US Patent No: 8,276,533
Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000
Methods for assembling components of a fabric-covered prosthetic heart valve
Stats
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Oct 2, 2012
Issued date -
Jun 22, 2010
filing date -
12/820,934
serial no -
In Force
status
Importance
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Abstract
A system and method for assembling a prosthetic heart valve, including a procedure for tightly wrapping fabric around a heart valve support stent. The support stent typically includes alternating cusps and commissures that create a highly contoured undulating outflow edge. The system includes a mandrel for retaining tension without manual assistance in a tubular length of fabric wrapped over the support stent. The mandrel may include an inner clamping mechanism for holding the first end of the fabric tube, a pedestal tube on which the support stent rests and through which the fabric tube passes, and an outer clamping mechanism for holding the free end of the fabric tube. The inner and outer clamping mechanisms include discrete clamps spaced apart 120° from each other that pull the fabric only in the cusps of the support stent. The inner clamping mechanism, outer clamping mechanism, and pedestal are relatively axially movable. Once the fabric is retained over the support stent, the mandrel may be placed in a chuck of a sewing machine system for automatically forming the seam. A small shuttle with bobbin thread reciprocates within a channel inside of the support stent and cooperates with the sewing machine needle to form a lock-stitch in the fabric tube. The mechanization of the fabric covering procedure greatly enhances manufacturing throughput and reduces ergonomic strain on workers.
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First Claim
Related Publications
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International Classification(s)
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Cited Art
| Patent Info | (Count) | # Cites | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
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| 5,928,281 Tissue heart valves | 101 | 1997 | |
| 6,558,418 Flexible heart valve | 74 | 1999 | |
| 6,338,740 Flexible heart valve leaflets | 97 | 2000 | |
| 6,736,845 Holder for flexible heart valve | 84 | 2001 | |
| 7,481,838 Flexible heart valve and associated connecting band | 30 | 2003 | |
| 2004/0176,839 Low-profile heart valve sewing ring and method of use | 50 | 2004 | |
| 2008/0035,038 Automated surgical implant sewing system and method | 2 | 2006 | |
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| 7,185,597 Method for manufacturing a medical implant | 13 | 2000 | |
| 7,073,456 Method for manufacturing stent-grafts | 5 | 2002 | |
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| 5,935,163 Natural tissue heart valve prosthesis | 67 | 1998 | |
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| 5,488,789 Process and apparatus for the production of a heart valve prosthesis | 22 | 1994 | |
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| 6,755,141 Method for stitching a work piece using a computer controlled, vision-aided sewing machine | 5 | 2002 | |
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| 4,626,255 Heart valve bioprothesis | 63 | 1984 | |
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| 6,295,940 System and method for processing workpieces | 7 | 1999 | |
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| 4,388,735 Low profile prosthetic xenograft heart valve | 91 | 1980 | |
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| 5,895,420 Bioresorbable heart valve support | 61 | 1997 | |
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| 4,680,031 Heart valve prosthesis | 120 | 1984 | |
Patent Citation Ranking
Maintenance Fees
| Fee | Large entity fee | small entity fee | micro entity fee | due date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Year Payment | $1600.00 | $800.00 | $400.00 | Apr 2, 2016 |
| 7.5 Year Payment | $3600.00 | $1800.00 | $900.00 | Apr 2, 2020 |
| 11.5 Year Payment | $7400.00 | $3700.00 | $1850.00 | Apr 2, 2024 |
| Fee | Large entity fee | small entity fee | micro entity fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surcharge - 3.5 year - Late payment within 6 months | $160.00 | $80.00 | $40.00 |
| Surcharge - 7.5 year - Late payment within 6 months | $160.00 | $80.00 | $40.00 |
| Surcharge - 11.5 year - Late payment within 6 months | $160.00 | $80.00 | $40.00 |
| Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unavoidable | $700.00 | $350.00 | $175.00 |
| Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unintentional | $1,640.00 | $820.00 | $410.00 |