Braided Stent Wire End Connection for Radial Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Braided medical implants, such as stents, face issues with loose wire ends that can detach, reduce radial force, and increase the risk of injury or clotting due to their open structure, making them unstable and prone to deformation during deployment and expansion.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves connecting at least two first braid ends to form second braid ends, which increases the stability and radial force at the axial ends, preventing wire ends from protruding into the bloodstream and improving the atraumatic nature of the implant by forming a closed or predominantly circumferential edge, thereby reducing the risk of injury and clotting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If braided stents are produced from several wires with free ends, then fine mesh structure and radial strength are improved, but wire detachment and reduced stability occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveradial strengthVSAvoidstability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent connects multiple first braid ends to form second braid ends, merging separate wire ends into unified structures. This combining approach maintains the fine mesh structure while preventing wire detachment, resolving the contradiction between achieving fine mesh with multiple wires and maintaining stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary connection of braid ends during the manufacturing process, before the stent is deployed. By pre-connecting the wire ends to form stable closed loops, the structure is prepared in advance to prevent wire detachment during deployment and use, maintaining both fine mesh structure and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If free wire ends are left at axial edges, then production simplicity is maintained, but risk of injury and clotting increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction simplicityVSAvoidrisk of injury
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple wire ends to form closed-loop braid ends, eliminating free ends that could cause injury. This merging approach maintains production simplicity by using automated textile machines while removing the harmful free wire ends through the connection process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful free wire ends into beneficial closed-loop structures by connecting them. The wire ends that would otherwise protrude and cause injury are transformed into stable, connected braid ends that maintain structural integrity and prevent clotting while preserving manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Device complexity

If free wire ends are present, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but radial force stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing complexityVSAvoidradial force
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple first braid ends to form second braid ends with connected wire ends. This combining approach maintains relatively simple manufacturing using automated textile machines while significantly improving radial force stability by preventing wire detachment and maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary connection of braid ends during manufacturing, before deployment. This pre-connection ensures that the radial force stability is established in advance, preventing wire detachment during deployment while maintaining manufacturing complexity at acceptable levels through automated processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If loose wires are compressed during delivery system release, then delivery is simplified, but wire damage and bending increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedelivery simplicityVSAvoidwire integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines wire ends into connected braid end structures before delivery. This merging provides structural stability that prevents wire damage during compression in the delivery system, while maintaining delivery simplicity through standard catheter-based delivery methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary connection of braid ends to create stable structures before the delivery process. This pre-stabilization prevents wire damage and bending during compression in the delivery system, ensuring wire integrity is maintained while allowing standard delivery procedures to be used.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2349128B1Medical implant and method for producing an implant
Publication Date: 2016.08.31 ACANDIS
  • EP2349128B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2349128B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2349128B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6b

AI summary

The invention relates to a medical implant, particularly a stent, having a wall braided out of multiple wires (10a, 10b), said wall extending along a longitudinal axis L and curving around the longitudinal axis L at least in sections, wherein at least two wire ends (12) of the wires (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) are connected to at least two of the first braid ends (13a, 13b) forming a first circumferential section (16a) of the wall (11), said section extended around the longitudinal axis L. The invention is characterized in that at least two first braid ends (13a, 13b) are each connected to one or more second braid ends (14a, 14b), wherein the second braid ends (14a, 14b) form a second circumferential section (16b) of the wall (11), said second circumferential section extending around the longitudinal axis L and following the first circumferential section (16a) in sequence in the longitudinal direction or the second braid ends (14b, 14b) are arranged in the circumferential direction U of the wall (11).