Nitinol frame heating and setting mandrel
AssigneeEndovascular Technologies, Inc.
InventorsArnold M. Escano, David T. Pollock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for heating and setting a stent having curved limb elements. The apparatus is a mandrel having a restraining mechanism such as pins placed on the outer surface of the mandrel or shallow grooves machined in the outer surface of the mandrel to hold and mold the stent. The mandrel helps alleviate stresses induced upon stent elements during the heating and setting process and produces a more exact stent according to the desired stent design.
Claims8
An apparatus for heating and setting elements of a stent, comprising:
- a mandrel having an outer surface;
- and
- a restraint mechanism which restrains and shapes a stent having curved limb elements each of which include at least two portions having equal but opposite radius of curvatures separated by an inflection point and further including shallow grooves, in the shape of the stent, in the outer surface of the mandrel.
A method for forming a stent using a mandrel with a restraint mechanism embodying grooves formed in the mandrel, comprising the steps of:
- placing the stent on the mandrel;
- routing the limb elements within the grooves of the restraining mechanism such that the limb elements include at least two curved portions of equal but oppositely directed radius of curvatures separated by an inflection point;
- and
- applying heat to set a desired shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.