein the loop in the contracted configuration is configured to prevent fluid flow through the anatomical structure, wherein the loop in the expanded configuration is configured to permit fluid flow through the anatomical structure, wherein the magnets are configured to magnetically bias the loop toward the contracted configuration,
wherein adjacent magnetic fields of adjacent magnets of the adjacent beads are configured to interact until separated past a minimum threshold in response to the annular arrangement moving from the contracted configuration to the expanded configuration, wherein the minimum threshold is based on the chord length of the links,
wherein the adjacent magnetic fields include inner and outer magnetic fields, wherein the inner magnetic field is disposed closer to a center point of the annular arrangement than the outer magnetic field, wherein a first width of the inner magnetic field is greater than a second width of the outer magnetic field.