Patent ID: 6770088
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A stent in a non-expanded state, comprising:a first expansion column formed of a plurality of first expansion column strut pairs, a first expansion strut pair including a first expansion strut adjacent to a second expansion strut and a first joining strut that couples the first and second expansion struts at a proximal end of the first expansion strut pair, a second expansion strut pair including a third expansion strut adjacent to the second expansion strut and a second joining strut that couples the second and third expansion struts at a distal end of the second expansion strut pair, a third expansion strut pair including a fourth expansion strut adjacent to the third expansion strut and a third joining strut that couples the third and fourth expansion struts at a proximal end of the third expansion strut pair, a fourth expansion strut pair including a fifth expansion strut adjacent to the fourth expansion strut and a fourth joining strut that couples the fourth and fifth expansion struts at a distal end of the fourth expansion strut pair, the first, second, third and fourth joining struts slanted relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent, a first expansion strut pair first inner corner and first outer corner formed where the first joining strut is coupled to the first expansion strut and a first expansion strut pair second inner corner and second outer corner formed where the first joining strut is coupled to the second expansion strut and a second expansion strut pair first inner corner and first outer corner formed where the second joining strut is coupled to the second expansion strut and a second expansion strut pair second inner corner and second outer corner formed where the second joining strut is coupled to the third expansion strut and a third expansion strut pair first inner corner and first outer corner formed where the third joining strut is coupled to the third expansion strut and a third expansion strut pair second inner corner and second outer corner formed where the third joining strut is coupled to the fourth expansion strut and a fourth expansion strut pair first inner corner and first outer corner formed where the fourth joining strut is coupled to the fourth expansion strut and a fourth expansion strut pair second inner corner and second outer corner formed where the fourth joining strut is coupled to the fifth expansion strut, the second expansion strut pair first inner corner and the second expansion strut pair second inner corner being longitudinally and circumferentially offset, the second expansion strut pair first outer corner and the second expansion strut pair second outer corner being longitudinally and circumferentially offset, the fourth expansion strut pair first inner corner and the fourth expansion strut pair second inner corner being longitudinally and circumferentially offset, the fourth expansion strut pair first outer corner and the fourth expansion strut pair second outer corner being longitudinally and circumferentially offset; a second expansion column formed of a plurality of first expansion column strut pairs, a first expansion strut pair including a first expansion strut adjacent to a second expansion strut and a first joining strut that couples the first and second expansion struts at a proximal end of the first expansion strut pair, a second expansion strut pair including a third expansion strut adjacent to the second expansion strut and a second joining strut that couples the second and third expansion struts at a distal end of the second expansion strut pair, a third expansion strut pair including a fourth expansion strut adjacent to the third expansion strut and a third joining strut that couples the third and fourth expansion struts at a proximal end of the third expansion strut pair, a fourth expansion strut pair including a fifth expansion strut adjacent to the fourth expansion strut and a fourth joining strut that couples the fourth and fifth expansion struts at a distal end of the fourth expansion strut pair, the first, second, third and fourth joining struts slanted relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent, and a first expansion strut pair second inner corner and second outer corner formed where the first joining strut is coupled to the second expansion strut and a second expansion strut pair first inner corner and first outer corner formed where the second joining strut is coupled to the second expansion strut and a second expansion strut pair second inner corner and second outer corner formed where the second joining strut is coupled to the third expansion strut and a third expansion strut pair first inner corner and first outer corner formed where the third joining strut is coupled to the third expansion strut and a third expansion strut pair second inner corner and second outer corner formed where the third joining strut is coupled to the fourth expansion strut and a fourth expansion strut pair first inner corner and first outer corner formed where the fourth joining strut is coupled to the fourth expansion strut and a fourth expansion strut pair second inner corner and second outer corner formed where the fourth joining strut is coupled to the fifth expansion strut, the second expansion strut pair first inner corner and the second expansion strut pair second inner corner being longitudinally and circumferentially offset, the second expansion strut pair first outer corner and the second expansion strut pair second outer corner being longitudinally and circumferentially offset, the fourth expansion strut pair first inner corner and the fourth expansion strut pair second inner corner being longitudinally and circumferentially offset, the fourth expansion strut pair first outer corner and the fourth expansion strut pair second outer corner being longitudinally and circumferentially offset; a first connecting strut column formed of a plurality of first connecting struts, each connecting strut of the first connecting strut column including a connecting strut proximal section, a connecting strut distal section and a connecting strut intermediate section, a first connecting strut proximal portion is coupled to the first outer corner of the second expansion strut pair of the first expansion strut column, and a first connecting strut distal section is offset in both a circumferential and a longitudinal direction from the first connecting strut proximal section and coupled to the first joining strut of the first expansion strut pair of the second expansion strut column intermediate the first expansion strut pair first outer corner and the first expansion strut pair second outer corner, and a second connecting strut proximal section is coupled to the first outer corner of the fourth expansion strut pair of the first expansion strut column, and a second connecting strut distal section is offset in both a circumferential and a longitudinal direction from the second connecting strut proximal section and coupled to the third joining strut of the third expansion pair of the second expansion strut column intermediate the third expansion strut pair first outer corner and the third expansion strut pair second outer corner.