Adaptive Endoluminal Support Structures for Niche Environments

Publication ID: 24-11857414_0004_PTD
Published: October 28, 2025
Category:Specialized Variations & Niche Solutions

Legal Citation

pr1or.art Inc., “Adaptive Endoluminal Support Structures for Niche Environments,” Published Technical Disclosure No. 24-11857414_0004_PTD, Published October 28, 2025, available at https://archive.pr1or.art/24-11857414_0004_PTD
This technical disclosure describes improvements that would be readily apparent to a Person Having Ordinary Skill In The Art (PHOSITA) when considered in combination with the foundational architecture disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 11,857,414.

Summary of the Inventive Concept

A repositionable endoluminal support structure adapted for deployment in specialized environments, including high-velocity water, disaster relief, high-altitude, high-security, and extreme weather conditions.

Background and Problem Solved

The original patent disclosed a repositionable endoluminal support structure suitable for general medical applications. However, these structures may not be optimized for specific, demanding environments. The new inventive concept addresses this limitation by providing specialized variations of the support structure to cater to unique operational requirements.

Detailed Description of the Inventive Concept

The adaptive endoluminal support structure comprises a catheter shaft with a reinforced lumen and a distal end configured for deployment in turbulent water conditions. Alternatively, the structure can be guided through a body lumen using a portable, battery-powered delivery apparatus suitable for disaster relief operations. For high-altitude, low-oxygen environments, the frame has a modified strut geometry to optimize blood flow under reduced oxygen conditions. In high-security facilities, the structure features a tamper-evident coating and a securement mechanism to prevent unauthorized repositioning or removal. The kit for delivering a prosthetic device in an extreme weather environment includes a waterproof catheter shaft, a portable, wind-resistant delivery apparatus, and a prosthetic device adapted for deployment in high-wind conditions.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The new claims introduce novel features that adapt the repositionable endoluminal support structure to specific niche environments, providing a non-obvious solution to the limitations of the original patent. The inventive step lies in the specialized design elements and configurations that enable the structure to operate effectively in these unique environments.

Alternative Embodiments and Variations

Other embodiments may include adaptations for use in confined spaces, explosive environments, or extreme temperatures. Variations could also involve different materials, surface coatings, or sensor integrations to enhance performance in specific niches.

Potential Commercial Applications and Market

The adaptive endoluminal support structure has significant commercial potential in various industries, including disaster relief, high-security facilities, and extreme sports medicine. The specialized designs can be marketed as premium products, offering unique value propositions to customers operating in these niche environments.

CPC Classifications

SectionClassGroup
A A61 A61F2/2427
A A61 A61F2/24
A A61 A61F2/243
A A61 A61F2/2409
A A61 A61F2/2412
A A61 A61F2/2418
A A61 A61F2/2469
A A61 A61F2/844
A A61 A61F2/2421
A A61 A61F2/82
A A61 A61F2/94
A A61 A61F2210/0076
A A61 A61F2220/0041
A A61 A61F2220/0075
A A61 A61F2230/0054
A A61 A61F2230/0091
A A61 A61F2250/001
A A61 A61F2250/0004
Y Y10 Y10T29/49826

Field of Art

Medical device engineering, specifically endoluminal support structures and prosthetic heart valve delivery systems, requiring advanced knowledge of biomechanical design, catheter technologies, and minimally invasive medical interventions

Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile

A biomedical engineer or medical device designer with expertise in interventional cardiology, advanced materials science, and catheter-based delivery systems, holding at least a Master's degree with 3-5 years of specialized experience in medical device design

Obviousness Rationale

A PHOSITA would recognize that the PTD's variations represent predictable adaptations of the source patent's core endoluminal support structure technology, applying standard engineering design principles to modify the device for specific environmental conditions. The fundamental mechanical and functional principles of the original stent design remain consistent across the proposed variations, with modifications that would be considered routine problem-solving within the field. The PTD essentially demonstrates how a skilled practitioner would naturally extend the source patent's core technology to address specific use case requirements.

Obvious Combinations & Variations

Source Patent Element
Catheter shaft with a lumen for receiving an actuation member (from source patent claim 5)
PTD Variation
Reinforced lumen configured for deployment in turbulent water or extreme weather conditions
Obviousness Reasoning
A PHOSITA would recognize that modifying lumen characteristics for environmental resilience is a predictable design variation using known material science techniques, representing a simple adaptation of existing structural principles
Source Patent Element
Prosthetic heart valve frame with interconnected struts and joints (from source patent claim 1)
PTD Variation
Modified strut geometry to optimize blood flow in high-altitude, low-oxygen environments
Obviousness Reasoning
Adjusting structural geometry to accommodate specific physiological conditions is a standard engineering approach, involving predictable modifications that a skilled practitioner would readily conceive
Source Patent Element
Expandable frame movable between configurations (from source patent claim 1)
PTD Variation
Tamper-evident coating and securement mechanism for high-security environments
Obviousness Reasoning
Adding security features to medical devices is a known technique, representing an obvious design extension that addresses specific use case requirements through standard engineering problem-solving
Source Patent Element
Delivery apparatus with actuation member like a pull wire (from source patent claim 4)
PTD Variation
Portable, battery-powered delivery apparatus for disaster relief operations
Obviousness Reasoning
Adapting medical device delivery systems for portable, battery-powered operation is a predictable technological progression that a PHOSITA would find obvious given existing power and miniaturization technologies
35 U.S.C. § 103 Summary: Based on the teachings of US Patent 11857414 and the published technical disclosure, a person having ordinary skill in the art would find the claimed variations obvious, as they represent predictable extensions of existing endoluminal support structure technologies through routine engineering modifications that do not rise to the level of non-obvious invention.

Original Patent Information

Patent NumberUS 11,857,414
TitleRepositionable endoluminal support structure and its applications
Assignee(s)Edwards Lifesciences CardiAQ LLC