Monolithic Stent Design for Flexible Vessel Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Prior art stents are prone to collapse when bent around sharp angles, limiting their flexibility and effectiveness in tightly bent vessels.

Innovation Solution

A monolithic medical device with a covered stent design comprising scaffolding members and mesh patterned members, constructed from a single work-piece tube using subtractive processing, which allows for secure bonding and enhanced flexibility by eliminating the need for tedious assembly, and can be made from materials like metal, polymer, or ceramic, with optimized layer positioning for mechanical properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If prior art stents are used with traditional assembly methods, then structural support is provided, but flexibility and ability to navigate tightly bent vessels deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidstructural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple stent components into a single monolithic structure formed from one continuous tube through subtractive processing. This eliminates the need for assembly of separate scaffolding members and covering layers, creating an integrated structure that maintains flexibility while ensuring structural integrity through continuous material formation rather than joined components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If monolithic design with subtractive processing is used, then flexibility and bonding security are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebonding securityVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical assembly processes (joining separate components through welding, crimping, or adhesives) with a subtractive manufacturing process. A monolithic tube is selectively removed through chemical etching, laser ablation, or electrochemical machining to create the stent structure and covering layers in a single integrated operation, eliminating assembly steps and ensuring inherent bonding security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If traditional multi-component stents are assembled, then manufacturing flexibility exists, but assembly time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidassembly time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs the entire stent structure formation in a single preliminary subtractive processing step from a monolithic tube. The covering layers, scaffolding members, and interconnecting structures are all created simultaneously through selective material removal, eliminating the need for sequential assembly of multiple pre-manufactured components and significantly reducing manufacturing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11291569B2Monolithic medical devices, methods of making and using the same

Publication Date: 2022.04.05 VACTRONIX SCIENTIFIC LLC

AI summary

The monolithic device comprises a plurality of scaffolding members and a mesh patterned members webbed between the scaffolding members; the mesh patterned member webbed between the scaffolding members surround a lumen and generally expands from a contracted state to an expanded state; and mesh patterned members including a plurality of openings traversing the thickness of the mesh patterned member, and the mesh patterned members including a surface on which a pattern of openings is formed.