Patent ID: 8226701

Claim:
A stent comprising: a plurality of struts extending in a substantially axial direction from respective proximal ends to respective distal ends thereof along respective longitudinal axes thereof; a belt groove which extends circumferentially about the plurality of struts between the proximal ends and distal ends of the plurality of struts and which includes a distal edge that is closer to the distal ends of the struts than the proximal ends of the struts and a proximal edge which is closer to the proximal ends of the struts than the distal ends of the struts; and an extension extending circumferentially from a strut to a free end of the extension, the extension including a shoulder surface which is configured to engage a belt disposed in the belt groove, the shoulder surface extending from the strut to the free end of the extension such that the shoulder surface and a junction between the shoulder surface and the strut are disposed between the proximal edge of the belt groove and the distal edge of the belt groove and the shoulder surface being disposed at an angle of approximately 90° relative to a longitudinal axis of the strut.