This invention relates broadly to medical devices. More particularly, this invention relates to an instrument for delivering a self-expanding stent into a mammalian body and controllably releasing the stent.
Transluminal prostheses are widely used in the medical arts for implantation in blood vessels, biliary ducts, or other similar organs of the living body. These prostheses are commonly known as stents and are used to maintain, open, or dilate tubular anatomical structures.
The underlying structure of the stent can be virtually any stent design. There are typically two types of stents: self-expanding stents and balloon expandable stents. Stents are typically formed from malleable metals, such as 300 series stainless steel, or from resilient metals, such as super-elastic and shape memory alloys, e.g., Nitinol™ alloys, spring stainless steels, and the like. They can also, however, be formed from non-metal materials such as non-degradable or biodegradable polymers or from bioresorbable materials such as levorotatory polylactic acid (L-PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA) or other materials such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,660,827, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Self-expanding stents are delivered through the body lumen on a catheter to the treatment site where the stent is released from the catheter, allowing the stent to automatically expand and come into direct contact with the luminal wall of the vessel. Examples of a self-expanding stent suitable for purposes of this invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,169,175, which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, the self-expanding stent described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,169,175 comprises a lattice having two different types of helices forming a hollow tube having no free ends. The first type of helix is formed from a plurality of undulations, and the second type of helix is formed from a plurality of connection elements in series with the undulations, wherein the connection elements connect fewer than all of the undulations in adjacent turns of the first type of helix. The first and second types of helices proceed circumferentially in opposite directions along the longitudinal axis of the hollow tube. This design provides a stent having a high degree of flexibility as well as radial strength. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other self-expanding stent designs (such as resilient metal stent designs) could be used according to this invention.
The stent may also be a balloon expandable stent which is expanded using an inflatable balloon catheter. Balloon expandable stents may be implanted by mounting the stent in an unexpanded or crimped state on a balloon segment of a catheter. The catheter, after having the crimped stent placed thereon, is inserted through a puncture in a vessel wall and moved through the vessel until it is positioned in the portion of the vessel that is in need of repair. The stent is then expanded by inflating the balloon catheter against the inside wall of the vessel. Specifically, the stent is plastically deformed by inflating the balloon so that the diameter of the stent is increased and remains at an increased state, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,500,248, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Stents are delivered to an implant site with the use of a delivery system. Delivery systems for self-expanding stents generally comprise an inner tubular member on which the stent is loaded and which may be fed over a guidewire, and an outer tubular member or jacket longitudinally slidable over the inner tubular member and adapted to extend over the stent during delivery to the implant site. The jacket is retracted along the inner tubular member to release the self-expanding stent from the inner tubular member.
In several available delivery systems, the jacket and inner member are freely movable relative to each other and must be separately manually held in the hands of the physician. After the distal end of the system is located at the implant site, the inner member must be held still to prevent dislocation. However, it is very difficult to maintain the position of the inner member while moving the outer member to deploy the stent. As such, the degree of control during deployment is limited. Under such limited control there is a tendency for the stent to escape from the inner member before the jacket is fully retracted and jump from the desired deployment site. This may result in deployment of the stent at a location other than the desired implant site.
A handle may be provided to move the outer tubular member relative to the inner tubular member with greater control. For example, Medtronic Inc., utilizes a handle which can lock the inner tube and outer jacket relative to each other and effect relative movement of the two to cause deployment of the stent. However, such handles have several shortcomings. First, the handle is not particularly well suited to short stents as there is little fine control. Second, the handle is not well-suited to long stents, e.g., above 90 mm in length, as the linear control requires the operator to change his or her grip during deployment in order to generate the large relative motion of the tubular components. Third, it is possible for the stent to automatically release before the jacket is fully retracted from over the stent. This is because the super-elastic expansion of the stent causes the stent to slip distally out of the deployment system before the operator retracts the sheath. The result can be an unintentionally rapid and possibly uneven deployment of the stent. Fourth, without reference to a fluoroscope monitoring the stent, there is no manner to determine from the proximal end of the instrument the progress of stent deployment. Fifth, the construction of the inner tubular member and outer jacket may cause the inner member and jacket to be crushed during use. Furthermore, the inner tubular member is subject to compressive force during deployment and may deform while moving the stent from the desired deployment location.
Another stent delivery system can be seen in the U.S. Publication No. 2004/0006380 titled Stent Delivery System and U.S. Publication No. 2005/0273151 also titled Stent Delivery System, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Like other available stent delivery systems, the designs in these publications provide a single actuating mechanism for moving the outer jacket relative to the inner tubular member, specifically shown as a thumbwheel.
In these designs, the retraction speed of the jacket member is limited by both the user's ability to actuate the thumbwheel (i.e. the speed the user can move their thumb) and the retraction ratio of the thumbwheel (i.e. the ratio of thumbwheel movement/rotation to jacket retraction). This “speed limit” can be especially difficult for a user when deploying longer stents such as those between 100 and 200 mm in length, since it greatly increases the stent deployment time. Further, the thumbwheel can have only one retraction ratio, which increases the difficulty of retracting the jacket at substantially different speeds.
What is needed is a stent delivery system that overcomes the limitations of the prior art and facilitates the retraction of the jacket at different speeds. Further, a stent delivery system is needed that provides the user with greater dynamic control of the jacket to increase delivery precision while reducing the deployment time.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a stent delivery system that permits a high degree of control during the deployment of the stent.
It is another object of the invention to provide a stent delivery system that more easily retracts an outer jacket at different speeds.
It is another object of the invention to provide a stent delivery system that has multiple controls for retracting an outer jacket.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a stent delivery system with independent outer jacket retraction controls that allow switching from one control to another without a lag in the jacket retraction.
The present invention seeks to achieve these and other objects in one preferred embodiment by providing a stent delivery system having three independent controls for retracting an outer jacket to deliver a stent or similar prosthesis. More specifically, the stent delivery system provides a thumbwheel, a thumb lever, and a pull ring which each engage a distal portion of the outer jacket. When any of the three controls are actuated, they create a proximal force on the jacket, retracting the jacket and releasing a stent on the distal end of the delivery system.
Preferably, the thumbwheel and the thumb lever retract the jacket by way of a cord within the handle of the delivery system that engages a proximal portion of the jacket. The thumbwheel rotates a spool which winds up the cord and therefore causes the jacket to retract. The thumb lever effectively increases the path of the cord within the handle by moving against a region of the cord, also causing the jacket to retract. The pull ring is preferably connected to the proximal end of the jacket, allowing the user to directly pull the jacket in a proximal direction.
Each of the jacket controls can be configured to provide the user with different retraction ratios (e.g. for every 1 cm of movement of the thumb lever the jacket retracts 2 cm). In this respect, the user can use different retraction controls at different stages in the delivery procedure. For example, the user may wish to initially retract the jacket slowly to “flower” the stent, with the thumbwheel. However, once the stent has been flowered, the user may wish to more quickly retract the jacket with the lower ratio of the thumb lever or pull ring. In this respect, the stent delivery system allows the user to more easily retract the jacket at different speeds during the delivery procedure.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures.
Each of the three deployment controls provides different actuation methods that facilitate deployment of the stent 160 at different speeds. For example, the thumbwheel 106 allows the user to slowly deploy the stent 160 with slow and precise thumb movement, while the rapid deployment ring 110 provides the user leverage to deploy the stent 160 in a more rapid fashion.
Additionally, some of the deployment controls can be configured to provide different ratios of retraction (e.g. 1 cm of movement of the deployment lever 108 moves the outer tubular member 124, 2 cm). Thus, some controls may provide “finer” retraction control (i.e. smaller movement of the outer tubular member 124) and other controls may provide a “coarser” retraction control (i.e. larger movement of the outer tubular member 124).
In this respect, the delivery system 100 provides the user with a wider, more dynamic range of deployment controls for more precisely delivering the stent 160 within a patient. Further, this range of deployment controls can better accommodate different types of stents or prostheses, especially those of almost any length.
The stent delivery system 100 generally includes two main portions: a stent delivery portion 104 and a handle portion 102. The stent delivery portion 104 is the elongated catheter assembly which is inserted into the patient to deliver the stent 160 at a desired location. The handle portion 102 is connected to a proximal end of the stent delivery portion 104, allowing the user to position the stent delivery portion 104 within the patient and release the stent 160.
As best seen in
With reference to
As also seen in
As best seen in
As previously mentioned, the outer tubular member 124 is positioned over the inner tubular member 128 and can be moved relative to the inner tubular member 128, particularly allowing the outer tubular member 124 to cover and uncover the unexpanded stent 160. Preferably, the outer tubular member 124 is composed of a braided polyimide. Alternately, the outer tubular member 124 is composed of a coextruded, trilayer construction. The inner layer is preferably polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), or urethane. The middle layer is a wire braid, and more preferably a 304V stainless steel flat wire braid of 1×3 (40 picks) construction, with wires having a 0.001 inch by 0.003 inch rectangular cross-section. Wires of other metals and alloys may also be used, including other stainless steel alloys, cobalt-chrome alloys, and other high-strength, high-stiffness, corrosion-resistant metal alloys. The outer layer is preferably a thermoplastic, melt processable, polyether-based polyamide, such as PEBAX®-7033 available from Modified Polymer Components, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. In the extrusion process, the inner and outer layers are bonded to each other and encapsulate the metallic reinforcing middle wire layer to create an integrated tubing. This tubing exhibits high lateral flexibility combined with a high degree of longitudinal stiffness (resistance to shortening), and also high torqueability.
Referring to
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Referring to
Optionally, a portion of the slider 152 contacts rack 140 to provide a tactile and audible “click” as the slider 152 slides proximally along the slot 146A. The teeth of the rack 140 also allow the slider 152 to move in only a proximal direction by including an angled distal surface and a perpendicular proximal surface. Thus, the contacting portion of the slider 152 simply moves up and over the angled surface when moved proximally, but is stopped from movement by the perpendicular surface when distal movement is attempted. These “one way” teeth prevent the user from moving the outer tubular member 124 distally in an attempt to recapture a partially deployed stent 160.
The thumbwheel 106, deployment lever 108, and the rapid deployment ring 110 can each apply force in a proximal direction to the slider 152, causing the slider 152 and therefore the outer tubular member 124 to move in a proximal direction. As described in more detail below, each deployment control uses different mechanisms within the handle portion 102 to create force on the slider 152. The distance the slider 152 moves will vary between each deployment control based, at least in part, on how the mechanisms of each deployment control are configured. These mechanisms and their possible configurations will become clear from the description below.
As seen best in
Preferably the cord 180 is composed of a material that imparts little or no stretch to the length of the cord 180. For example, polyethylene, nylon, stainless steel wire, or braided stainless steel fibers. While a cord 180 is preferred in the present preferred embodiment, almost any flexible elongated member could be used, having different shapes, thicknesses, flexibilities and compositions. For example, a relatively flat ribbon shape may be used or alternately a cord having a generally square cross section. In another example, the cord can be composed of a single, continuous material such as all plastic, or multiple threads woven together.
Turning first to the rotation of the spool 154, a side of the inner frame member 146 includes an axle 155 onto which the spool 154 and the thumbwheel 106 rotatably mount by way of apertures through their respective centers. When the handle portion 102 is fully assembled, the spool 154 is positioned within the thumbwheel 106, pressing against a side of thumbwheel 106.
As best seen in
The engagement mechanism includes raised members 106A, seen best in
The spool 154 includes two floating arms 154A having an outwardly extending region 154B, positioned to have a similar circumferential position as raised members 106A. When the handle portion 102 is assembled, the extending region 154B contacts either the raised members 106A or the space in between the raised members 106A, depending on the rotational orientation of the thumbwheel 106. As the thumbwheel 106 is rotated in one direction, the flat sides 106B of the raised members 106A contact the extending region 154B, causing the spool 154 to rotate and therefore wind up the cord 180.
However, if the thumbwheel 106 is rotated in the opposite direction, the angled surface 106 contacts the extending region 154B, causing the floating arm 154A to move towards the inner frame member 146. As the thumbwheel 106 continues to rotate, the extending region 154B passes over the top of raised member 106A until the end of the raised member 106A is reached, at which time the floating arm 154A snaps back to its original position. Thus, the thumbwheel 106 rotates, but the spool 154 is not engaged and therefore does not rotate, effectively limiting rotation of the spool 154 by the thumbwheel 106 to only one direction.
As previously described, rotation of the spool 154 winds one end of the cord 180, reducing the effective length of the cord 180 in the handle portion 102. However, the cord 180 must also be appropriately positioned within the handle portion 102 to create a proximal force on the slider 152. This cord position or cord path can be more clearly observed by comparing the exploded view of
The mechanisms of the deployment controls, as previously mentioned, can be configured to change the retraction ratio of the outer tubular member 124. In one example, the mechanisms of the thumbwheel 106 can be modified by changing the size of the spool 154. More specifically, the size of the spool 154 (i.e. the spool diameter) can be increased or decreased to change the amount of cord 180 each rotation of the thumbwheel 106 takes up. For example, decreasing the size of the spool 154 will reduce the amount of cord 180 taken up by each rotation of the thumbwheel 106 and therefore reduces the amount the outer tubular member 124 is retracted. Similarly, increasing the size of the spool 154 will increase the amount of cord 180 taken up by each rotation of the thumbwheel 106, increasing the amount the outer tubular member 124 is retracted.
Turning to the second deployment control, the deployment lever 108, can also retract the slider 152 and therefore the outer tubular member 124 by increasing tension on the cord 180 and therefore on the slider 152 as well. As seen in
Like the thumbwheel 106 and the slider 152, the deployment lever 108 only moves in one direction, allowing the user to only retract the outer tubular member 124. This “one way” movement is preferably achieved with a direction arm 108B (
Referring to
The rapid deployment ring 110 provides yet another method of retracting the outer tubular member 124 within the handle portion 102. As seen best in
As shown in
Referring to
Preferably, as seen in
The retraction ratio for both the deployment lever 108 and the thumbwheel 106 can be further adjusted by changing the path of the cord 180 within the handle portion 102. One preferred method of changing this ratio is to distribute the user's retraction force over an increased the number anchors (e.g. anchor members 148 or 149). In this respect, the anchor members and cord 180 act similar to a rope and pulley system where additional anchors function as additional pulleys. Like a pulley system, the more anchors the cord 180 is positioned around, the less the outer tubular member 124 will move relative to either the thumbwheel 106 or deployment lever 108 (and the easier it will be to move the thumbwheel 106 or deployment lever 108).
A more specific example of this concept can be seen in
Yet another specific example can be seen in
The path of the cord 180 may be configured in a variety of other arrangements according to the present invention to achieve a desired retraction ratio. Typically, a retraction ratio that provides a slower retraction (e.g. 2 cm of deployment lever 106 movement to 1 cm of outer tubular member 124 movement) may be preferred for smaller stents (e.g. 20-90 mm), while a retraction ration that provides a quicker retraction (e.g. 1 cm of movement of deployment lever 108 to 1 cm of movement of outer tubular member 124) may be preferred for larger stents (e.g. 90-170 mm). However, it should be understood that most ratios can be used for any commonly used stents lengths, leaving the ratio as a matter of preference for the user.
While both the thumbwheel 106 and the deployment lever 106 act on the cord 180 to retract the slider 152, it should be appreciated that these two mechanisms act independently of each other and therefore do not affect the relative performance of the other. In other words, if the user switches between these two deployment controls, there will not be a “lag” as slack in the cord 180 is taken up by the second control. Instead, actuation of either deployment control maintains tension on the cord 180 so that movement of either deployment control will immediately move the slider 152. For example, if the deployment lever 108 is initially moved, the cord 180 maintains tension so that subsequent rotation of the thumbwheel 106 causes immediate movement of the slider 152.
By contrast, if the user initially pulls the rapid deployment ring 110, slack may be created in the cord 180. If either the thumbwheel 106 or the deployment lever 108 is then moved, that slack in the cord 180 will first be taken up by their movement, causing a delay in the retraction of the outer tubular member 124 until tension in the cord 180 increases. If a user, who cannot see these inner mechanisms or slack in the cord 180, is not expecting this delay, they may mistakenly think that the delivery system 100 is broken or has finished deploying the stent 160. Thus, the independent arrangement of the thumbwheel 106 and the deployment lever 108 provide a more consistent and predictable deployment procedure.
In operation, the inner tubular member 128 is fed over a guidewire and guided to a target location within the patient. Typically, radiopaque markers within the distal end of the delivery system 100 are viewed fluoroscopically to confirm that the inner tubular member 128 has achieved the desired location within the patient.
Once the user is satisfied that the delivery system 100 is in a desired position, the user actuates one of the three deployment controls. Typically, the outer tubular member 124 is retracted slowly at first, allowing the distal end of the stent 160 to expand or “flower” against the target tissue of the patient. While the user can initially retract the outer tubular member 124 with any of the three delivery controls, the thumbwheel 106 and the deployment lever 108 may allow for a slower and more controlled retraction since either can be controlled with only the user's thumb.
If the user desires to maintain a slow and highly controlled retraction of the outer tubular member 124, the thumbwheel 106 or deployment lever 108 use may be continued until the stent 160 has been completely uncovered and expanded against the target area. However, if the user desires to quickly retract the portion of the outer tubular member 124 that remains over the stent 160, the rapid deployment ring 110 can instead be used for more rapid retraction. The user simply pulls the rapid deployment ring 110 along slot 114 until the stent 160 has been fully deployed. Once the stent 160 has been fully deployed, the delivery device 100 is retracted from the patient, completing the delivery procedure.
It should be appreciated that any of the three deployment controls can be used by the user, alone or in various combinations, to retract the outer tubular member 124 and deliver the stent 160. While the use of the deployment controls may rest largely with the preference of the user, other factors may contribute to such a selection. For example, shorter stents (e.g. 20-90 mm) may be deployed more effectively with the precision of the thumbwheel 106 or deployment lever 108 while longer stents (e.g. 100-170 mm) may be more effectively deployed with a combination of the thumbwheel 106 initially and the rapid deployment ring 110 subsequently.
The stent delivery system 200 utilizes the same inner frame member 146 and body shell members 132A and 132B by including a cover plate 210 which is positioned over the rack 144 and over the sides of the inner frame member 146. The cover plate 210 blocks the aperture created by the body shell members 132A and 132B where the deployment lever 108 is positioned in the previously described delivery system 100.
Additionally, referring to
As best seen in
It should be understood that different elements, assemblies, or aspects of each embodiment can be removed from, added to, or combined with other embodiments. For example, the support blocks 214 can be used with the stent delivery system 100. In another example, the preferred embodiment of
While the stent delivery systems 100 and 200 have been primarily described as delivering stents, these embodiments may be modified to deliver other prosthesis devices that can be delivered within a retractable outer tubular member 124.
In some situations, a stentor other device must be delivered within a patient through a convoluted delivery path. As the path of the delivery device becomes more tortuous, the delivery device itself may become contorted. In such situations, the ability of the stability sheath 122 to transmit torque generated at the handle portion 102 may be reduced. In other words, a proximal end of the stability sheath 122 may twist without resulting in the same degree of twist to the distal end. In one example, the user attempts to rotate the handle portion 102 but the stability sheath 122 tends to “corkscrew” or twist and cause compression on the outer tubular member 124. In some circumstances, such a compression force can inhibit the outer tubular member 124 from retracting and therefore complicate stent deployment. In a worst case, such compression may result in tearing or other breakage of the delivery system, causing further complications.
As seen best in
Since the above-described configuration results in the independent rotation of the stability sheath 122 relative to the delivery system 300, it is desirable to minimize friction between the strain relief member 120 and the stability sheath 122. In this regard, a low friction coating may be applied to the inner passage of the strain relief member 120 and the outer surface of the stability sheath 122. Alternately, a lubricant may be introduced between these surfaces. Friction is also preferably minimized between the inner surface of the stability sheath 122 and the outer surface of the outer tubular member 124. This further facilitates independent rotation of the stability sheath 122.
In operation, the user advances the delivery portion 104 of the delivery device 300 into the patient and rotates the handle portion 102 to achieve a desired orientation of the delivery portion 104. As with previously described embodiments, the handle portion 102 and the delivery portion 104 are fixed relative to one another and thus rotation of the handle portion 102 will result in corresponding rotation of the delivery portion 104. However, due to the use of the circular disc member 304 described above, the stability sheath 122 is not forced to rotate along with the delivery portion 104 or handle portion 102. As a result the stability sheath 122 does not inadvertently inhibit (e.g., through compression, friction, etc.) the movement of the delivery portion 104 within the patient. Therefore complications during a delivery procedure are minimized.
The stability sheath 340 includes a plurality of circumferential crumple zones 342 located along a length of the sheath 340. Preferably, these crumple zones 342 are located near the proximal end of the sheath 340, just distal to the strain relief member 120. Each crumple zone 342 is configured to compress under axial pressure similar to an “accordion” region of a bendable straw. Therefore, if the stability sheath 340 becomes twisted and thereby frictionally engages the outer tubular member 124, the crumple zones 342 will compress in length when the user retracts the outer tubular member 124 (i.e., when the user retracts the outer tubular member 124 to deploy the stentor other prosthesis). In this respect, the crumple zones 342 allow the distal end of the stability sheath 340 to move with the outer tubular member 124 instead of otherwise preventing retraction.
Preferably, the crumple zones 342 allow a length of axial compression at least equal to the length of the prosthesis to be deployed. In other words, if the stability sheath 340 does bear down on the outer tubular member 124, the crumple zones 342 will allow the stability sheath 340 to move with the outer tubular member 124 until the prosthesis has been delivered.
Preferably, each of the crumple zones 342 compress in length by folding or buckling, similar to an accordion. In one example, this folding can be achieved by decreasing the thickness of each crumple zone 342 relative to the thickness of the surrounding portions of the stability sheath 340. When axial force is applied to the stability sheath 340 (i.e. by retraction of the outer tubular member 124), the weaker areas of the crumple zones 342 buckle, decreasing the overall length of the stability sheath 340.
Crumple zones 342 with decreased thicknesses can be created with various techniques known in the art. For example, the zones 342 can be formed as a unitary part of the stability sheath 340. Alternately, areas of decreased thicknesses can be cut out or otherwise removed with laser or mechanical cutting tools. In another example, the areas of decreased thickness can be created by adding additional layers of material around each crumple zone 342.
In another preferred embodiment, each of the crumple zones 342 can be created by introducing circumferential accordion-like creases along the stability sheath 340 (i.e. creases oriented inward and outward of the sheath 340 similar to a creased region of a bendable straw). In yet another preferred embodiment, the crumple zones 342 can be created with perforations or small punctures to weaken the stability sheath 340 and promote buckling.
In operation, the user advances the delivery portion 104 of the delivery device into the patient and rotates the handle portion 102 to achieve a desired orientation of the delivery portion 104. As with previously described embodiments, the handle portion 102 and the delivery portion 104 are fixed relative to one another and thus rotation of the handle portion 102 will result in corresponding rotation of the delivery portion 104. If such rotation results in the twisting of the stability sheath 340 on the outer tubular member 124, the crumple zones 342 will compress in length as the outer tubular member is retracted. As a result the stability sheath 340 does not inadvertently inhibit (e.g., through compression, friction, etc.) the movement of the delivery portion 104 within the patient. Therefore complications during a delivery procedure are minimized.
Another preferred embodiment according to the present invention seeks to eliminate twisting of the stability sheath 122 with a breakaway bond between the stability sheath 122 and the handle portion 102. Preferably, the sheath 122 and the handle portion 102 can be arranged similarly to the embodiments of
As the user rotates the handle portion 102 during a delivery procedure the proximal end of the stability sheath 122 may twist relative to the distal end, creating force on the bond between the stability sheath 122 and the handle portion 102. As the force on the bond reaches a predetermined amount, it breaks, allowing the sheath 122 to either untwist under its own force or remain twisted and therefore move with the outer tubular member 124. In either scenario, the stability sheath 122 is prevented from inhibiting the movement of the outer tubular member 124 and therefore delivery of the prosthesis.
Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/333,851, filed Jul. 17, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,675,486, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/652,737, filed Jan. 12, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,808,346, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/759,136, filed Jan. 13, 2006 and to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/789,734, filed Apr. 5, 2006, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20180280173 A1 | Oct 2018 | US | |
20200315826 A9 | Oct 2020 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60789734 | Apr 2006 | US | |
60759136 | Jan 2006 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14333851 | Jul 2014 | US |
Child | 15473420 | US | |
Parent | 11652737 | Jan 2007 | US |
Child | 14333851 | US |