Patent ID: 11957352
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 16:
17. An apparatus comprising:
(a) at least one link; and
(b) a plurality of beads joined using the at least one link and configured to be arranged in an annular arrangement, wherein the plurality of beads include at least first, second, and third beads, wherein each of the plurality of beads includes at least one magnet, 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 and an expanded configuration, 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 beads of the plurality of beads are magnetically attracted together at a plurality of magnetic interfaces comprising:
(i) a first magnetic interface between the first bead and the second bead having a first magnetic field strength, and
(ii) a second magnetic interface between the second bead and the third bead having a second magnetic field strength that is less than the first magnetic field strength so that the beads forming the second interface are configured to separate prior to the beads forming the first interface when the loop moves from the contracted configuration to the expanded configuration,
further comprising a first magnet received within a first magnet chamber of the first bead, wherein the first magnet chamber is sized and configured to allow for movement of the first magnet within the first magnet chamber, wherein the movement of the first magnet is configured to change the first and second magnetic field strengths of the first interface,
further comprising a second magnet received within a second magnet chamber of the second bead, wherein the second magnet chamber is sized and configured to allow for movement of the second magnet within the second magnet chamber, wherein the second magnet is configured to move to change the first and second magnetic field strengths of the first and second interfaces.