Expandable stent

Claim 2

An expandable tubular reinforcing member used for a body lumen comprising, a plurality of rows of joint members, each of the rows being spaced for a predetermined distance away from each other along a central longitudinal axis of the reinforcing member, each row being formed of a plurality of said joint members spaced apart from each other and arranged circularly around the central axis with a first diameter, and a plurality of rows of flexible elongated members, each of the rows being situated between adjacent two rows of the joint members and arranged circularly around the central axis, said elongated members in each of the rows being inclined substantially in a same direction and diagonally with an acute angle with respect to a line on a surface of the reinforcing member parallel to the central axis of the reinforcing member, each of said elongated members connecting two of the joint members situated in adjacent two rows of the joint members, said elongated members in two rows sandwiching one row of the joining members to be connected together and being arranged substantially symmetrically relative to said one row of the joint members situated therebetween so that when a radial force is applied from an inside of the reinforcing member, the elongated members are pivoted relative to the joint members to thereby allow the reinforcing member to have a second diameter larger than the first diameter.

Claim 3

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 1, further comprising two rows of end portions disposed parallel to the rows of the joint members, each row of the end portions being connected to a row of the joint members located at each longitudinal end of the reinforcing member and having a plurality of struts situated parallel to the central axis and connected to the joint members and a plurality of connecting portions, each connecting portion connecting a pair of struts situated adjacent to each other.

Claim 4

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 2, wherein each connecting portion has a thickness less than that of each strut so that when the reinforcing member is expanded, each connecting portion is expanded.

Claim 5

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 2, wherein each strut has a length shorter than a length of each elongated member so that when the reinforcing member is expanded, the struts are equally bent at both ends simultaneously.

Claim 6

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 1, wherein said each joint member includes two side portions and one middle portion for joining the two side portions, two elongated members in one row of the elongated members being connected to one side portion of one joint member in one row of the joint members and to respective side portions of two joint members in another row of the joint members, respectively.

Claim 7

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 5, wherein said middle portion is located at ends of the two side portions to have an open side in the joint member, open sides in one row of the joint members being oriented in a same direction and directed in an opposite direction relative to open sides in an adjacent row of the joint members.

Claim 8

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 6, wherein said elongated members have first and second elongated members alternately arranged to each other in one row of the elongated members, each first elongated member being connected to the side portion near the open side and each second elongated member being connected to the side portion near the middle portion so that when the reinforcing member is expanded, the first elongated members are bent first.

Claim 9

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 7, wherein the elongated members are integrally formed with the joint members and the end portions.

Claim 10

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 8, wherein said each joint member has a C shape, and a thickness of each joint member is less than that of each elongated member.

Claim 11

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 1, wherein said reinforcing member is coated with a substance which prevents blood coagulation.

Claim 12

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 1, wherein said reinforcing member is coated with a bio-absorbable material.

Claim 13

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 1, wherein said reinforcing member is formed of a radioactive material.

Claim 14

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 1, wherein said reinforcing member is formed of stainless steel.

Claim 15

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 1, wherein said reinforcing member is formed of a NiTi alloy.

Claim 16

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member has a porous surface so that a drug can be retained on the surface.

Claim 17

An expandable tubular reinforcing member used for a body lumen comprising, a plurality of rows of expandable joint members, each of the rows being spaced for a predetermined distance away from each other along a longitudinal central axis of the reinforcing member, each row being formed of a plurality of said joint members spaced apart from each other and arranged circularly around the central axis with a first diameter, a plurality of rows of flexible elongated members, each of the rows being situated between adjacent two rows of the joint members, said elongated members extending diagonally to the central axis of the reinforcing member, each of said elongated members connecting two of the joint members situated in adjacent two rows of the joint members so that when a radial force is applied from an inside of the reinforcing member, the elongated members are pivoted relative to the joint members to thereby allow the reinforcing member to have a second diameter larger than the first diameter, and two rows of end portions disposed parallel to the rows of the joint members, each of the rows of the end portions being connected to a row of the joint members located at each longitudinal end of the reinforcing member and having a plurality of struts situated parallel to the central axis and connected to the joint members and a plurality of connecting portions, each connecting portion connecting a pair of struts situated adjacent to each other and having a thickness less than that of each strut so that when the reinforcing member is expanded, each connecting portion is pivoted.

Claim 18

An expandable tubular reinforcing member used for a body lumen comprising, a plurality of rows of expandable joint members, each of the rows being spaced for a predetermined distance away from each other along a longitudinal central axis of the reinforcing member, each row being formed of a plurality of said joint members spaced apart from each other and arranged circularly around the central axis with a first diameter, a plurality of rows of flexible elongated members, each of the rows being situated between adjacent two rows of the joint members, said elongated members extending diagonally to the central axis of the reinforcing member, each of said elongated members connecting two of the joint members situated in adjacent two rows of the joint members so that when a radial force is applied from an inside of the reinforcing member, the elongated members are pivoted relative to the joint members to thereby allow the reinforcing member to have a second diameter larger than the first diameter, and two rows of end portions disposed parallel to the rows of the joint members, each of the rows of the end portions being connected to a row of the joint members located at each longitudinal end of the reinforcing member and having a plurality of struts situated parallel to the central axis and connected to the joint members and a plurality of connecting portions, each connecting portion connecting a pair of struts situated adjacent to each other and having a thickness less than that of each strut so that when the reinforcing member is expanded, each connecting portion is pivoted.

Claim 19

An expandable tubular reinforcing member used for a body lumen comprising, a plurality of rows of expandable joint members, each of the rows being spaced for a predetermined distance away from each other along a longitudinal central axis of the reinforcing member, each row being formed of a plurality of said joint members spaced apart from each other and arranged circularly around the central axis with a first diameter, each joint member including two side portions and one middle portion for joining the two side portions, said middle portion being located at ends of the two side portions to have an open side in the joint member, open sides in one row of the joint members being oriented in a same direction and directed in an opposite direction relative to open sides in an adjacent row of the joint members, and a plurality of rows of flexible elongated members, each of the rows being situated between adjacent two rows of the joint members, said elongated members extending diagonally to the central axis of the reinforcing member, two elongated members in one row of the elongated members being connected to one side portion of one joint member in one row of the joint members and to respective side portions of two joint members in another row of the joint members, respectively, so that when a radial force is applied from an inside of the reinforcing member, the elongated members are pivoted relative to the joint members to thereby allow the reinforcing member to have a second diameter larger than the first diameter, said elongated members having first and second elongated members alternately arranged to each other in one row of the elongated members, each first elongated member being connected to the side portion near the open side and each second elongated member being connected to the side portion near the middle portion so that when the reinforcing member is expanded, the first elongated members are pivoted first.

Claim 20

An expandable tubular reinforcing member used for a body lumen comprising, a plurality of rows of expandable joint members, each of the rows being spaced for a predetermined distance away from each other along a longitudinal central axis of the reinforcing member, each row being formed of a plurality of said joint members spaced apart from each other and arranged circularly around the central axis with a first diameter, each joint member including two side portions and one middle portion for joining the two side portions, said middle portion being located at ends of the two side portions to have an open side in the joint member, open sides in one row of the joint members being oriented in a same direction and directed in an opposite direction relative to open sides in an adjacent row of the joint members, and a plurality of rows of flexible elongated members, each of the rows being situated between adjacent two rows of the joint members, said elongated members extending diagonally to the central axis of the reinforcing member, two elongated members in one row of the elongated members being connected to one side portion of one joint member in one row of the joint members and to respective side portions of two joint members in another row of the joint members, respectively, so that when a radial force is applied from an inside of the reinforcing member, the elongated members are pivoted relative to the joint members to thereby allow the reinforcing member to have a second diameter larger than the first diameter, said elongated members having first and second elongated members alternately arranged to each other in one row of the elongated members, each first elongated member being connected to the side portion near the open side and each second elongated member being connected to the side portion near the middle portion so that when the reinforcing member is expanded, the first elongated members are pivoted first.

Claim 21

An expandable tubular reinforcing member according to claim 1, wherein said elongated members in each row extend substantially parallel to each other.