Appeal No. 1997-4292 Page 8
Application No. 08/515,344
when stent 100 is expanded. Pinchasik also teaches that it is
a particular feature of his invention that connectors 110 have
a generally cylindrical configuration when stent 100 is
relaxed as best seen in Figure 2a and a differentially
stretched and compressed curved configuration when stent 100
is flexed as best seen in Figure 2b. The flexed configuration
is brought about by two relatively
opposing displacements of links 112. First, the differential
stretching of connectors 110 occurs at the convex portion
thereof denoted 114 by links 112 being displaced away from one
another. Second, the differential compressing of connectors
110 occurs at the concave portion thereof denoted 116 by links
112 being displaced towards one another. Stent 100 has a
constricted diameter for delivery through a curved bodily
conduit as shown in Figures 2a and 2b and an expanded diameter
as shown in Figure 2c for supporting a bodily conduit. Stent
100 is preferably fabricated from low memory, more plastic
than elastic, bio-compatible material, for example, stainless
steel 316L, gold,
tantalum, etc. which enables it to be plastically deformed
from its constricted diameter to its expanded diameter. The
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