US 12,138,169 B2
Fixation device having a flexure portion
Chad Abunassar, San Francisco, CA (US); Gabriel Gonzales, Milpitas, CA (US); Samir Jain, Mountain View, CA (US); and Jill McCoy, Los Altos, CA (US)
Assigned to EVALVE, INC., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by EVALVE, INC., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/732,830.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/182,167, filed on Apr. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0346954 A1, Nov. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. A61F 2/24 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/2466 (2013.01) [A61F 2220/0016 (2013.01); A61F 2230/0026 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fixation device for fixation of leaflets of a heart valve comprising:
a central element defining a central axis;
a distal portion comprising:
at least one arm coupled to the central element, the at least one arm moveable to a selected position between a fully open position and a fully closed position, and
at least one leg operatively coupled to the at least one arm and configured to move the at least one arm to the selected position between the fully open position and the fully closed position,
wherein the at least one arm includes a contact portion configured to engage native heart valve tissue, the contact portion defining a contact portion axis,
wherein the distal portion includes a flexure portion configured to enable the contact portion in the selected position to move within a flex angle range between an undeformed contact portion angle relative to the central axis and a flexed contact portion angle relative to the central axis, wherein the flexed contact portion angle is greater than the undeformed contact portion angle, the flex angle range being about 10 degrees to about 45 degrees; and
at least one gripping element moveable relative to the at least one arm to capture a native leaflet therebetween.