Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A stent comprising a metal frame structure having a substantially circular cylindrical shape which is compressible to a smaller outside diameter for placement in a portion of a body and which is self-expandable from the smaller outside diameter after placement in the portion of thereby, said frame structure being a single piece of metal material without abrupt changes in physical properties of the metal frame structure and without any welded or soldered portions by removing portions of a super elastic metal pipe, said frame structure comprising wire segments in a shape of a repeating "<" which extend helically to form the substantially circular cylindrical shape of the frame structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
A stent comprising a metal frame structure having a substantially circular cylindrical shape which is compressible to a smaller outside diameter for placement in a portion of a body and which is self-expandable from the smaller outside diameter after placement in the portion of thereby, said frame structure being a single piece of metal material without abrupt changes in physical properties of the metal frame structure and without any welded or soldered portions by removing portions of a super elastic metal pipe, said frame structure comprising wire segments in a shape of a repeating "<" which extend helically to form the substantially circular cylindrical shape of the frame structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A stent of claim 1, wherein said wire segments include two wire segments wound in parallel in a helix to form the circular cylindrical shape of the frame structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A stent of claim 1, wherein said frame structure is coated with a biocompatible material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A stent of claim 1, wherein said wire segments are connected at a plurality of spaced apart locations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A stent of claim 1, wherein said frame structure is a wire structure having wire segments.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A stent of claim 5, wherein said wire structure includes opposite ends, the wire structure possessing a cross-sectional area that becomes gradually smaller towards the respective ends.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A stent of claim 5, wherein said wire structure includes two wire segments connected with each other at at least two points.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
80 words
A stent of claim 5, wherein said wire structure is formed of two wire segments disposed in parallel with each other to form a helix structure of two parallel wire segments, and said two wire segments forming an angle α of the helix structure with respect to an axis of the wire structure that is smaller than an angle β made by a wire segment with respect to an axis of a helix structure formed of a single wire segment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A stent of claim 5, wherein said stent has an outside surface that is chamfered.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
A stent of claim 5, wherein said stent includes a middle portion and an end portion on each side of the middle portion, the wire segments in the middle portion being relatively large in cross section and the wire segments in the end portions being relatively smaller in cross section.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A stent of claim 1, wherein said stent has an outside surface that is chamfered.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A stent of claim 1, wherein said frame structure possesses a zigzag shape that extends helically.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A stent of claim 1, wherein said frame structure is comprised of two parallel zigzag shaped portions that extend helically.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
A stent of claim 1, wherein said frame structure is comprised of two parallel zigzag shaped portions that extend helically, with an end of each zigzag shaped portion being connected to one another.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
94 words
A stent comprising a frame structure having a substantially circular cylindrical shape which is compressible to a smaller outside diameter for placement in a portion of a body and which is self-expandable from the smaller outside diameter after a placement in the portion of the body, said frame structure being formed as a single piece of material without abrupt changes in physical properties of the frame structure and without any welding portions and any soldering portions by removing portions of a Ti--Ni alloy pipe, said frame structure possessing a zigzag shape that extends helically.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
94 words
A stent comprising a frame structure having a substantially circular cylindrical shape which is compressible to a smaller outside diameter for placement in a portion of a body and which is self-expandable from the smaller outside diameter after a placement in the portion of the body, said frame structure being formed as a single piece of material without abrupt changes in physical properties of the frame structure and without any welding portions and any soldering portions by removing portions of a Ti--Ni alloy pipe, said frame structure possessing a zigzag shape that extends helically.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A stent of claim 15, wherein said frame structure is comprised of two parallel zigzag shaped portions that extend helically.