Stent having tapered struts

The present application is related to U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/604,134, filed concurrently herewith, and U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/604,160, filed concurrently herewith, and U.S. Design application Ser. No. 29/604,139, filed concurrently herewith, and U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/604,148, filed concurrently herewith, the entire disclosures of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a stent having tapered struts according to Embodiments 1-4 of our new design;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of Embodiments 1-4 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of Embodiments 1-4 thereof;

FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of Embodiments 1-4 thereof;

FIG. 5 is a left side elevational view of Embodiments 1-4 thereof;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of Embodiments 1-4 thereof;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of Embodiments 1-4 thereof;

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

FIG. 9 is an enlarged front elevational view of section C of FIG. 8 , which is an enlarged strut of the stent having tapered struts according to Embodiment 1;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged front elevational view of section C of FIG. 8 , which is an enlarged strut of the stent having tapered struts according to Embodiment 2;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged front elevational view of section C of FIG. 8 , which is an enlarged strut of the stent having tapered struts according to Embodiment 3; and,

FIG. 12 is an enlarged front elevational view of section C of FIG. 8 , which is an enlarged strut of the stent having tapered struts according to Embodiment 4.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a section of FIG. 2 and illustrates a complete cell of the stent, as well as one-half cell directly above the complete cell according to Embodiments 1-4. The complete cell of the stent includes four struts (strut 1-4) that together form the complete cell. The one-half cell includes only two struts (struts 5-6).

An enlarged view of a single strut (strut 1) of the complete cell is shown in FIGS. 9-12 , according to respective Embodiments 1-4, and each single strut 1 includes an first upper end and a lower end. The shapes or profiles of the remaining struts in the enlarged views of FIG. 8 are mirror images of strut 1 across an x-plane or a y-plane, as discussed in further detail below.

In FIG. 8 , according to Embodiments 1-4, a respective second strut (strut 2) is shown positioned to the left of strut 1. Strut 2 is a mirror image of strut 1 taken across a plane that extends along a y-axis, such that strut 2 has an identical shape or profile as strut 1. Strut 1 and strut 2 together form an upper one-half of the complete cell.

In FIG. 8 , according to Embodiments 1-4, a third strut (strut 3) is shown positioned directly below strut 1 and extends from the lower end of strut 1. Strut 3 has a shape or profile that is a mirror image of strut 1 taken across a plane that extends along an x-axis through the lower end of t strut 1. In FIG. 8 , according to Embodiments 1-4, a fourth strut (strut 4) is positioned to the left of strut 3. Strut 4 has a shape or profile that is a mirror image of struts 1 and 3 taken across a plane that extends along the y-axis. Struts 3 and 4 together form a lower one-half of the complete cell, such that taken together, struts 1, 2, 3, and 4 form the complete cell.

In FIG. 8 , according to Embodiments 1-4, a fifth strut (strut 5) is positioned above strut 1 and extends from the upper end of strut 1. Strut 5 has a shape or profile that is a mirror image of strut 1 taken across a plane that extends along an x-axis through the upper end of strut 1. In FIG. 8 , according to Embodiments 1-4, a sixth strut (strut 6) is positioned to the left of strut 5. Strut 6 has a shape or profile that is a mirror image of struts 3 and 5 taken across a plane that extends along the y-axis. Together, the struts 5 and 6 form one-half of a complete cell.

A similar pattern of the complete cell and one-half cell extends around the circumference of the stent in each of Embodiments 1-4, which in turn, respectively correspond to the enlarged stent sections of FIG. 8 , as well as the single struts shown in FIGS. 9-12 . Each of the remaining struts in the complete cell and the one-half cell pattern that are oriented in the same position as respective struts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 discussed above, will possess the same shape or profile as respective struts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 discussed above. In Embodiments 1-4, the complete cell and one-half cell pattern shown in FIG. 8 is repeated an additional eight (8) times around the circumference of the stent.

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.