Patents Assigned to CARL J. EVENS
  • Publication number: 20010007953
    Abstract: A stent for use in a lumen in a human or animal body, has a generally tubular body formed from a shape memory alloy which has been treated so that it exhibits enhanced elastic properties with a point of inflection in the stress-strain curve on loading, enabling the body to be deformed inwardly to a transversely compressed configuration for insertion into the lumen and then revert towards its initial configuration, into contact with and to support the lumen. The shape memory alloy comprises nickel, titanium and from about 3 at. % to about 20 at. %, based on the weight of the total weight of the alloy composition, of a ternary element selected from the group consisting of niobium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten and gold. The ratio of the stress on loading to the stress on unloading at the respective inflection points on the loading and unloading curves is at least about 2.5:1, and the difference between the stresses on loading and unloading at the inflection points at least about 250 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 1997
    Publication date: July 12, 2001
    Applicant: CARL J. EVENS
    Inventors: THOMAS DUERIG, DIETER STOCKEL, JANET BURPEE