# US 8,739,382 B2 · Secured strand end devices

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- Number: US 8,739,382 B2
- Document ID: US8739382B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/549,334
- Filed: 2012-07-13
- Published: 2012-11-08
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2006-10-22
- Assignees: IDev Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Jeffery Sheldon; Richard Booth; Ken Bueche
- Inventors: Jeffery Sheldon; Richard Booth; Ken Bueche
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739382B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/90: characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
- A46D 1/0207: {Bristles characterised by the choice of material, e.g. metal}
- A61F 2/06: Blood vessels
- A61F 2/844: folded prior to deployment
- A61F 2/86: Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
- A61F 2/885: {comprising a coil including a plurality of spiral or helical sections with alternate directions around a central axis}
- A61F 2/91: made from perforated sheets or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
- A61F 2/915: with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
- A61F 2/95: Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
- A61F 2/966: with relative longitudinal movement between outer sleeve and prosthesis, e.g. using a push rod
- B23K 26/20: Bonding (soldering by means of radiant energy B23K1/005)
- B23K 26/244: Overlap seam welding
- D03D 3/02: Tubular fabrics
- D04C 1/06: Braid or lace serving particular purposes
- D06C 7/00: Heating or cooling textile fabrics
- A61F 2002/061: {provided with means for allowing access to secondary lumens}
- A61F 2002/91591: {Locking connectors, e.g. using male-female connections}
- A61F 2002/9534: {for repositioning of stents}
- A61F 2002/9665: {with additional retaining means}
- A61F 2210/0014: using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
- A61F 2220/0058: soldered or brazed or welded
- B23K 2101/32: Wires
- B23K 2103/14: Titanium or alloys thereof
- D10B 2509/00: Medical; Hygiene
- D10B 2509/06: Vascular grafts; stents
- Y10T 29/49849: by wrapping around
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A46D: MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- D03D: WOVEN FABRICS; METHODS OF WEAVING; LOOMS
- D04C: BRAIDING OR MANUFACTURE OF LACE, INCLUDING BOBBIN-NET OR CARBONISED LACE; BRAIDING MACHINES; BRAID; LACE (machines for making soles from strips of material A43D29/00; cane working B27J1/00)
- D06C: FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
- D10B: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A woven, self-expanding stent device has one or more strands and is configured for insertion into an anatomical structure. The device includes a coupling structure secured to two different strand end portions that are substantially aligned with each other. The two different strand end portions include nickel and titanium. The coupling structure is not a strand of the device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of forming a self-expanding stent, the method comprising:
forming a first end of the stent by forming a first bend in each of a plurality of strands, each strand including a strand section on both sides of the first bend, each strand section including an end;
weaving the strand sections;
after weaving the strand sections, heat treating the plurality of strands for a first heat treatment time;
forming a second end of the stent by forming a second bend in each of the plurality of strands;
heat treating the plurality of strands for a second heat treatment time; and
securing each of the strand section ends to another of the strand section ends to form pairs of secured ends, wherein securing the pairs of secured ends comprises aligning the pairs of secured ends along an axial direction of the stent.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the second heat treatment time is after forming the second bends.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, after forming the second bends, backbraiding some of the strand sections, wherein backbraiding some of the strand sections comprises passing the strand sections by at least two strand crossings from the second end of the stent.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein securing the pairs of secured ends comprises spacing each of the pairs of secured ends at least two strand crossings from the second end of the stent.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein securing the pairs of secured ends comprises securing a coupling structure to each of the pairs of secured ends.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein securing the coupling structures comprises welding the coupling structures to the pairs of secured ends.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein welding the coupling structures to the pairs of secured ends comprises laser welding.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein welding the coupling structures to the pairs of secured ends comprises forming at least two welded regions spaced apart from each other.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein securing the coupling structures to the pairs of secured ends comprises positioning each of the coupling structures radially inward of at least one said strand crossing the coupling structure.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein each of the coupling structures includes a passageway having a diameter sized to receive one said strand.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, after forming the second bends, trimming at least some of the strand sections.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein, after trimming at least some of the strand sections, the ends of the strand sections are each proximate to one end of the stent.

### Claim 13

A method of forming a self-expanding stent, the method comprising:
forming a first end of the stent by forming a first bend in each of a plurality of strands, each strand including a strand section on both sides of the first bend, each strand section including an end;
weaving the strand sections;
after weaving the strand sections, heat treating the plurality of strands for a first heat treatment time;
forming a second end of the stent by forming a second bend in each of the plurality of strands;
heat treating the plurality of strands for a second heat treatment time; and
securing each of the strand section ends to another of the strand section ends to form pairs of secured ends, wherein securing the pairs of secured ends comprises securing a coupling structure to each of the pairs of secured ends, and wherein securing the coupling structures to the pairs of secured ends comprises positioning each of the coupling structures radially inward of at least one said strand crossing the coupling structure.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the second heat treatment time is after forming the second bends.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising, after forming the second bends, backbraiding some of the strand sections, wherein backbraiding some of the strand sections comprises passing the strand sections by at least two strand crossings from the second end of the stent.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein securing the pairs of secured ends comprises offsetting each of the pairs of secured ends around a circumference of the stent.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein securing the pairs of secured ends comprises spacing each of the pairs of secured ends at least two strand crossings from the second end of the stent.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein securing the coupling structures comprises welding the coupling structures to the pairs of secured ends.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein welding the coupling structures to the pairs of secured ends comprises laser welding.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein welding the coupling structures to the pairs of secured ends comprises forming at least two welded regions spaced apart from each other.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein each of the coupling structures includes a passageway having a diameter sized to receive one said strand.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising, after forming the second bends, trimming at least some of the strand sections.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein, after trimming at least some of the strand sections, the ends of the strand sections are each proximate to one end of the stent.