Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
US006997946B2
(12) United States Patent (io) Patent No.: US 6,997,946 B2
Girton et al. (45) Date of Patent: Feb. 14,2006
5,733,303 A 3/1998 Israel 606/198
5,735,893 A 4/1998 Lau et al 623/1
5,738,674 A 4/1998 Williams et al 606/1
5,766,238 A 6/1998 Lau et al 623/1
5,782,855 A 7/1998 Lau et al 606/194
6,056,776 A 5/2000 Lau et al 623/1.16
6.066.167 A 5/2000 Lau et al 623/1
6.066.168 A 5/2000 Lau et al 623/1.16
6,309,412 Bl 10/2001 Lau et al 623/1.11
6,312,459 Bl * 11/2001 Huang et al 623/1.15
6,325,824 Bl * 12/2001 Limon 623/1.2
6,565,597 Bl 5/2003 Fearnot et al 623/1.14
2003/0139799 Al 7/2003 Ley et al 623/1.15
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
WO 99/16418 4/1999
WO 02/13725 2/2002
WO 02/91958 11/2002
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—Alvin J. Stewart
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Vidas, Arrett & Steinkraus
An intraluminal medical device having a flowpath therethrough, the device including a plurality of substantially cylindrical serpentine shaped segments which define a generally tubular body, each serpentine segment having a plurality of struts interconnected by alternating end portions, segments which are adjacent one another connected one to the other. The medical device has a pre-crimped diameter and crimped diameter and is constructed and arranged such that as the cylindrical shaped segments are crimped from the pre-crimped diameter to the crimped diameter at least some of the end portions project into the flowpath.
22 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets
