Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
206 words
An intraluminal filter positionable within a lumen for separating entrained particles from a fluid flowing within said lumen, said intraluminal filter comprising a plurality of filamentary members interlaced to form a basket having an upstream portion and a concave portion arranged to face said upstream portion, said upstream portion having openings sized to allow said fluid and said entrained particles to flow through and into said concave portion when said upstream portion is oriented upstream within said lumen, said concave portion comprising a filter element having openings of predetermined size smaller than the first named openings, the openings of said concave portion being sized to capture said entrained particles while allowing said fluid to flow therethrough, said intraluminal filter further comprising a means for biasing said basket from a first shape state having a first diameter sized to allow said basket to slidingly fit within the bore of a catheter positionable within said lumen, to a biased second shape state having a second diameter substantially larger than said first diameter, said biasing means biasing said basket into said second shape state upon release of said basket from said bore, said biased second shape state being sized to allow said basket to sealingly interfit within said lumen.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
206 words
An intraluminal filter positionable within a lumen for separating entrained particles from a fluid flowing within said lumen, said intraluminal filter comprising a plurality of filamentary members interlaced to form a basket having an upstream portion and a concave portion arranged to face said upstream portion, said upstream portion having openings sized to allow said fluid and said entrained particles to flow through and into said concave portion when said upstream portion is oriented upstream within said lumen, said concave portion comprising a filter element having openings of predetermined size smaller than the first named openings, the openings of said concave portion being sized to capture said entrained particles while allowing said fluid to flow therethrough, said intraluminal filter further comprising a means for biasing said basket from a first shape state having a first diameter sized to allow said basket to slidingly fit within the bore of a catheter positionable within said lumen, to a biased second shape state having a second diameter substantially larger than said first diameter, said biasing means biasing said basket into said second shape state upon release of said basket from said bore, said biased second shape state being sized to allow said basket to sealingly interfit within said lumen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 1 , wherein said biasing means comprises selected ones of said filamentary members, said selected ones of said filamentary members being resilient and biased by internal elastic forces to expand said basket into said biased second shape state when said basket is released from said catheter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 1 , wherein said biasing means comprises a plurality of supplemental filamentary members, said supplemental filamentary members being elastic and oriented to compress said basket into said biased second shape state, said supplemental filamentary members being under tension when said basket is in said first shape state and compressing said basket to bias it into said second shape state upon release of said basket from said catheter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 3 , wherein said filamentary members are interlaced by braiding and said supplemental filamentary members are interbraided with said filamentary members.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 1 , wherein said basket comprises a support structure formed of a plurality of first filamentary members and said filter element comprises a plurality of second filamentary members interlaced with one another and said first filamentary members.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 5 , wherein at least some of said first filamentary members are resilient and biased by internal elastic forces to expand said basket into said biased second shape state when said basket is released from said catheter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 5 , further comprising a flexible tether attached to said upstream portion of said basket, said tether having a predetermined length and being extendable through said catheter for allowing said filter to be manually withdrawn from said lumen into said catheter bore.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 5 , wherein said first and second filamentary members are braided into a tube having a predetermined length, said tube having oppositely arranged ends gathered and cinched to form said upstream and concave portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 8 , wherein said second filamentary members comprise a thermoplastic polymer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 9 , wherein said second filamentary members are heat fused to said first filamentary members.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of projections extending outwardly from said filter and interengaging an internal surface of said lumen for fixing said filter at a predetermined location therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 11 , wherein said projections comprise a plurality of said filamentary members each having an end extending angularly outwardly from said basket and facing downstream to engage said lumen internal surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 12 , wherein said projections extend outwardly from said upstream portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
70 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 1 , wherein said biasing means comprises an elongated elastic member having one end attached to said upstream portion and the other end attached to said concave portion, said elastic member being under tension when said basket is in said first shape state and biasing said upstream portion toward said downstream portion to expand said basket from said first to said second shape state.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 14 , wherein said elongated elastic member comprises a coil spring.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
104 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 1 coaxially mountable on an elongated guide wire, a stopper being positioned on the guide wire at a point along its length, said guide wire being positionable within said lumen, said filter further comprising: a first aperture located in said upstream portion for receiving said guide wire therethrough; a second aperture located in said concave portion for receiving said guide wire therethrough; one of said portions having a surface positioned at one of said apertures to engage said stopper and prevent motion of said filter relative to said guide wire; and a means for sealing said second aperture.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 16 , wherein said surface is positioned at said first aperture.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 16 , wherein said sealing means comprises an elongated tube positioned within said basket and coaxially connecting said first and second apertures in sealing relationship, said tube coaxially receiving said guide wire.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
58 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 16 , wherein said sealing means comprises a check valve positioned in said second aperture, said check valve having a flexible flap movable upon interengagement with said stopper from a closed position sealing said second aperture, to an open position allowing said stopper to pass through said second aperture into said filter.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
196 words
An intraluminal filter for trapping and retaining particles entrained in a fluid flowing within a lumen, said filter comprising: an elastically deformable basket formed of a plurality of flexible, resilient filamentary members interlaced in a relatively open mesh, the mesh being comprised of openings of a size allowing flow of said fluid and said entrained particles therethrough, said basket being elastically radially compressible to a first shape state having a first predetermined diameter sized to slidingly interfit within a catheter positionable within said lumen, and being radially expandible to a second shape state having a second predetermined diameter larger than the first to sealingly interfit within said lumen, said basket being biased by elastic forces of said filamentary members to nominally assume said second shape state, and being elastically and repeatably deformable between said shape states; said basket having a relatively open first portion and filter means disposed opposite to said first portion, said filter means having a concave surface of predetermined porosity facing said first portion for capturing said entrained particles when said basket is in said second shape state and positioned in said lumen with said first portion arranged upstream of said filter means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
196 words
An intraluminal filter for trapping and retaining particles entrained in a fluid flowing within a lumen, said filter comprising: an elastically deformable basket formed of a plurality of flexible, resilient filamentary members interlaced in a relatively open mesh, the mesh being comprised of openings of a size allowing flow of said fluid and said entrained particles therethrough, said basket being elastically radially compressible to a first shape state having a first predetermined diameter sized to slidingly interfit within a catheter positionable within said lumen, and being radially expandible to a second shape state having a second predetermined diameter larger than the first to sealingly interfit within said lumen, said basket being biased by elastic forces of said filamentary members to nominally assume said second shape state, and being elastically and repeatably deformable between said shape states; said basket having a relatively open first portion and filter means disposed opposite to said first portion, said filter means having a concave surface of predetermined porosity facing said first portion for capturing said entrained particles when said basket is in said second shape state and positioned in said lumen with said first portion arranged upstream of said filter means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 20 , wherein said filamentary members are monofilament wires.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 21 , wherein said filamentary members are interlaced by braiding.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 22 , wherein said filter means comprises a multiplicity of multifilament yarns braided with one another and with said filamentary members in a relatively closed mesh.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 23 , wherein said yarns consist essentially of polyester.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 21 , wherein said filamentary members comprise a radiopaque material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 25 , wherein said radiopaque material is nitinol.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 20 , wherein said lumen is a vascular lumen.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 20 , wherein the porosity of said filter means ranges between about 60% and 90%.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
73 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 20 , further comprising a plurality of projecting members having end portions projecting angularly outwardly from said filter and being interengagable with said lumen for preventing downstream movement of the filter, said end portions pointing in the downstream direction to allow said end portions to readily disengage from said lumen when said filter is moved in an upstream direction for retraction of the filter into the catheter.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
44 words
An intraluminal filter according to claim 29 , wherein said projecting members are monofilament wires being selected ones of said resilient filamentary members comprising said basket, said projecting members being present in the ration of about one to one with said resilient filamentary members.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of forming an intraluminal filter comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of first filamentary members, said first filamentary members being flexible and resilient; braiding said plurality of first filamentary members into a relatively open mesh forming an elastically deformable tube; interbraiding a plurality of second filamentary members with said first filamentary members to form a surface having a predetermined porosity; biasing said first filamentary members to urge said tube to assume a predetermined length and diameter; gathering each end of said tube and cinching each said end together to form an elastically deformable basket; removing said second filamentary members from a portion of said basket at one end of said tube thereby forming openings at said one end; and attaching said second filamentary members to said first filamentary members adjacent to said portion of said basket.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of forming an intraluminal filter comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of first filamentary members, said first filamentary members being flexible and resilient; braiding said plurality of first filamentary members into a relatively open mesh forming an elastically deformable tube; interbraiding a plurality of second filamentary members with said first filamentary members to form a surface having a predetermined porosity; biasing said first filamentary members to urge said tube to assume a predetermined length and diameter; gathering each end of said tube and cinching each said end together to form an elastically deformable basket; removing said second filamentary members from a portion of said basket at one end of said tube thereby forming openings at said one end; and attaching said second filamentary members to said first filamentary members adjacent to said portion of said basket.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method of forming an intraluminal filter according to claim 31 , wherein said second filamentary are formed of a polymer, said polymer having a lower melting point than said first filamentary members and said removing step is performed by ablating said second filamentary members.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method of forming an intraluminal filter according to claim 32 , wherein said attaching step is performed by heat sealing said second filamentary members to said first filamentary members.