Back to 1998's patent survey.
| United States Patent | 5,780,807 |
| Saunders | Jul. 14, 1998 |
Method and apparatus for direct laser cutting of metal stents
| Inventors: | Saunders; Richard J.
(Redwood City, CA).
|
| Assignee: | Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
(Santa Clara, CA).
|
| Appl. No.: | 783,698 |
| Filed: | Jan. 15, 1997 |
Related U.S. Application Data|
Continuation of (including streamline cont.) Ser. No. 345,501, Nov. 28, 1994, abandoned. |
| Intl. Cl. : | B23K 26/00 |
| Current U.S. Cl.: | 219/121.71; 29/557 |
| Field of Search: | 219/121.69, 121.71; 29/2.1, 2.12, 557; 83/54, 178 |
References Cited | [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 4,387,952 | Jun., 1983 | Slusher | |
| 4,963,022 | Oct., 1990 | Sommargren | |
| 4,994,071 | Feb., 1991 | MacGregor | |
| 5,073,694 | Dec., 1991 | Tessier et al. | |
| 5,222,617 | Jun., 1993 | Gregory et al. | 219/121.71 |
| 5,345,057 | Sept., 1994 | Muller | |
| 5,569,295 | Oct., 1996 | Lam | |
Foreign Patent Documents
| 0 221 570 A1 | May, 1987 | EP | |
| 0 364 787 A1 | Apr., 1990 | EP | |
| 0 372 789 A3 | Jun., 1990 | EP | |
| 0 421 729 A2 | Apr., 1991 | EP | |
| 0 540 290 A2 | May, 1993 | EP | |
| 0 541 443 A1 | May, 1993 | EP | |
| 0 562 150 A1 | Sept., 1993 | EP | |
| 0 624 421 A3 | Nov., 1994 | EP | |
| 0 662 307 A1 | Jul., 1995 | EP | |
| 0 679 373 A2 | Nov., 1995 | EP | |
| 5285898 | Nov., 1993 | JP | 83/54 |
| 2 070 490 | Sept., 1981 | GB | |
| WO 92/06734 | Apr., 1992 | WO | |
-
Other References
-
Brochure: "Industrial Strength Laser Marking: Turning Photons into Dollars," printed by Excel.backslash.Control Laser, Inc. (1992).
Brochure: "Anomatic.TM. II Positioning Controller," printed by Anorad Corporation (undated).
Primary Examiner: Gorski; Joseph M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fulwider Patton Lee & Utecht, LLP
Abstract
An improved expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, and an improved method for making it from a single length of tubing. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cut cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common axis and interconnected by one or more interconnective elements, the elements having a rectangular cross-section from cut-to-cut. The individual radially expandable cylindrical elements are disposed in an undulating pattern. The stent is manufactured by direct laser cutting from a single metal tube using a finely focused laser beam passing through a coaxial gas jet structure to impinge on the working surface of the tube as the linear and rotary velocity of the tube is precisely controlled.
28 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures
Back to 1998's patent survey.