Patent ID: 6533809
Filing Date: 2003-03-18
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A expandable stent comprising:a tubular, flexible body formed by a wall with a web structure defining a plurality of substantially identically shaped and oriented cells that allows expansion of said body in a circumferential direction, said web structure including a plurality of first spring elements circumferentially arranged together with a plurality of first web loops and a plurality of second web loops to form a plurality of first spring web patterns that are axially spaced apart, each of said first spring elements having a first bent section located between its first and second axial ends, said first axial ends of adjacent said first spring elements located on a first side being coupled together by said first web loops, each of said first web loops having a pair of first diverging legs extending from a first apex to form a first approximately V-shaped configuration and said second axial ends of adjacent said first spring elements located on a second side being coupled together by said second web loops, each of said second web loops having a pair of second diverging legs extending from a second apex to form a second approximately V-shaped configuration such that said first spring elements and said first and second web loops form a first meandering configuration in its circumferential direction; and a plurality of second spring elements circumferentially arranged together with a plurality of third web loops and a plurality of fourth web loops to form a plurality of second spring web patterns that alternate with said first spring web patterns, each of said second spring elements having a second bent section located between its first and second axial ends, said first axial ends of adjacent said second spring elements located on a first side being coupled together by said third web loops, each of said third web loops having a pair of third diverging legs extending from a third apex to form a third approximately V-shaped configuration and said second axial ends of adjacent said second spring elements located on a second side being coupled together by said fourth web loops, each of said fourth web loops having a pair of fourth diverging legs extending from a fourth apex to form a fourth approximately V-shaped configuration such that said second spring elements and said third and fourth web loops form a second meandering configuration in its circumferential direction; each of said first spring elements having one of said first axial ends of said first spring elements contiguously coupled to one of said first and second legs of one of said first approximately V-shaped configurations and one of said second axial ends of said first spring elements contiguously coupled to one of said first and second legs of one of said second approximately V-shaped configurations, and each of said second spring elements having one of said first axial ends of said second spring elements contiguously coupled to one of said first and second legs of one of said third approximately V-shaped configurations and one of said second axial ends of said second spring elements contiguously coupled to one of said first and second legs of one of said fourth approximately V-shaped configurations; each of said first and second bent sections being formed by a single loop portion having a single approximately V-shaped configuration between said first and second axial ends of said first and second spring elements, respectively; and said first and fourth apexes of said first and fourth web loops being contiguously coupled together and said second and third apexes of said second and third web loops being contiguously coupled together to form a plurality of alternating first and second circumferential lines that bisect said cells such that each of said cells are defined by two of said first spring elements and two of said second spring elements with said two of said first spring elements being mirror images of its corresponding said two of said first spring elements about said first and second circumferential lines.