Frame for a prosthetic valve device and method of forming the same
A prosthetic valve device and a method of forming a frame thereof. The method may include cutting a pattern into a tube having a first inner diameter and an axis, the pattern having a plurality of post pattern sections arranged on the tube in a circumferentially spaced-apart manner and a plurality of lattice pattern sections extending between the post pattern sections. The method may further include diametrically expanding the tube until the tube has a second inner diameter that is greater than the first inner diameter. The expanded tube may have a plurality of axial posts arranged on the expanded tube in a circumferentially spaced-apart manner and a plurality of lattices having open cells extending between the axial posts.
1 . A method of forming a tubular body of a frame for a prosthetic valve device, the method comprising:
a) cutting a pattern into a tube having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first inner diameter, and an axis, the pattern comprising a plurality of post pattern sections arranged on the tube in a circumferentially spaced-apart manner and a plurality of lattice pattern sections extending between the post pattern sections, wherein the pattern is formed entirely of linear slits that extend substantially parallel to the axis, wherein all of the linear slits of the pattern are arranged in axial columns; and
b) diametrically expanding the tube until the tube has a second inner diameter that is greater than the first inner diameter, wherein the expanded tube comprises a plurality of axial posts arranged on the expanded tube in a circumferentially spaced-apart manner and a plurality of lattices having open cells extending between the axial posts, each of the plurality of axial posts extending from the top edge of the tube to the bottom edge of the tube;
wherein each of the axial posts is defined between a first axial column of the linear slits and a second axial column of the linear slits, wherein each one of the linear slits of the first axial column is aligned with one of the linear slits of the second axial column such that a plane perpendicular to the axis of the tube intersects the one of the linear slits of the first axial column and the one of the linear slits of the second axial column, and wherein each of the post pattern sections comprises a central axial column, each of the linear slits of the central axial column being at least partially circumferentially aligned with axial gaps that exist between the linear slits of each of the first and second axial columns.
2 . The method according to claim 1 wherein adjacent linear slits in each axial column of the lattice pattern sections and the post pattern section are separated by gaps, wherein the gaps of the lattice pattern sections form nodes of the lattices and wherein the gaps of the post pattern sections form axially elongated nodes of the axial posts.
3 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the linear slits of adjacently positioned axial columns of the lattice pattern sections are arranged in a circumferentially offset manner, and wherein for each of the axial columns of the lattice pattern sections, one of the linear slits extends to at least one of the top edge of the tube or the bottom edge of the tube.
4 . The method according to claim 1 wherein each of the linear slits of the central axial column are separated by first gaps of a first axial distance and wherein each of the linear slits of the first and second axial columns are separated by second gaps of a second axial distance, the first axial distance being greater than the second axial distance.
5 . The method according to claim 4 wherein the first axial distance is 4 to 5 times greater than the second axial distance.
6 . The method according to claim 1 wherein all of the open cells of the lattices are of a diamond-shape or a partial diamond-shape.
7 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the tube is formed of a shape memory material, and wherein the plurality of lattices and the plurality of axial posts are integrally formed from the tube as a unitary structure that is free of seams.
8 . The method according to claim 1 wherein a ratio of the second inner diameter to the first inner diameter is in a range of 4:1 to 6:1.
9 . A method of forming a tubular body of a frame for a prosthetic valve device, the method comprising:
cutting a pattern into a tube having a first inner diameter and an axis, the pattern comprising a plurality of post pattern sections arranged on the tube in a circumferentially spaced-apart manner and a plurality of lattice pattern sections extending between the post pattern sections;
diametrically expanding the tube until the tube has a second inner diameter that is greater than the first inner diameter, wherein the expanded tube comprises a plurality of axial posts arranged on the expanded tube in a circumferentially spaced-apart manner and a plurality of lattices having open cells extending between the axial posts
wherein the pattern is formed entirely of linear slits that extend substantially parallel to the axis;
wherein each of the axial posts is defined between a first axial column of linear slits and a second axial column of linear slits, the linear slits of the first axial column being spaced apart from one another by first axial gaps, and the linear slits of the second axial column being spaced apart from one another by second axial gaps; and
wherein each of the post pattern sections comprises a central axial column of linear slits, each of the linear slits of the central axial column being at least partially aligned with at least one of the first and second axial gaps.
10 . The method according to claim 9 wherein each of the first and second axial gaps have a first axial distance, wherein each of the linear slits of the central axial column are separated by third axial gaps having a second axial distance, the second axial distance being greater than the first axial distance.
11 . The method according to claim 10 wherein the second axial distance is 4 to 5 times greater than the first axial distance.
12 . The method according to claim 9 wherein each central axial column of linear slits is located along one of the plurality of axial posts to form openings in the axial posts when the tube is diametrically expanded.
13 . A method of forming a frame for a prosthetic valve device, the method comprising:
providing a tubular body having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first inner diameter, and an axis;
cutting a pattern of linear slits into the tubular body;
diametrically expanding the tubular body to form a frame having a second inner diameter that is greater than the first inner diameter, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of axial posts arranged in a circumferentially spaced-apart manner and a plurality of lattices having open cells extending between the axial posts; and
the pattern comprising a plurality of central axial columns of linear slits, each of the linear slits of each of the plurality of central axial columns of linear slits expanding to form openings in the axial posts when the tubular body is diametrically expanded to form the frame.
14 . The method according to claim 13 wherein each of the central axial columns of linear slits comprises a first slit that extends from the top edge of the tubular body and along a top portion of one of the axial posts.
15 . The method according to claim 13 wherein each of the central axial columns of linear slits comprises a second slit and a third slit that are spaced apart from one another and located between the first slit and the bottom edge of the tubular body, each of the second and third slits having a greater length than the first slit.