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US 9,808,982 B2Granted
Tapered polymeric stent and method of fabricating same
AssigneeAbbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
InventorsKlaus Kleine, David C. Gale
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A polymeric stent has an inner surface with an inner diameter that tapers continuously in size. A method for manufacturing a stent includes blow molding a polymeric tube within a mold having a tapered, cylindrical cavity such that the polymeric tube attains a corresponding tapered shape. The tapered tube is used as a substrate from which a laser cuts interconnecting stent struts.
Claims18
A method of manufacturing a stent, the method comprising:
- disposing a polymeric tube into a cylindrical mold, the cylindrical mold comprising an inner surface facing the polymeric tube, the inner surface having an inner diameter that varies along an axial length of the cylindrical mold;
- expanding the polymeric tube in radially outward directions to form an expanded tube, the expanding including blowing a gas or liquid into the cylindrical mold so that an outer surface of the polymeric tube conforms to the inner surface of the cylindrical mold and so that the outer surface of the expanded tube has an outer diameter that varies along an axial length of the expanded tube;
- and followed by
- cutting the expanded tube to form interconnecting struts.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.