Patent ID: 8715300

Claim:
A delivery system comprising a hollow catheter, an anchor coupled to the catheter, and an implant secured within the anchor, the anchor having stowed and deployed configurations and comprising: a base portion having a longitudinal axis and comprising first and second longitudinal ends in oppositely-disposed first and second longitudinal directions, respectively, of the anchor, and a cage between the first and second longitudinal ends; a coupler portion releasably coupled to the catheter and connected to and spaced apart from the second longitudinal end of the base portion in the second longitudinal direction of the anchor; a plurality of flexible arms that, in the stowed configuration of the anchor, axially extend in a distal direction from the first longitudinal end of the base portion and being resiliently biased so that, in the deployed configuration of the anchor, the arms radially project away from the first longitudinal end of the base portion and axially project toward the second longitudinal end of the base portion, each arm having a span portion terminating in a distal portion of the arm, the distal portion having a semispherical shape that defines a convex surface facing the second longitudinal direction; and a plurality of flexible legs connected to the coupler portion and to the second longitudinal end of the base portion, each leg axially extending in a proximal direction from the second longitudinal end of the base portion in the stowed configuration of the anchor and being resiliently biased to project radially away from the longitudinal axis of the base portion and axially project toward the first longitudinal end of the base portion in the deployed configuration of the anchor, each leg having a first span portion adjoining the second longitudinal end of the base portion, a second span portion adjoining the coupler portion, and an intermediate portion therebetween, the intermediate portion having a semispherical shape that defines a convex surface facing the first longitudinal direction; wherein the medical implant is secured within the cage of the base portion so that at least a portion of the implant is between the first and second longitudinal ends of the base portion; and wherein the delivery system further comprises a pusher wire received in the catheter and adapted to apply a force to the implant in the distal direction so as to cause the legs to move from the deployed configuration, whereby the legs project radially away from the longitudinal axis of the base portion and axially project toward the first longitudinal end of the base portion, to the stowed configuration, whereby the legs axially extend in the proximal direction from the second longitudinal end of the base portion.