Variable stiffness medical devices
US7632303B1 · kind B1 · utility
255Cited by
53References
15Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 21, 2002 |
| Grant date | Dec 15, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 12, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61F2250/0018
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A medical device has a structure differentiated in terms of its stiffness or elasticity. Such stiffness differentiation is achieved through the use of superelastic or shape-memory materials which transition between a relatively malleable phase to a stiffer phase at a transition temperature which is adjustable by heat treatment. A differentiation of the stiffness of the structure forming the medical device is achieved by differentially adjusting the transition temperature of select portions of the medical device before the medical device is placed in its operational mode, usually implanted in a body at body temperature.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.