Stents with multi-layered struts

A ring to be used in a stent for inserting into an anatomical lumen and expandable upon insertion into said lumen, said ring comprising a plurality of continuous strut members arranged to define a unit cell pattern, wherein said unit cell pattern is arranged in a circumferentially repeating construction defining a radially expandable tubular structure configured to expand from a first state into a second state, each of said strut members comprising a plurality of regions, said plurality of regions including:

• at least one hinge region;
• a plurality of lateral regions, each of said lateral regions in connection with said hinge region;
• and
• at least one recess disposed in at least one of said at least one hinge region or said plurality of lateral regions such that, upon completion of expansion of said unit cell to said predetermined expansion ratio, said tubular structure said first state becomes said tubular structure said second state with a reduced level of strain in said strut members compared to a similar expansion ratio were no said recess present.

A ring to be used in a stent for inserting into an anatomical lumen and expandable upon insertion into said lumen, said ring defining an axial dimension and a radial dimension and comprising:

• a plurality of continuous strut members arranged to define a unit cell pattern, wherein said unit cell pattern is arranged in a circumferentially repeating construction defining a tubular structure configured to expand in said radial dimension, each of said strut members comprising a plurality of regions, said plurality of regions including:
• at least one hinge region;
• a plurality of lateral regions angularly offset from said axial dimension, each of said lateral regions in connection with said at least one hinge region;
• at least one substantially elongate interconnect region;
• and
• at least one slot disposed in at least one of said plurality of continuous strut members;
• a first state of said tubular structure, defining a first diameter;
• and
• a second state of said tubular structure, defining a second diameter, wherein said second diameter is greater than said first diameter by an amount defined by a predetermined expansion ratio, such that, upon completion of expansion of said unit cell to said predetermined expansion ratio, said tubular structure said first state becomes said tubular structure said second state with a reduced level of strain in said strut members compared to a similar expansion ratio were no said recess present.

A stent for inserting into an anatomical lumen, comprising a plurality of axially repeating unit cells, each unit cell comprising:

• a plurality of continuous strut members arranged to define a pattern, wherein said pattern is arranged in a circumferentially repeating construction defining a radially expandable tubular structure, each of said strut members comprising a plurality of regions, said plurality of regions including:
• a hinge region;
• a plurality of lateral regions, each of said lateral regions in connection with said hinge region;
• and
• at least one recess disposed in at least one of said plurality of continuous strut members;
• a first state of said tubular structure, defining a first diameter;
• and
• a second state of said tubular structure, defining a second diameter, wherein said second diameter is greater than said first diameter by an amount defined by a predetermined expansion ratio, such that, upon completion of expansion of said unit cell to said predetermined expansion ratio, said tubular structure said first state becomes said tubular structure said second state with a reduced level of strain in said strut members compared to a similar expansion ratio were no said recess present.

A stent for inserting into an anatomical lumen and expandable upon insertion into said lumen, said stent comprising:

• a plurality of continuous strut members arranged to define a unit cell pattern, wherein said unit cell pattern is arranged in a circumferentially repeating construction defining a radially expandable tubular structure, each of said strut members comprising a plurality of regions, said plurality of regions including:
• at least one hinge region;
• a plurality of lateral regions angularly offset from said axial dimension, each of said lateral regions in connection with said at least one hinge region;
• at least one substantially elongate interconnect region;
• and
• at least one slot disposed in at least one of said plurality of continuous strut members;
• a first state of said tubular structure, defining a first diameter;
• and
• a second state of said tubular structure, defining a second diameter, wherein said second diameter is greater than said first diameter by an amount defined by a predetermined expansion ratio, such that, upon completion of expansion of said unit cell to said predetermined expansion ratio, said tubular structure said first state becomes said tubular structure said second state with a reduced level of strain in said strut members compared to a similar expansion ratio were no said recess present.

An expandable medical device configured for use as a housing for intraluminal inserts, said expandable medical device including a first state defining a first diameter and a second state defining a second diameter, wherein said second diameter is greater than said first diameter by an amount defined by a predetermined expansion ratio, said expandable medical device comprising:

• a plurality of continuous strut members arranged to define a generally repeating pattern, wherein said generally repeating pattern is arranged such that each of said continuous strut members comprise a plurality of regions, said plurality of regions including:
• a hinge region;
• a plurality of lateral regions, each of said lateral regions in connection with said hinge region;
• an interconnect region to connect said generally repeating pattern with an adjacent repeating pattern;
• and
• at least one slot disposed in at least said hinge region or said plurality of lateral regions.

A method of expanding an expandable housing, comprising:

• configuring a length of generally tubular, expandable housing defined by a substantially lengthwise axial dimension and a radial dimension, said expandable housing configured to expand from a first state of said tubular structure defining a first diameter to a second state of said tubular structure defining a second diameter such that said second diameter is greater than said first diameter by an amount defined by a predetermined expansion ratio, said expandable housing possessive of a repeating unit cell, each of which comprises a plurality of continuous strut members, each defining a plurality of regions, said plurality of regions including:
• a hinge region;
• a plurality of lateral regions, each of said lateral regions in connection with said hinge region;
• and
• at least one slot disposed in at least one of said plurality of continuous strut members;
• placing said expandable housing in a predetermined location;
• and
• expanding said expandable housing such that said housing changes from said first state into said second state.

A bistable ring to be used in a stent for inserting into an anatomical lumen and expandable upon insertion into said lumen, said bistable ring comprising:

• a plurality of circumferentially repeating unit cells, each of said unit cells comprising:
• a solid elongate strut member;
• a slotted elongate strut member capable of a first bistable state and a second bistable state, wherein said slotted elongate strut member is nested with said solid elongate strut member in said first bistable state, and expanded away from said solid elongate strut member in said second bistable state;
• and
• a plurality of axially spaced hinge members, each defined by joined adjacent ends of said solid elongate strut member and said slotted elongate strut member, said plurality of axially spaced hinge members defining an elongate aperture configured as a curvilinear slot in said first bistable state and as an expanded opening in said second bistable state;
• and
• an interconnect region disposed between adjacent bistable unit cells such that said adjacent bistable unit cells are configured to cooperatively expand when said bistable ring expands from said first bistable state into said second bistable state.

A bistable stent for inserting into an anatomical lumen and expandable upon insertion into said lumen, said bistable stent comprising:

• a plurality of axially aligned bistable rings, each of said bistable rings formed by a plurality of interconnected unit cells arranged in a circumferentially repeating pattern, each of said unit cells comprising:
• a solid elongate strut member;
• a slotted elongate strut member capable of a first bistable state and a second bistable state, wherein said slotted elongate strut member is nested with said solid elongate strut member in said first bistable state, and expanded away from said solid elongate strut member in said second bistable state;
• and
• a plurality of axially spaced hinge members, each defined by joined adjacent ends of said solid elongate strut member and said slotted elongate strut member, said plurality of axially spaced hinge members defining an elongate aperture configured as a curvilinear slot in said first bistable state and as an expanded opening in said second bistable state;
• a first interconnect region disposed between adjacent bistable unit cells such that said adjacent bistable unit cells are configured to cooperatively expand when said bistable ring expands from said first bistable state into said second bistable state;
• and
• a second interconnect region disposed between axially adjacent hinge members such that said plurality of axially aligned bistable rings are connected together to form said bistable stent.