Patent ID: 8540762

Claim:
A circumferentially nested three-bar linkage stent being expandable from a collapsed state to an expanded state, the stent comprising a tubular member having longitudinal and circumferential axes, the tubular member comprising: at least one linkage section being disposed along the circumferential axis, the linkage section comprising at least one three-bar structural element, the three-bar structural element comprising: first and second end bars each having first and second ends, the first end bar including a slot being axially disposed therealong and extending intermediate the first and second ends thereof, the second end bar including a cavity disposed at the first end thereof; and a first shared bar having first and second ends, the shared bar having first and second male members disposed at the respective ones of the first and second ends thereof, the first and second male members each being sized and configured to extend into the respective ones of the slot of the first end bar and the cavity of the second end bar, thereby connecting the shared bar with the first and second end bars; wherein the first end bar is positionable substantially circumferentially adjacent to the second end bar when the stent is in the unexpanded state, the first end bar being separable from the second end bar upon translation of the first male member within the slot and rotation of the second male member within the cavity to rotate and translate the shared bar thereby expanding the stent to the expanded state.