Stent Forming Apparatus for Perpendicular End Geometry

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming wave patterns (sinusoidal geometries) into the source material before the helical wrapping process. These pre-formed waves create geometric features that, when wrapped, produce stent ends that are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis rather than at the pitch angle that would naturally result from simple helical wrapping.

The patent changes physical parameters of the source material by introducing wave patterns with specific amplitudes and wavelengths. By manipulating these parameters (wave amplitude, wave wavelength, and wrap tightness), the invention controls the orientation of stent ends to achieve perpendicular termination while maintaining the helical wrapping structure for interwrap support.

The patent segments the forming process into distinct functional components: a feeder for supplying formable material, multiple forming members (including first and second forming members with different geometries), and a controller. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while working together to achieve the complex wave form patterns needed for perpendicular stent ends.

The patent introduces dimensional complexity by using forming members that move in multiple directions (first direction along the longitudinal axis, second direction perpendicular to it). The first forming member creates waves in one dimensional pattern while the second forming member modifies these waves in another dimensional pattern, achieving perpendicular ends through multi-dimensional forming actions.