Mechanical heart valve assembly with super-elastic lock wire
US6200341A · kind A · utility
5Cited by
29References
12Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 25, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 13, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 25, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61F2/2409
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A mechanical heart valve assembly includes an orifice coupled with a stiffening ring and sewing cuff by a lock wire. The lock wire is made from a super-elastic material, e.g., a nickel-titanium alloy, and pre-formed into a C-shape. The lock wire is inserted between the orifice and stiffening ring by piercing the sewing cuff that surrounds the ring, and passing the lock wire into a window in the stiffening ring and into the aligned lock wire grooves on the stiffening ring and orifice. Once seated in the lock wire grooves, the lock wire retains its C-shape, providing a secure coupling between the orifice and stiffening ring.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.