Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
An embolization coil (10) comprising: a wire strand (11) wound into a longitudinally extending coil (12) having a plurality of tightly spaced turns (13), said longitudinally extending coil wound into a first conically helically shaped coil (15) having a first plurality of radially expanding turns (16) expanding in a first direction (44) and into a second conically helically shaped coil (45) having a second plurality of radially expanding turns (46) expanding in a second direction (47) generally opposite to said first direction (44), the turns of at least one of said first and said second plurality of radially expanding turns longitudinally overlapping each other, whereby the turns of said at least one of said first and said second plurality of radially expanding turns longitudinally contact each other in response to blood flowing therethrough to occlude a vessel in which the embolization coil is positioned.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
An embolization coil (10) comprising: a wire strand (11) wound into a longitudinally extending coil (12) having a plurality of tightly spaced turns (13), said longitudinally extending coil wound into a first conically helically shaped coil (15) having a first plurality of radially expanding turns (16) expanding in a first direction (44) and into a second conically helically shaped coil (45) having a second plurality of radially expanding turns (46) expanding in a second direction (47) generally opposite to said first direction (44), the turns of at least one of said first and said second plurality of radially expanding turns longitudinally overlapping each other, whereby the turns of said at least one of said first and said second plurality of radially expanding turns longitudinally contact each other in response to blood flowing therethrough to occlude a vessel in which the embolization coil is positioned.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The embolization coil of claim 1, wherein said first and said second conically shaped coil is heat treated to relieve stresses that are formed when winding said longitudinally extending coil and said first and said second conically helically shaped coil.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
114 words
The embolization coil of claim 1, wherein said wire strand is comprised of a metallic alloy and wherein conically helically shaped coil is formed by the steps of: winding said longitudinally extending coil around a longitudinally tapered mandril (23) that increases in diameter in opposite directions with a plurality of turns (16, 46), heating said first and said second conically helically shaped coil when wound around said longitudinally tapered mandril at a stress relief temperature of said metallic alloy for a first time period, and cooling said conically helically shaped coil when wound around said longitudinally tapered mandril from said stress relief temperature for a second time period greater than said first time period.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The embolization coil of claim 3, wherein the steps of forming said first and said second conically helically shaped coil further include selecting said longitudinally tapered mandril of a material (25) that remains substantially free of surface oxidation during heating and cooling of said first and said second conically helically shaped coil.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The embolization coil of claim 3, wherein said metallic alloy comprises at least one from a group consisting of platinum, stainless steel, iridium, palladium, tungsten, and gold.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
The embolization coil of claim 1, wherein said first and said second conically helically shaped coil is heated at a stress relief temperature of said continuous wire strand for a first time period and then gradually cooled down from said stress relief temperature for a second time period greater than said first time period.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The embolization coil of claim 1, wherein said wire strand comprises a metallic material (22) that is substantially free of surface oxidation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The embolization coil of claim 1, further comprising thrombogenic fibers (26) positioned in said plurality of tightly spaced turns of said longitudinally extending coil.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
146 words
An embolization coil (10) comprising: a wire strand (11) wound into a longitudinally extending coil (12) having a plurality of tightly spaced turns (13), said longitudinally extending coil wound into a conically helically shaped coil (15) having a plurality of radially expanding turns (16) expanding in a first direction (44), said plurality of radially expanding turns longitudinally overlapping each other and including a distal turn (17) having a minor diameter (18) said longitudinally extending coil (12) being also wound into at least one end turn (48) extending from said distal turn of said plurality of radially expanding turns in a second direction (47) generally opposite to said first direction and having an end diameter (49) larger than said minor diameter, whereby said radially expanding turns longitudinally contact each other in response to blood flowing therethrough to occlude a site in which the embolization coil is positioned.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
146 words
An embolization coil (10) comprising: a wire strand (11) wound into a longitudinally extending coil (12) having a plurality of tightly spaced turns (13), said longitudinally extending coil wound into a conically helically shaped coil (15) having a plurality of radially expanding turns (16) expanding in a first direction (44), said plurality of radially expanding turns longitudinally overlapping each other and including a distal turn (17) having a minor diameter (18) said longitudinally extending coil (12) being also wound into at least one end turn (48) extending from said distal turn of said plurality of radially expanding turns in a second direction (47) generally opposite to said first direction and having an end diameter (49) larger than said minor diameter, whereby said radially expanding turns longitudinally contact each other in response to blood flowing therethrough to occlude a site in which the embolization coil is positioned.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The embolization coil of claim 9, wherein said conically helically shaped coil is heat treated to relieve stresses that are formed when winding said longitudinally extending coil and said conically helically shaped coil.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
75 words
The embolization coil of claim 10, wherein said conically helically shaped coil is formed by the steps of: winding said longitudinally extending coil around a longitudinally tapered mandril (23) and heating said conically helically shaped coil at a stress relief temperature of said metallic alloy for a first time period and then cooling said conically helically shaped coil down from said stress relief temperature for a second time period greater than said first time period.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
56 words
The embolization coil of claim 9, wherein said conically helically shaped coil is formed by the steps of: winding said longitudinally extending coil around a longitudinally tapered mandril (23) with a plurality of turns (16) and heat treating said conically helically shaped coil when wound around said longitudinally tapered mandril to relieve residual stresses formed therein.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The embolization coil of claim 12, wherein the wire strand comprises a metallic alloy, the metallic alloy comprises at least one from a group consisting of platinum, stainless steel, iridium, palladium, tungsten, and gold.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The embolization coil of claim 9, wherein the wire strand comprises a metallic alloy, the metallic alloy includes at least one from a group consisting of platinum, stainless steel, iridium, palladium, tungsten, and gold.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
134 words
An embolization coil (10) comprising: a wire strand (11) wound into a longitudinally extending coil (12) having a plurality of tightly spaced turns (13), said longitudinally extending coil wound into a conically helically shaped coil (15) having a plurality of radially expanding turns (16), said plurality of radially expanding turns longitudinally overlapping each other and including a distal turn (17) having a minor diameter (18) and a proximal turn (19) having a major diameter (20), said longitudinally extending coil being also wound into at least one proximal end turn (50) extending from said first proximal turn and having an end diameter (51) no greater than said major diameter, whereby said radially expanding turns longitudinally contact each other in response to blood flowing against to occlude a site in which the embolization coil is positioned.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
134 words
An embolization coil (10) comprising: a wire strand (11) wound into a longitudinally extending coil (12) having a plurality of tightly spaced turns (13), said longitudinally extending coil wound into a conically helically shaped coil (15) having a plurality of radially expanding turns (16), said plurality of radially expanding turns longitudinally overlapping each other and including a distal turn (17) having a minor diameter (18) and a proximal turn (19) having a major diameter (20), said longitudinally extending coil being also wound into at least one proximal end turn (50) extending from said first proximal turn and having an end diameter (51) no greater than said major diameter, whereby said radially expanding turns longitudinally contact each other in response to blood flowing against to occlude a site in which the embolization coil is positioned.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The embolization coil of claim 15, wherein the end diameter of said at least one proximal end turn is less than said major diameter of said proximal turn.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The embolization coil of claim 15, wherein said conically helically shaped coil is heat treated to relieve stresses that are formed when winding said longitudinally extending coil and said conically helically shaped coil.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
56 words
The embolization coil of claim 15, wherein said conically helically shaped coil is formed by the steps of: winding said longitudinally extending coil around a longitudinally tapered mandril (23) with a plurality of turns (24) and heat treating said conically helically shaped coil when wound around said longitudinally tapered mandril to relieve residual stresses formed therein.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The embolization coil of claim 15, wherein the wire strand comprises a metallic alloy, the metallic alloy includes at least one from a group consisting of platinum, stainless steel, iridium, palladium, tungsten, and gold.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
75 words
The embolization coil of claim 15, wherein said conically helically shaped coil is formed by the steps of: winding said longitudinally extending coil around a longitudinally tapered mandril (23) and heating said conically helically shaped coil at a stress relief temperature of said metallic alloy for a first time period and then cooling said conically helically shaped coil down from said stress relief temperature for a second time period greater than said first time period.