Stent Designs With Angled Connectors

Abstract

Stent including a plurality of radially-expandable rings disposed adjacent one another along a longitudinal axis to define a tubular member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and an intermediate portion, each of the radially-expandable rings including a plurality of strut members defining a series of crowns proximate opposite ends thereof. The stent includes a number of first interconnection members, each first interconnection member extending at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis between a crown of a first radially-expandable ring and a crown of a second radially-expandable ring. The stent includes a number of second interconnection members, each second interconnection member extending at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis between a crown of the second radially-expandable ring and a crown of a third radially-expandable ring. The number of first interconnection members is different than the number of second interconnection members.

1 . A stent comprising:
 a plurality of radially-expandable rings, including a first radially-expandable ring, a second radially-expandable ring and a third radially-expandable ring, disposed adjacent one another along a longitudinal axis to define a tubular member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and an intermediate portion, each of the radially-expandable rings including a plurality of strut members defining a series of crowns proximate opposite ends thereof;   a number of first interconnection members disposed between the first radially-expandable ring and the second radially-expandable ring, wherein the crowns of the first radially-expandable ring are circumferentially offset from the crowns of the second radially-expandable ring, and each first interconnection member extends at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis between a crown of the first radially-expandable ring and a crown of the second radially-expandable ring;   a number of second interconnection members disposed between the second radially-expandable ring and the third radially-expandable ring, wherein the crowns of the second radially-expandable ring are circumferentially offset from the crowns of the third radially-expandable ring, and each second interconnection member extends at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis between a crown of the second radially-expandable ring and a crown of the third radially-expandable ring;   the number of first interconnection members between the first radially-expandable ring and the second radially-expandable ring being different than the number of second interconnection members between the second radially-expandable ring and the third radially-expandable ring.   
     
     
         2 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the number of first interconnection members is greater than the number of second interconnection members. 
     
     
         3 . The stent of  claim 2 , wherein the number of first interconnection members is at least twice the number of second interconnection members. 
     
     
         4 . The stent of  claim 2 , wherein first interconnection members are circumferentially-spaced equally from each other. 
     
     
         5 . The stent of  claim 2 , wherein the first interconnection members are disposed in the intermediate portion and the second interconnection members are disposed in the proximal end portion. 
     
     
         6 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first interconnection members is joined to the crown at one end of a strut member of the second radially-expandable ring and one of the second interconnection members is joined to the crown at an opposite end of the strut member. 
     
     
         7 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the number of second interconnection members is two, and further wherein the two second interconnection members are spaced diametrically opposite each other. 
     
     
         8 . The stent of  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth radially-expandable ring longitudinally-adjacent the third radially-expandable ring and a number of third interconnection members disposed between the third radially-expandable ring and the fourth radially-expandable ring, wherein the crowns of the third radially-expandable ring are circumferentially offset from the crowns of the fourth radially-expandable ring, and each third interconnection member extends at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis between a crown of the third radially-expandable ring and a crown of the fourth radially-expandable ring. 
     
     
         9 . The stent of  claim 8 , wherein the number of third interconnection members is the same as the number of second interconnection members. 
     
     
         10 . The stent of  claim 9 , wherein the third interconnection members are circumferentially offset from the second interconnection members. 
     
     
         11 . The stent of  claim 9 , wherein one of the second interconnection members is joined to the crown at one end of a strut member of the third radially-expandable ring and one of the third interconnection members is joined to the crown at an opposite end of the strut member. 
     
     
         12 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of open cells are defined between the first and second radially-expandable rings, each open cell between the first and second radially-expandable rings being bordered by circumferentially-adjacent first interconnection members and at lease three strut members of the first radially-expandable ring and of the second radially-expandable ring, respectively. 
     
     
         13 . The stent of  claim 12 , wherein at least one closed cell is defined between the first and second radially-expandable rings, the at least one closed cell between the first and second radially-expandable rings being bordered by circumferentially adjacent interconnection members and by two struts of each of the first radially-expandable ring and the second radially-expandable ring, respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The stent of  claim 12 , wherein at least one open cell is defined between the second and third radially expandable rings, each open cell between the second and third radially expandable rings being bordered by circumferentially-adjacent second interconnection members and at least three strut members of the second radially-expandable ring and of the third radially-expandable ring, respectively. 
     
     
         15 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein a greater number of open cells are defined between the first and second radially-expandable rings than between the second and third radially-expandable rings. 
     
     
         16 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second interconnection members is linear. 
     
     
         17 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second interconnection members includes a non-linear portion. 
     
     
         18 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the stent is self-expandable. 
     
     
         19 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the stent is balloon-expandable. 
     
     
         20 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the stent is made from Nitinol.