Patent US3282149A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6174331B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Heart valve leaflet with reinforced free margin
Assignee: Sorin Group Italia SRL
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Filing: 1999-07-19
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Granted: 2001-01-16
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Expires: 2019-07-19
Abstract
Abstract A flexible leaflet heart valve includes a base, a peripheral portion and a plurality of leaflets. Each leaflet includes a scalloped free margin having opposite ends and a mid-portion between the opposite ends. The opposite ends are attached to the peripheral portion of the valve at a first height above the base. The mid-portion of each free margin is positioned at a second height above the base, less than the first height. Each free margin is adjacent each other free margin to form a gap therebetween. Each leaflet is of a first thickness and at least a portion of each free margin is of a second thickness, greater than the first thickness. This may include extending the second thickness along the entire free margin between the opposite ends or extending the second thickness only along the mid-portion of the free margin.
Inventors
- 👤 Riyad E. Moe
- 👤 Xiao Yan Gong
- 👤 Edward Sarnowski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:47
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2412; A61F2/2415; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0014; A61F2250/0036; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S623/00; Y10S623/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A heart valve comprising: a molded body including a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet including a scalloped free margin having opposite ends, the opposite ends being attached to a peripheral portion of the valve; each free margin being adjacent each other free margin to form a gap therebetween; and each leaflet being a first thickness, and at least a portion of each free margin being of a second thickness, greater than the first thickness.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
A heart valve comprising: a molded body including a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet including a scalloped free margin having opposite ends, the opposite ends being attached to a peripheral portion of the valve; each free margin being adjacent each other free margin to form a gap therebetween; and each leaflet being a first thickness, and at least a portion of each free margin being of a second thickness, greater than the first thickness.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 1 wherein the second thickness extends along the entire free margin between the opposite ends.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 1 wherein each free margin includes a mid-portion between the opposite ends and the second thickness extends only along the mid-portion of the free margin.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 1 wherein the peripheral portion of the valve is an annular surface including a plurality of commissures formed therewith.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 4 wherein the opposite ends terminate adjacent a respective one of the commissures.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 1 wherein the free margin is of the first thickness adjacent the opposite ends.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 1 wherein each free margin includes a mid-portion between the opposite ends, the free margin being of the first thickness adjacent the opposite ends and being of the second thickness along the mid-portion of the free margin.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
112 words
A flexible leaflet heart valve comprising: a molded body including a base, a peripheral portion and a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet including a free margin having opposite ends and a mid-portion therebetween, the opposite ends being attached to the peripheral portion of the valve at a first height above the base, the mid-portion of each free margin being at a second height above the base, less than the first height; each free margin being adjacent each other free margin to form a gap therebetween; and each leaflet being of a first thickness, and at least a portion of each free margin being of a second thickness, greater than the first thickness.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
112 words
A flexible leaflet heart valve comprising: a molded body including a base, a peripheral portion and a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet including a free margin having opposite ends and a mid-portion therebetween, the opposite ends being attached to the peripheral portion of the valve at a first height above the base, the mid-portion of each free margin being at a second height above the base, less than the first height; each free margin being adjacent each other free margin to form a gap therebetween; and each leaflet being of a first thickness, and at least a portion of each free margin being of a second thickness, greater than the first thickness.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 8 wherein the peripheral portion of the valve is an annular surface including a plurality of commissures formed therewith.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 9 wherein the opposite ends terminate adjacent a respective one of the commissures.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 8 wherein the free margin is scalloped and is of the first thickness adjacent the opposite ends.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 8 wherein each free margin is scalloped, the free margin being of the first thickness adjacent the opposite ends and being of the second thickness along the mid-portion of the free margin.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 8 wherein each free margin is scalloped and the second thickness extends along the entire free margin between the opposite ends.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 8 wherein the second thickness extends only along the mid-portion of the free margin.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of forming a flexible heart valve comprising the steps of: molding a one-piece body including a base and a plurality of flexible relatively movable leaflets having a first thickness; forming each leaflet to include a scalloped free margin having opposite ends and a mid-portion between the opposite ends; shaping at least part of each free margin to include a second thickness greater than the first thickness; extending the opposite ends to integrally connect to a peripheral portion of the valve; and shaping each free margin to terminate adjacent each other free margin to define a continuous natural-state non-uniform gap therebetween which is maximized adjacent the mid-portion of each leaflet.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
111 words
A method of forming a flexible heart valve comprising the steps of: molding a one-piece body including a base and a plurality of flexible relatively movable leaflets having a first thickness; forming each leaflet to include a scalloped free margin having opposite ends and a mid-portion between the opposite ends; shaping at least part of each free margin to include a second thickness greater than the first thickness; extending the opposite ends to integrally connect to a peripheral portion of the valve; and shaping each free margin to terminate adjacent each other free margin to define a continuous natural-state non-uniform gap therebetween which is maximized adjacent the mid-portion of each leaflet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the step of extending the opposite ends includes the step of connecting the opposite ends to the valve at a first height above the base, and further comprises the step of shaping each free margin to position the mid-portion at a second height above the base, less than the first height.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the step of shaping at least a part of each free margin further comprises the step of extending the second thickness along the entire free margin between the opposite ends.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as defined in claim 16 wherein the step of shaping at least a part of each free margin further comprises the step of extending the second thickness along the entire free margin between the opposite ends.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the step of shaping at least a part of each free margin further comprises the step of extending the second thickness only along, the mid-portion of the free margin.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as defined in claim 16 wherein the step of shaping at least a part of each free margin further comprises the step of extending the second thickness only along the mid-portion of the free margin.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
44 words
A heart valve comprising: a molded body including a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet having a scalloped free margin; and each leaflet being a first thickness, and only a portion of each free margin being of a second thickness greater than the first thickness.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
44 words
A heart valve comprising: a molded body including a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet having a scalloped free margin; and each leaflet being a first thickness, and only a portion of each free margin being of a second thickness greater than the first thickness.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
75 words
The heart valve as defined in claim 21 further comprising a base and a peripheral portion including a plurality of commissures formed therewith, each free margin having opposite ends terminating at a respective one of the commissures, and a mid-portion therebetween, the opposite ends being attached to the commissures at a first height above the base, the mid-portion of each free margin being at a second height above the base, less than the first height.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
70 words
A heart valve comprising: a molded body including a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet including, a free margin having opposite ends, the opposite ends being attached to a peripheral portion of the valve; each leaflet being of a first thickness; each free margin including a second thickness greater than the first thickness; and only a portion of each free margin being of a third thickness, greater than the second thickness.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
70 words
A heart valve comprising: a molded body including a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet including, a free margin having opposite ends, the opposite ends being attached to a peripheral portion of the valve; each leaflet being of a first thickness; each free margin including a second thickness greater than the first thickness; and only a portion of each free margin being of a third thickness, greater than the second thickness.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-01-16 | 2004-07-17 | 2005-01-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-01-16 | 2008-07-17 | 2009-01-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-01-16 | 2012-07-17 | 2013-01-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |