Stent having tapered aortic struts

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a stent having tapered aortic struts according to my new design;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of thereof;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of thereof;

FIG. 5 is a left side elevational view of thereof;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of thereof;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of thereof;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged front elevational view of a portion of FIG. 2 ; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged front elevational view of a section of FIG. 8 , which is an enlarged strut of the stent having tapered aortic struts according to my new design.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged front elevational view of a portion of FIG. 2 . FIG. 8 illustrates a pattern of three one-half cells of the stent adjacent one another, wherein each one-half cell includes two struts. As shown, a central one-half cell is positioned in the middle or center of the three one-half cells. The central one-half cell includes two struts that do not taper along their respective lengths. A first one-half cell is positioned to the left of the central one-half cell and a second one-half cell is positioned to the right of the central one-half cell. Each of the struts of the first and second one-half cells that are adjacent the central one-half cell tapers at some point along its respective length; and,

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a single strut, as shown in FIG. 8 , which illustrates the taper of the single strut. A second strut is shown in FIG. 8 directly to the left of the single strut. The second strut is a mirror image of the single strut taken across a plane that extends along the y-axis and possesses the same shape and configuration as the single strut.

The pattern shown in FIG. 8 of a central one-half cell with first and second adjacent one-half cells continues around the circumference of the stent, such that there are two additional patterns of a central one-half cell with adjacent one-half cells positioned on each side of the central one-half cell.

Each of the struts in the two additional patterns that are oriented in the same positions as the struts shown in FIG. 8 possess the same shapes and configurations as the struts shown in FIG. 8 . As shown, the struts of the central one-half cell in the two additional patterns do not taper along their lengths. The struts in the first and second one-half cells that are adjacent the central one-half cell in the two additional patterns, however, do taper along their lengths. In particular, the struts in the two additional patterns that are oriented in the same position as the single strut shown in FIG. 8 and enlarged in FIG. 9 will possess the same shape and configuration as the single strut shown in FIG. 9 . The struts in the two additional patterns that are oriented in the same position as the second strut shown in FIG. 8 will possess the same shape and configuration as the second strut shown in FIG. 8 .

The broken lines shown in the drawings illustrate environmental structure and form no part of the claimed design. The dot-dash lines represent boundary lines and form no part of the claimed design. It is to be understood that the claimed design extends to but does not include the defined boundary.