1. A method of determining a work surface of a planar material for cutting a plate of a uniform thickness from a planar material, comprising the steps of:
setting, with a surface plate of a measuring device as coordinates (X, Y), orthogonal coordinates (X, Y, Z) composed of the coordinates (X, Y) and a Z coordinate perpendicular to the coordinates (X, Y) on the surface plate, and mounting a planar material as an object to be measured on the surface plate;
virtually configuring a plane ABCD that is parallel to the XY plane;
setting the distance or height from the coordinates (Xm, Yn) of the virtual plane ABCD to the plate thickness center plane composed of midpoints of segments connecting an upper and lower surface of the planar material as the object to be measured as Z(m, n), measuring Z(m, n) across the entire area of the planar material to be measured for m distances or heights in the X direction and n distances or heights in the Y direction while changing the coordinates (X, Y), and storing the measured data in a storage apparatus of a computer;
seeking a maximum and minimum value of Z(m, n) for all coordinate points and calculating the difference thereof, and setting the obtained value as difference H(0.0, 0.0) when the measured value is not manipulated in any way;
subsequently fixing end A of the virtual plane ABCD and respectively moving end B and end C vertically at a prescribed deflection width B, C regarding a predetermined maximum deflection width and pitch in the Z-axis direction so as to tilt the virtual plane ABCD against the surface plate on the computer;
calculating the distance or height Z(m, n)(B, C) from all coordinate points (Xm, Yn) on the virtual plane ABCD to the plate thickness center plane of the coordinate points corresponding to the planar material each time the tilt is changed, and seeking the maximum and minimum value of Z(m, n)(B, C) and calculating the difference H(B, C) thereof; and
repeating the calculation for all predetermined B and C combinations, and determining the virtual plane ABCD with the smallest value of H(B, C) calculated in all B and C combinations as a plane that is parallel to a plane of minimum machining cost.
2. A method of determining a work surface of a planar material for cutting a plate of a uniform thickness from a planar material, comprising the steps of:
setting, with a surface plate of a measuring device as coordinates (X, Y), orthogonal coordinates (X, Y, Z) composed of the coordinates (X, Y) and a Z coordinate perpendicular to the coordinates (X, Y) on the surface plate, and mounting a planar material as an object to be measured on the surface plate;
virtually configuring a plane ABCD that is parallel to the XY plane;
setting the distances or heights from the coordinates (Xm, Yn) of the virtual plane ABCD to an upper surface and a lower surface of the planar material as the object to be measured as S1(m, n), S2(m, n), respectively, measuring S1(m, n), S2(m,n) across the entire area of the planar material to be measured for m distances or heights in the X direction and n distances or heights in the Y direction while changing the coordinates (X, Y), and storing the measured data in a storage apparatus of a computer;
seeking a maximum and minimum value of S1(m, n) and S2(m, n) for all coordinate points and calculating the difference thereof, and setting the obtained values as difference H1(0.0, 0.0) and difference H2(0.0, 0.0), respectively, when the measured value is not manipulated in any way;
subsequently fixing end A of the virtual plane ABCD and respectively moving end B and end C vertically at a prescribed deflection width B, C regarding a predetermined maximum deflection width and pitch in the Z-axis direction so as to tilt the virtual plane ABCD against the surface plate on the computer;
calculating the respective distances or heights S1(m, n)(B, C), S2(m, n)(B, C) from all coordinate points (Xm, Yn) on the virtual plane ABCD to the upper and lower surface on the planar material of the coordinate points corresponding to the planar material each time the tilt is changed, and seeking the maximum and minimum value of S1(m, n )(B, C) and S2(m, n)(B, C) and calculating the differences H1(B, C) and H2(B, C) thereof; and
repeating the calculation for all predetermined B and C combinations, and determining the virtual plane ABCD with the smallest total value of H1(B, C) and H2(B, C) calculated in all B and C combinations as a plane that is parallel to a plane of minimum machining cost.
3. The method of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 2, wherein a distance or height S1(m, n) between a virtual plane ABCD that is parallel to a surface plate positioned at Z=h, which is higher than the upper surface of the planar material, and the upper surface of the planar material and a distance or height S2(m, n) between a virtual plane ABCD\u2032 that is parallel to a surface plate positioned at Z=I, which is lower than the lower surface of the planar material, and the lower surface of the planar material are measured so as to obtain a thickness T(m, n) of the planar material calculated from T(m, n)=h\u2212I\u2212S1(m, n)\u2212S2(m, n).
4. The method of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 1, wherein, upon reversing the planar material and mounting it on a surface plate of a processing machine, a point on a plane facing the virtual plane ABCD of the planar material corresponding to the coordinate points in which a value {Z(m, n)\u2212\xbd T(m, n)} obtained by deducting \xbd of the thickness T(m, n) of the planar material at the coordinate points (Xm, Yn) from the distance or height Z(m, n) up to the planar material among the coordinate points (Xm, Yn) of the virtual plane ABCD that is parallel to the minimum machining cost becomes the smallest value {Z(m, n)\u2212\xbd T(m, n)}min is set as a point for coming in contact with the surface plate.
5. The method of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 1, wherein, upon reversing the planar material and mounting it on a surface plate of a processing machine, a value sought by deducting a value {Z(m, n)\u2212\xbd T(m, n)}, which is obtained by subtracting \xbd of the thickness T(m, n) of the planar material at the coordinate points (Xm, Yn) from the distance or height Z(m, n) up to the planar material among the coordinate points (Xm, Yn) of the virtual plane ABCD becomes the smallest value {Z(m, n)\u2212\xbd T(m, n)}min, from the measured value of the distance or height of four corners of a plane facing the virtual plane ABCD of the planar material is set as the thickness of a spacer to be inserted into the four corners upon mounting the planar material on the processing machine.
6. The method of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 1, wherein the distance or height of the Z direction is measured at positions in intervals of 20 mm or less in both the X direction and Y direction of the coordinate axis of the planar material.
7. The method of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 1, wherein the distance or height from the planar material is measured with a laser distance sensor or a contact distance sensor.
8. The method of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 1, wherein the tilt of a biaxial tilt machining table of an NC-controllable processing machine is adjusted in order to set the work surface of the planar material to a prescribed position in relation to the surface plate based on the data.
9. A machining method of determining a work surface of a planar material based on a method according to claim 1, and, based thereon, performing machining to cut out a plate of a uniform thickness from a planar material.
10. A machining method of determining a work surface of a planar material based on a method according to claim 1, and, based thereon, grinding one surface of the planar material, subsequently reversing the planar material and mounting it on a surface plate, and processing the rear surface.
11. A machining method of fixing a planar material on a surface plate of a processing machine doubling as a measuring device by way of adhesive bonding or electromagnetic adsorption, determining the optimal tilting conditions based on the measurements performed with the method according to claim 1, subsequently using a biaxial tilt mechanism of the surface plate of the machining so as to tilt the surface plate to be parallel to the plane obtained with the optimal tilting conditions without reversing the material, and processing the planar material in such a state.
12. A device of determining a work surface of a planar material for cutting a plate of a uniform thickness from a planar material, comprising:
a system for setting, with a surface plate of a measuring device as coordinates (X, Y), orthogonal coordinates (X, Y, Z) composed of the coordinates (X, Y) and a Z coordinate perpendicular to the coordinates (X, Y) on the surface plate, mounting a planar material as an object to be measured on the surface plate, and virtually configuring a plane ABCD that is parallel to the XY plane;
a system for setting the distance or height from the coordinates (Xm, Yn) of the virtual plane ABCD to the plate thickness center plane composed of midpoints of segments connecting an upper surface and a lower surface of the planar material as the object to be measured as Z(m, n), measuring Z(m, n) across the entire area of the planar material to be measured for m distances or heights in the X direction and n distances or heights in the Y direction while changing the coordinates (X, Y), and storing the measured data in a storage apparatus of a computer;
a system for seeking a maximum and minimum value of Z(m, n) for all coordinate points and calculating the difference thereof, and setting the obtained value as difference H(0.0, 0.0) when the measured value is not manipulated in any way; and
a system for subsequently fixing end A of the virtual plane ABCD and respectively moving end B and end C vertically at a prescribed deflection width B, C regarding a predetermined maximum deflection width and pitch in the Z axis direction so as to tilt the virtual plane ABCD against the surface plate on the computer, calculating the distance or height Z(m, n)(B, C) from all coordinate points (Xm, Yn) on the virtual plane ABCD to the plate thickness center plane of the coordinate points corresponding to the planar material each time the tilt is changed, and seeking the maximum and minimum value of Z(m, n)(B, C) and calculating the difference H(B, C) thereof, and repeating the calculation for all predetermined B and C combinations;
wherein the virtual plane ABCD with the smallest value of H(B, C) calculated in all B and C combinations is determined to be a plane that is parallel to a plane of minimum machining cost.
13. A device of determining a work surface of a planar material for cutting a plate of a uniform thickness from a planar material, comprising:
a system for setting, with a surface plate of a measuring device as coordinates (X, Y), orthogonal coordinates (X, Y, Z) composed of the coordinates (X, Y) and a Z coordinate perpendicular to the coordinates (X, Y) on the surface plate, mounting a planar material as an object to be measured on the surface plate, and virtually configuring a plane ABCD that is parallel to the XY plane;
a system for setting the distances or heights from the coordinates (Xm, Yn) of the virtual plane ABCD to an upper surface and a lower surface of the planar material as the object to be measured as S1(m, n), S2(m, n), respectively, measuring S1(m, n), S2(m, n) across the entire area of the planar material to be measured for m distances or heights in the X direction and n distances or heights in the Y direction while changing the coordinates (X, Y), and storing the measured data in a storage apparatus of a computer;
a system for seeking a maximum and minimum value of S1(m, n) and S2(m, n) for all coordinate points and calculating the difference thereof, and setting the obtained values as difference H1(0.0, 0.0) and difference H2(0.0, 0.0), respectively, when the measured value is not manipulated in any way; and
a system for subsequently fixing end A of the virtual plane ABCD and respectively moving end B and end C vertically at a prescribed deflection width B, C regarding a predetermined maximum deflection width and pitch in the Z axis direction so as to tilt the virtual plane ABCD against the surface plate on the computer, calculating the respective distances or heights S1(m, n)(B, C), S2(m, n)(B, C) from all coordinate points (Xm, Yn) on the virtual plane ABCD to the upper surface and the lower surface on the planar material of the coordinate points corresponding to the planar material each time the tilt is changed, and seeking the maximum and minimum value of S1(m, n)(B, C), S2(m, n)(B, C) and calculating the differences H1(B, C) and H2(B, C) thereof, and repeating the calculation for all predetermined B and C combinations;
wherein the virtual plane ABCD with the smallest total value of H1(B, C) and H2(B, C) calculated in all B and C combinations is determined to be a plane that is parallel to a plane of minimum machining cost.
14. The device of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 13, wherein a distance or height S1(m, n) between a virtual plane ABCD that is parallel to a surface plate positioned at Z=h, which is higher than the upper surface of the planar material, and the upper surface of the planar material and a distance or height S2(m, n) between a virtual plane ABCD\u2032 that is parallel to a surface plate positioned at Z=I, which is lower than the lower surface of the planar material, and the lower surface of the planar material are measured so as to obtain a thickness T(m, n) of the planar material calculated from T(m, n)=h\u2212I\u2212S1(m, n)\u2212S2(m, n).
15. The device of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 12, wherein, upon reversing the planar material and mounting it on a surface plate of a processing machine, a point on a plane facing the virtual plane ABCD of the planar material corresponding to the coordinate points in which a value {Z(m, n)\u2212\xbd T(m, n)} obtained by deducting \xbd of the thickness T(m, n) of the planar material at the coordinate points (Xm, Yn) from the distance or height Z(m, n) up to the planar material among the coordinate points (Xm, Yn) of the virtual plane ABCD that is parallel to the minimum machining cost becomes the smallest value {Z(m, n)\u2212\xbd T(m, n)}min is set as a point for coming in contact with the surface plate.
16. The device of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 12, wherein, upon reversing the planar material and mounting it on a surface plate of a processing machine, a value sought by deducting a value {Z(m, n)\u2212\xbd T(m, n)}, which is obtained by subtracting \xbd of the thickness T(m, n) of the planar material at the coordinate points (Xm,Yn) from the distance or height Z(m, n) up to the planar material among the coordinate points (Xm, Yn) of the virtual plane ABCD becomes the smallest value {Z(m, n)\u2212\xbd T(m, n)}min, from the measured value of the distance or height of four corners of a plane facing the virtual plane ABCD of the planar material is set as the thickness of a spacer to be inserted into the four corners upon mounting the planar material on the processing machine.
17. The device of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 12, further comprising machining equipment for performing cutting work, grinding process, and electrical discharging in order to cut out a plate having a uniform thickness from a planar material.
18. The device of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 12, further comprising a device for grinding one surface of the planar material, subsequently reversing the planar material and mounting it on a surface plate, and processing the rear surface.
19. The device of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 12, further comprising a device for measuring the distance or height of the Z direction at positions in intervals of 20 mm or less in both the X direction and Y direction of the coordinate axis of the planar material.
20. The device of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 12, further comprising a device for measuring the distance or height from the planar material with a laser distance sensor or a contact distance sensor.
21. The device of determining a work surface of a planar material according to claim 12, further comprising a device for adjusting the tilt of a biaxial tilt machining table of an NC-controllable processing machine in order to set the work surface of the planar material to a prescribed position in relation to the surface plate based on the data.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An intraluminal medical device comprising:
a bifurcated main graft having a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration and comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and a body portion;
the main graft body portion having an axial length from the proximal end to the bifurcation of the main graft;
the distal end comprising a first branch and a second branch;
a first extension graft and a second extension graft, each of the extension grafts having a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration and comprising at least one stent and having a body reinforcing portion having an axial length and a branch reinforcing portion;
where, in the expanded configuration, each of the body reinforcing portions have a larger expanded dimension than the expanded dimension of the respective branch reinforcing portion;
where, in the expanded configuration, the body reinforcing portions, together, have an expanded dimension that is generally equal to the expanded dimension of the main graft body;
where, in the expanded configuration, the body reinforcing portions contact one another and sealingly engage one another within the main graft body to prevent fluid leakage; and
where, in the expanded configuration, the axial length of the body reinforcing portion is substantially equal to the axial length of the main graft body portion.
2. The medical device of claim 1, where the main graft is unstented between the proximal and distal ends and where body reinforcing portions comprise only internal stents.
3. The medical device of claim 2, where the main graft comprises an anchor.
4. The medical device of claim 1, where the main graft comprises at least one stent.
5. The medical device of claim 1, where the first and second extension graft body reinforcing portions each comprise at least one balloon-expandable stent.
6. The medical device of claim 5, where the first and second extension graft branch reinforcing portions each comprise at least one self-expanding stent.
7. The medical device of claim 1, where the first and second extension graft branch reinforcing portions each comprise at least one balloon-expandable stent.
8. The medical device of claim 1, where the length of the main graft first branch is substantially the same as the length of the main graft second branch.
9. The medical device of claim 1, where, in the expanded configuration, the first and second extension graft body reinforcing portions comprise an expanded radial contour selected from the group consisting of a generally elliptical expanded radial contour, a D-shaped expanded radial contour, and a generally cylindrical expanded radial contour.
10. The medical device of claim 1, where the main graft comprises a material having a stretch ratio not greater than 1.1.
11. The intraluminal medical device of claim 1 where one body reinforcing portion has a greater axial length than the other body reinforcing portion.
12. The intraluminal medical device of claim 1 where in the expanded configuration one body reinforcing portion has a larger dimension the other body reinforcing portion.
13. An intraluminal medical device comprising:
a bifurcated main graft having a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration and comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and an unstented body extending between the proximal end and the bifurcation of the main graft, the main graft further comprising a graft material having a stretch ratio not greater than 1.1;
the proximal end comprising an anchor;
the distal end comprising a first branch and a second branch, the branches extending distally from the body;
a first extension graft and a second extension graft, each of the extension grafts having a proximal end, a distal end, a compressed configuration and expanded configuration and comprising a body reinforcing portion and a branch reinforcing portion;
the first extension graft and second extension graft body reinforcing portions each comprising at least one balloon expandable stent;
the first extension graft and second extension branch reinforcing portions each comprising at least one self-expanding stent;
where in the expanded configuration the first and second extension graft body reinforcing portions have a larger dimension than the-their respective branch reinforcing portion;
where in the expanded configuration the first extension graft body reinforcing portion contacts and sealingly engages the second extension graft body reinforcing portion within the main graft body to prevent fluid leakage; and
where the proximal end of at least one of the first and second extension grafts extends substantially to the proximal end of the main graft.
14. The medical device of claim 13, where the first and second extension grafts each comprise a graft material having a stretch ratio not greater than 1.1.
15. The medical device of claim 13, where the first and second extension grafts each comprise a material having a stretch ratio greater than 1.1.
16. The medical device of claim 13, where the first and second extension graft body reinforcing portions comprise a material having a stretch ratio greater than 1.1 and the first and second extension graft branch reinforcing portions comprise a graft material having a stretch ratio not greater than 1.1.
17. The medical device of claim 13, further comprising a third extension graft having a compressed and expanded configuration, where in the expanded configuration the third extension graft sealingly engages at least one of the first and second extension grafts in the expanded configuration.
18. The medical device of claim 17, where at least a portion of the third extension graft comprises a graft material having a stretch ratio not greater than 1.1 and at least a portion of the third extension graft comprises a graft material having a stretch ratio greater than 1.1.
19. A multi-component intraluminal grafting system comprising:
a first component comprising a main graft having a body, a first branch extending distally from the body, and a second branch extending distally from the body, the main graft having a compressed and an expanded configuration the body having an axial length between a proximal end of the main graft and the first and second branches;
a second component comprising a first extension graft and a third component comprising a second extension graft, each having a compressed and expanded configuration;
where in the expanded configuration the first extension graft reinforces the first branch and substantially the entire axial length of the main graft body and comprises a first branch lumen;
where in the expanded configuration the second extension graft reinforces the second branch and substantially the entire axial length of the main graft body and comprises a second branch lumen; and
where in the expanded configuration the first extension graft contacts and interacts with the second extension graft within the main graft to provide sealing forces about the main graft body to prevent fluid leakage and to divide fluid flow within the main graft body.
20. The grafting system of claim 19, where the first extension graft and second extension graft comprise at least one balloon-expandable stent and at least one self-expanding stent.
21. The grafting system of claim 19 further comprising a fourth component comprising a third extension graft, where the third extension graft extends at least one of the first and second extension grafts.