Patent ID: 6241762
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
An expandable medical device comprising:a plurality of elongated beams, the plurality of elongated beams joined together to form a substantially cylindrical device which is expandable from a first diameter to a second diameter, the plurality of elongated beams each having a beam width in a circumferential direction; anda plurality of ductile hinges connecting the plurality of beams together in the substantially cylindrical device, the ductile hinges having a hinge thickness and a substantially constant width in a circumferential dimension along a portion of a hinge length which is at least 1/3 a total hinge length, wherein the hinge width is smaller than the hinge thickness and the hinge width is smaller than the beam width such that as the device is expanded from the first diameter to the second diameter the ductile hinges experience plastic deformation while the beams are not plastically deformed.