Appeal 2007-2557
Application 10/094,866
interconnect them to the narrow center portions 16 of the cells
12.
(Ley, col. 2, ll. 42-49 and FIGS. 3-4, emphasis removed.)
Ley’s expansion cells:
(1) comprise a continuous strand of a material; and
(2) are radially interconnected to form a ring of individual expansion
cells.
More specifically, Ley’s individual expansion cells are interconnected to
each other in series by one of a plurality of interconnection bridges.
Accordingly, Ley teaches a configuration that is consistent with Appellant’s
segments. Each of Ley’s segments is interconnected to an adjacent segment
by one of the plurality of interconnection bridges.
Like the stent of claim 8, the continuous strand of material used in
Ley’s stent is deformable such that the ring (element 12 of Ley’s FIG. 3) can
be deformed from a first configuration, wherein each ring has a first
circumference and each expansion cell has a first radial length, to a second
configuration, wherein each ring has a second circumference greater than the
first circumference and each expansion cell has a second radial length
greater than the first radial length (Cf. Ley FIG. 3 and FIG. 4).
Ley does not teach a plurality of narrowings in at least one
interconnection bridge to provide greater flexibility when bending proximate
the narrowings. However, Hojeibane and Dinh make up for this deficiency
in Ley.
Hojeibane teaches a flexible stent wherein connectors are made
narrower at their midpoints to enhance the flexure at this point (Hojeibane,
col. 6, ll. 30-44). Similarly, Dinh teaches a stent that comprises a unit cell
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