Method and apparatus for direct laser cutting of metal stents
AssigneeAdvanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
InventorRichard J. Saunders
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Abstract
An improved method of making expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, from a single length of tubing. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cut cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common axis and interconnected by one or more interconnective elements, the elements having a rectangular cross-section from cut-to-cut. The individual radially expandable cylindrical elements are disposed in an undulating pattern. The stent is manufactured by direct laser cutting from a single metal tube using a finely focused laser beam passing through a coaxial gas jet structure to impinge on the working surface of the tube as the linear and rotary velocity of the tube is precisely controlled.
Claims3
A method of producing a stent, comprising the steps of:
- providing a tubular member having a working outer tube surface, an inner tube surface defining an inside diameter of the tubular member, and a tubular wall between the working outer tube surface and the inner tube surface;
- the tubular wall having a substantially uniform thickness in the range of about 0.002 to 0.005 inch;
- impinging a laser beam on the working outer tube surface thereby causing the laser beam to cut through the tubular wall;
- selecting a laser beam focal length to provide a kerf width about 0.0005 inch wide;
- and
- providing relative movement between the laser beam and the tubular member to cut a stent pattern.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.