Patent ID: 8257426

Claim:
A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising: a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter; each cylindrical ring having a plurality of first peaks, each of the first peaks having a first amplitude, the first peaks of each ring aligning along a single plane perpendicular to the common longitudinal axis; each cylindrical ring having a plurality of second peaks, each second peak having a second amplitude, the second amplitude being shorter than the first amplitude; each cylindrical ring having a valley disposed between all peaks; a plurality of undulating links attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, each undulating link extending between a valley of one ring of the plurality of cylindrical rings and a valley of an adjacent ring of the plurality of cylindrical rings, the undulating links having a curved portion extending transverse to the common longitudinal axis toward one of said plurality of second peaks the second amplitude of the second peaks being sized so that as the stent is compressed to the first delivery diameter, the curved portion of each undulating link is longitudinally aligned with said one of said plurality of second peaks and transversely aligned with said first peaks; each undulating link having a first arm that is substantially straight and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and a second arm that is substantially curved; and the undulating links successively disposed along the common longitudinal axis of the stent being circumferentially offset relative to one another.