Patent ID: 7083639

Claim:
A balloon adapted to be mounted on a catheter and to receive a stent having proximal and distal ends, the balloon comprising: proximal and distal cones, proximal and distal ends, respectively adjacent to the proximal and distal cones, and adapted for being mounted to the catheter, an intermediate body between the proximal and distal cones and configured to receive a stent thereon, the intermediate body having a proximal region configured to receive the stent proximal end, and a distal region configured to receive the stent distal end, and at least one circumferential groove formed on the balloon wall between one of the intermediate body proximal and distal regions and the respective proximal and distal cone for mechanically disengaging the respective cone from the intermediate body allowing each to move differently in a radial direction, wherein said at least one circumferential groove is present when the balloon is in both an inflated state and a deflated state, and imparts a smaller diameter to the balloon than does the intermediate body when the balloon is in the inflated state.