Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20010020183
Timestamp: 2018-02-19 00:26:39
Document Index: 225988212

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 68', 'art 68', 'art 68', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 68', 'art 72', 'art 38', 'art 39', 'art 40', 'art 41']

US20010020183A1 - Tubular stent consists of chevron-shape expansion struts and contralaterally attached diagonal-connectors - Google Patents
US20010020183A1
US20010020183A1 US09839287 US83928701A US2001020183A1 US 20010020183 A1 US20010020183 A1 US 20010020183A1 US 09839287 US09839287 US 09839287 US 83928701 A US83928701 A US 83928701A US 2001020183 A1 US2001020183 A1 US 2001020183A1
US09839287
[0036]FIG. 1—A cut open 2-dimensional view of the strut pattern of stent 10 of present invention in an unexpanded state.
[0037]FIG. 2—A Magnified view of key area of the stent 10 shown in cut-open view to clearly mark the essential features of the stent 10; the expansion columns 32′, 32″, 32′″, the connecting columns 34′, 43″, the chevron-shaped expansion struts 42′, 42″, 42′″, the diagonal connecting struts 44′, 44″, the closed loop 48′, 48″, 48″ expansion strut pairs, the stent cells 36′, 36″, the chevron shaped slot widths 38′-39′, 38″-39″, 38′″-38′″ and 40′-41′, 40″-41″, 40′″-41′″.
[0038]FIG. 3—An enlarged view of the stent 10 in its entirety in 2-dimensional cut open drawing in an unexpanded state to illustrate the arrangements of the expansion columns 32′, 32″, 32′″, the connecting columns 44′, 44′, the proximal and distal end expansion rings 13, 15, and formation of stent cells 36′, 36″ around the circumference 18 and along the longitudinal axis 17 to construct the stent 10 in an unbroken chain-mesh pattern.
A third expansion strut pair includes a fourth expansion strut 42″ of a symmetrical chevron-shape with a downward vertex or apex 43″ at the center, adjacent to a third expansion strut 42″ of a quasi-chevron shape, which has a stair-step or “stepped bridge” configuration with a downward vertex or apex 33′″ at the center. A third joining strut 46″ couples the third and fourth expansion struts 42″ of dissimilar chevron-shape at a proximal end of a third expansion strut pair to form a closed loop 48″. When a third expansion strut 42″ pair is joined by a third joining strut 46″ to form a closed loop 48″, a quasi-chevron shaped slot is formed inside the third expansion strut pair closed loop 48″ with a proximal narrow section 38″ and a distal wide section 39″, due to dissimilar chevron-shapes of the third and fourth expansion struts 42″ of a third expansion strut pair.
These expansion strut pairs of two dissimilar chevron-shaped struts 42″ coupled by a joining strut 46″ to form a closed loop 48″ in proximal or distal end of the expansion strut pairs in an alternating pattern can be repeated to make the prescribed number of continues chain of expansion strut pairs around the circumference in an unbroken fashion in the stent 10 of present invention. A set of two consecutive dissimilar chevron-shaped expansion strut pairs in an unbroken sequence is called expansion strut cycles. In this application, a second expansion column 32″ of FIGS. 1 & 2 contain six (6) chevron-shaped expansion strut pair cycles or twelve (12) chevron-shaped expansion strut 42″ pairs in the 2-dimensional cut-open drawings of the unexpanded stent 10 of present invention. However, the number of chevron-shaped expansion strut pairs or expansion strut pair cycles in a second expansion column 32″ can variably be changed according to the application requirements of the specific stent 10 made. Variation of the number of expansion strut pairs or expansion strut pair cycles in a second expansion column 32″ is within the scope of a tubular stent 10 of present invention.
A first connecting strut column 34′ is formed of a plurality of first connecting struts 44′. Each first connecting strut 44′ in a first connecting strut column 34′ includes a connecting strut proximal section, a connecting strut distal section and a connecting strut intermediate section 74′. A first connecting strut proximal section has two parts; a first short part or a “stem” 66′ that is coupled at a perpendicular or slant angle to the outer side of the distal end of a second expansion 42′ strut of first expansion strut pair in a first expansion column 32′, and a second long part 68′ that is coupled to the “stem” 66′ proximally and to the intermediate section 74′ distally. The second long part 68′ of first connecting strut 44′ proximal section generally parallels to the distal half section of a second expansion strut 42′ of chevron-shape of first expansion strut pair in a first expansion column 32′, although the second long part 68′ can be non-parallel to the distal half section of a second expansion strut 42′ of chevron-shape of first expansion strut pair in a first expansion column 32′, as an alternative configuration. A first connecting strut 44′ distal section also has two parts; a first short part or “stem” 70′ that is coupled at a perpendicular or slant angle to the outer side of the proximal end of a first expansion strut 42′ of a first expansion strut pair in a second expansion column 32″, and a second long part 72′ that is coupled to the first short part or stem 70′ distally and to the intermediate section 74′ proximally. The second long part 72′ generally parallels to the proximal half section of a first expansion strut 42′ of quasi-chevron shape of a first expansion strut pair in a second expansion column 32″, although the second long part 72′ can be non-parallel to the proximal half section of a first expansion strut 42″ of quasi-chevron shape of first expansion strut pair in a second expansion column 32″, as an alternative configuration. A first connecting strut 44′ intermediate section 74′ proximal end is coupled at a slant angle to the distal end of first connecting strut 44′ proximal section long part 68′ in a junction 76′, and the first connecting strut 44′ intermediate section 74′ distal end is coupled at a slant angle to the proximal end of a first connecting strut distal section long part 72′ at a junction 78′. The intermediate section 74′ of a first connecting strut 44′ traverses diagonally through the inter-connecting space between a first expansion strut pair closed loop 48′ in a first expansion column 32′ and a first expansion strut pair closed loop 48″ in a second expansion column 32″. This diagonal course of the intermediate section 74′ of the first connecting strut 44′ is a key feature for contralaterally attaching the proximal end 62′ and distal end 64′ of a first connecting strut 44′ to the opposite sides (or Contralateral sides) of the two apposed closed loops 48′, 48″ respectively; between a closed loop 48′ in a first expansion column 32′ and a closed loop 48″ in a second expansion column 32″. Because they attach to the opposite sides of the apposed closed loops 48′, 48″ respectively in a first 32′ and a second 32″ expansion column, the proximal end 62′ with its stem 66′ and distal end 64′ with its stem 70′ of a first connecting strut 44′ points to the opposite directions as they join to the respective attachment sites. There are six (6) connecting struts 44′ in the first connecting column 34′. Each of these six (6) connecting strut 44′ attaches to their respective attachment sites in the first 32′ and second 32″ expansion columns like the first connecting strut 44′ described above, in an unbroken fashion around the circumference 18 of the stent 10, to form a tubular structure consists of a first expansion column 32′, a first connecting column 34′ and a second expansion column 32″ with a longitudinal axis 17. When an unbroken tubular stent 10 is formed by a first expansion column 32′, second expansion column 32″ and a first connecting column 34′, there are six (6) asymmetrical stent cells 36′ formed in the tubular structure. In each of the stent cell 36′, there are two quasi-chevron shape slots; a proximal slot in the proximal end and a distal slot in the distal end. The quasi-chevron shaped slots have a narrower proximal part 38′ and wider distal part 39′ in the proximal slot, and a wider proximal part 40″ and narrower distal part 41′ in the distal slot.
A third expansion column 32′″ includes of a plurality of first expansion strut 42′″ pairs of dissimilar chevron-shape in upright position. A first expansion strut pair includes a first expansion strut 42′″ of a quasi-chevron shape, which has a stair-step or “stepped bridge” configuration with a vertex or apex 33′″ at the center, adjacent to a second expansion strut 42′″ of a symmetrical chevron-shape with a vertex or apex 43′″ at the center. A first joining strut 46′″ couples the first and second expansion struts 42′″ at a proximal end of a first expansion strut pair to form a first closed loop 48′″. When a first expansion strut pair is joined by a first joining strut 46′″ to form a closed loop 48′″, a quasi-chevron shaped slot is formed inside the first expansion strut pair closed loop 48′″ with a proximal narrow section 38′″ and a distal wide section 39′″, due to a dissimilar chevron-shapes of the first and second expansion struts 42′″ in a third expansion column 32′″. A second expansion strut pair includes a third expansion strut of a quasi-chevron shape, which has a stair-step or “stepped bridge” configuration with a vertex or apex 33′ at the center, adjacent to a second expansion strut 42′″ of a symmetrical chevron-shape with a vertex or apex 43′″ at the center. A second joining strut 46′″ couples the third and second expansion struts 42′″ of dissimilar chevron-shape at a distal end of a second expansion strut pair to form a closed loop 48′″. When a second expansion strut 42′″60 pair is joined by a first joining strut 46′″ to form a closed loop 48′″, a quasi-chevron shaped slot is formed inside the second expansion strut pair closed loop 48′″ with a proximal wider section 40′″ and a distal narrower section 41′″, due to the dissimilar chevron-shapes of the second and third expansion struts 42′″ of a second expansion strut pair. A third expansion strut pair includes a fourth expansion strut 42′″ of a symmetrical chevron-shape with a vertex or apex 43′″ at the center, adjacent to a third expansion strut 42′″ of a quasi-chevron shape, which has a stair-step or “stepped bridge” configuration with a vertex or apex 33′″ at the center. A third joining strut 46′″ couples the third and fourth expansion struts 42′″ of dissimilar chevron-shapes at a proximal end of a third expansion strut pair to form a closed loop 48′″. When a third expansion strut pair is joined by a third joining strut 46′″ to form a closed loop 48′″, a quasi-chevron shaped slot is formed inside the third expansion strut pair closed loop 48′″ with a proximal narrower section 38′″ and a distal wider section 39′″, due to the dissimilar chevron-shape configurations of the fourth and third expansion struts 42′″. A fourth expansion strut pair includes a fifth expansion strut 42′″ of a quasi-chevron shape, which has a stair-step or “stepped bridge” configuration with a vertex or apex 33′″ at the center, adjacent to a fourth expansion strut of a symmetrical chevron-shape with a vertex or apex 43′″ at the center. A fourth joining strut 46′″ couples the fourth and fifth expansion struts 42′″ of dissimilar chevron-shape at a distal end of a fourth expansion strut pair to form a closed loop 48′″. When a fourth expansion strut pair is joined by a fourth joining strut 46′″ to form a closed loop 48′″, a quasi-chevron shaped slot is formed inside the fourth expansion strut pair closed loop 48′″ with a proximal wider section 40′″ and a distal narrower section 41′″, due to the dissimilar chevron-shapes of the fourth and fifth expansion struts 42′″ of a fourth expansion strut pair.
These expansion strut pairs of two dissimilar chevron-shapes coupled by a joining strut 46′″ to form a closed loop 48′″ in an alternating proximal or distal end of the expansion strut pairs can be repeated to make the prescribed number of continues chain of expansion strut pairs around the circumference 18 in an unbroken fashion in the stent 10 of present invention. A set of two consecutive chevron-shaped expansion strut pairs in opposite directions in an unbroken sequence is called expansion strut cycles. In this application, FIGS. 1 & 3 contain six (6) chevron-shaped expansion strut pair cycles or twelve (12) chevron-shaped expansion strut pairs in a third expansion column 32′″ in the 2-dimensional cut-open drawings of the unexpanded stent 10 of present invention. However, the number of chevron-shaped expansion strut pairs or expansion strut pair cycles in a third expansion column 32′″ can variably be changed according to the application requirements of the specific stent 10 made. Variation in the number of expansion strut pair or expansion strut pair cycle in a third expansion column 32′″ is within the scope of a tubular stent 10 of present invention.
, wherein each of the first expansion column strut pair and the second expansion column strut pair define a quasi-chevron shaped slot.
, wherein the first and second expansion columns and the first connecting strut column form asymmetric cells.
, wherein the first and second expansion struts of the first and second expansion columns each have a first section and a second section.
, wherein the first and second sections of the first expansion strut of the first expansion column strut pair are coupled with a stepped bridge section, and the first and second sections of the first expansion strut of the second expansion column strut pair are coupled with a stepped bridge section.
, wherein the first and second sections of the second expansion strut of the first expansion column strut pair are coupled to form a first apex, and the first and second sections of the second expansion strut of the second expansion column strut pair are coupled to form a second apex.
, wherein the first apeces of the first expansion column all extend in a same direction.
, wherein the second apeces of the second expansion column all extend in a same direction.
, wherein the first and second apeces extend in opposite directions.
, wherein the first section of the first expansion strut of the first expansion column strut pair and the first section of the second expansion strut of the first expansion column strut pair are separated by a first length, and the second section of the first expansion strut of the first expansion column strut pair and the second section of the second expansion strut of the first expansion column strut pair are separated by a second length, wherein the first length is greater than the second length.
, wherein the first section of the first expansion strut of the first expansion column strut pair has a longitudinal axis that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second section of the first expansion strut of the second expansion column strut pair.
, wherein the second section of the first expansion strut of the first expansion column strut pair has a longitudinal axis that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first section of the first expansion strut of the second expansion column strut pair.
, wherein the first section of the second expansion strut in the first expansion column strut pair has a longitudinal axis that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second section of the second expansion strut of the second expansion column strut pair.
, wherein the second section of the second expansion strut in the first expansion column strut pair has a longitudinal axis that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first section of the second expansion strut of the second expansion column strut pair.
, wherein each of the first serial connecting struts has a proximal portion with a proximal stem, a distal portion with a distal stem and an intermediate portion that couples the proximal and distal portions.
, wherein the intermediate portion of the first serial connecting strut diagonally couples the proximal and distal portions.
, wherein the first serial connecting strut contralaterally couples the second section of the second expansion strut of the first expansion column strut pair to the first section of the first expansion strut of the second expansion column strut pair.
, wherein the proximal stem of the first serial connecting strut is coupled to a side of the second section of the second expansion strut of the first expansion column strut pair.
, wherein the proximal stem of the first serial connecting strut is coupled to the side of the second section of the second expansion strut at a connect angle of 85° or greater, wherein the connect angle is formed closest to the apex.
, wherein the proximal stem of the first serial connecting strut is coupled to the side of the second section of the second expansion strut at a connect angle of about 90° or greater, wherein the connect angle is formed closest to the apex.
, wherein the distal portion of the first serial connecting strut is coupled to a side of the first section of the first expansion strut of the second expansion column strut pair.
, wherein the distal stem of the first serial connecting strut is coupled to the side of the first section of the first expansion strut at a connect angle of 85° or greater, wherein the connect angle is formed closest to the stepped bridge.
, wherein the distal stem of the first serial connecting strut is coupled to the side of the first section of the first expansion strut at a connect angle of about 90° or greater, wherein the connect angle is formed closest to the stepped bridge.
, wherein a ratio of a number of expansion struts in an expansion strut column to a number of serial connecting struts in a connecting strut column is 2 to 1.
, wherein the stent includes m first and second expansion columns, n expansion struts per column and n (m−1)/2 serial connecting struts.
, wherein the first and second expansion columns are each unbroken, continuous structures.
, wherein a portion of the plurality of first expansion strut pairs in the first expansion column are coupled by the plurality of first serial connecting struts to a portion of the plurality of second expansion strut pairs of the second expansion column.
, wherein a portion of the plurality of first expansion strut pairs in the first expansion column are not coupled by the plurality of first serial connecting struts to a portion of the plurality of second expansion strut pairs of the second expansion column.
, wherein a portion of the plurality of first serial connecting struts have different widths.
, wherein a width of a portion of the expansion struts in the first expansion column is substantially the same as a width of a portion of the first connecting struts in the first serial connecting strut column.
, wherein a width of the expansion struts in the first expansion column is different from the widths of the plurality of first connecting struts in the first serial connecting strut column.
, wherein each of the expansion strut pairs of the first, second and third expansion columns has a quasi-chevron geometric configuration.
, wherein in the first expansion column a first joining strut couples distal ends of the first and second expansion struts, a second joining strut couples proximal ends of the second and third expansion struts, and a third joining strut couples distal ends of the third and fourth expansion struts.
, wherein in the second expansion column a first joining strut couples proximal ends of the first and second expansion struts, a second joining strut couples distal ends of the second and third expansion struts, and a third joining strut couples proximal ends of the third and fourth expansion struts.
36. The stent of
, wherein in the third expansion column a first joining strut couples proximal ends of the first and second expansion struts, a second joining strut couples distal ends of the second and third expansion struts, and a third joining strut couples proximal ends of the third and fourth expansion struts.
37. The stent of
, wherein the second and third expansion struts and the second joining strut of the first expansion column define a first slot, and the second and third expansion struts and the second joining strut of the second expansion column define a second slot.
38. The stent of
, wherein in the first expansion column the second and third expansion struts, the second and third joining struts, in the second expansion column the second and third expansion struts, the first and second joining struts, and in the first connecting strut column the first and second expansion struts, all collectively define a first cell.
39. The stent of
, wherein the first cell has an asymmetric geometric configuration.
40. The stent of
, wherein in the second expansion column the third and fourth expansion struts and the third joining strut define a third slot.
41. The stent of
, wherein the second slot is positioned adjacent to the third slot.
42. The stent of
, wherein in the second expansion column the third and fourth expansion struts, the second and third joining struts, in the third expansion column the second and third expansion struts, and the second and third joining struts, and in the second connecting strut column the first and second connecting struts, all collectively define a second cell.
43. The stent of
, wherein the second cell has an asymmetric geometric configuration.
44. The stent of
, wherein each of the first and second cells have chevron shaped slots formed at a cell proximal end and a cell distal end.
45. The stent of
, wherein each of the first and second cells have quasi-chevron shaped slots formed at a cell proximal end and a cell distal end.
US09839287 1998-02-02 2001-04-20 Tubular stent consists of chevron-shape expansion struts and contralaterally attached diagonal-connectors Abandoned US20010020183A1 (en)
US7341298 true 1998-02-02 1998-02-02
US09237537 US6235053B1 (en) 1998-02-02 1999-01-26 Tubular stent consists of chevron-shape expansion struts and contralaterally attached diagonal connectors
US09839287 US20010020183A1 (en) 1998-02-02 2001-04-20 Tubular stent consists of chevron-shape expansion struts and contralaterally attached diagonal-connectors
US10321005 US8562665B2 (en) 1998-02-02 2002-12-17 Tubular stent consists of chevron-shape expansion struts and contralaterally attached diagonal-connectors
US09237537 Continuation US6235053B1 (en) 1998-02-02 1999-01-26 Tubular stent consists of chevron-shape expansion struts and contralaterally attached diagonal connectors
US10321005 Continuation US8562665B2 (en) 1998-02-02 2002-12-17 Tubular stent consists of chevron-shape expansion struts and contralaterally attached diagonal-connectors
US11408509 Continuation-In-Part US8012195B2 (en) 1996-04-26 2006-04-21 Intravascular stent
US20010020183A1 true true US20010020183A1 (en) 2001-09-06
US09237537 Active US6235053B1 (en) 1998-02-02 1999-01-26 Tubular stent consists of chevron-shape expansion struts and contralaterally attached diagonal connectors
US09839287 Abandoned US20010020183A1 (en) 1998-02-02 2001-04-20 Tubular stent consists of chevron-shape expansion struts and contralaterally attached diagonal-connectors
US10321005 Active 2027-06-06 US8562665B2 (en) 1998-02-02 2002-12-17 Tubular stent consists of chevron-shape expansion struts and contralaterally attached diagonal-connectors
DE (2) DE69917220T2 (en)
US20140324157A1 (en) * 1998-09-05 2014-10-30 Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises Limited Methods and apparatus for stenting comprising enhanced embolic protection coupled with improved protections against restenosis and thrombus formation
US9517146B2 (en) * 1998-09-05 2016-12-13 Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises Limited Methods and apparatus for stenting comprising enhanced embolic protection coupled with improved protections against restenosis and thrombus formation
DE69917220D1 (en) 2004-06-17 grant
DE69917220T2 (en) 2005-05-04 grant
US8562665B2 (en) 2013-10-22 grant
EP1052951B1 (en) 2004-05-12 grant
EP1052951A1 (en) 2000-11-22 application
US6235053B1 (en) 2001-05-22 grant
US20030093144A1 (en) 2003-05-15 application
WO1999038456A1 (en) 1999-08-05 application
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:JANG, G. DAVID;REEL/FRAME:013559/0471