1. An implantable prosthesis comprising:
a tubular graft comprising opposed open ends and having yarns in a textile pattern to define a textile wall having a luminal surface and an exterior surface; and
a tubular, radially extensible member comprising a portion arranged in a closed zig-zag pattern, said pattern having a series of angled bends at proximal and distal ends thereof, and longitudinally extending members having opposed proximal and distal ends, said distal ends being disposed from the angled bends of said proximal end; said longitudinally extending members having a plurality of detents for securing said yarns within said textile pattern at one of said opposed open ends,
wherein said yarns of said textile patterns are securably disposed to said detents.
2. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said detents are holes in said longitudinally extending members.
3. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said detents are inwardly extending notches in said longitudinally extending members.
4. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said detents are outwardly extending protuberances in said longitudinally extending members.
5. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said textile pattern is selected from the group consisting of a braided textile pattern, a woven textile pattern, a knitted textile pattern, and combinations thereof.
6. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said detents are holes in said longitudinally extending members, said textile pattern is a braided textile pattern, and said yarns are extended through said holes.
7. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said detents are holes in said longitudinally extending members, said textile pattern is a woven textile pattern, and said yarns are extended through said holes.
8. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said detents are holes in said longitudinally extending members, said textile pattern is a knitted textile pattern, and said yarns are extended through said holes.
9. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said zigzag portion of said radially extendible member is disposed beyond said open end of said graft.
10. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said longitudinally extending members are substantially longitudinally straight members.
11. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said longitudinally extending members do not inter-engage one and the other.
12. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said longitudinally extending members are not interconnected to one and the other at any portion distal from the angled bends of said proximal end of said zig-zag portion.
13. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said longitudinally extending members are substantially parallel to one and the other.
14. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said proximal ends of longitudinally extending members are thinner in diameter than said distal ends of longitudinally extending members.
15. The prosthesis of claim 1, where said yarns are biocompatible yarns.
16. The prosthesis of claim 15, where said yarns are biocompatible yarns comprise a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polypropylenes, polyethylenes, polyurethanes, polynaphthalenes, polytetrafluoroethylenes, and combinations thereof.
17. The prosthesis of claim 1, further comprising a tubular layer of polymeric material securably disposed over portions of said luminal surface of said graft.
18. The prosthesis of claim 1, further comprising a tubular layer of polymeric material securably disposed over portions of said exterior surface of said graft.
19. The prosthesis of claim 1, further comprising:
a first tubular layer of polymeric material securably disposed over portions of said luminal surface of said graft; and
a second tubular layer of polymeric material securably disposed over portions of said exterior surface of said graft.
20. The prosthesis of claim 17, wherein said tubular layer further includes an inverted portion securably disposed over portions of said exterior surface of said graft.
21. The prosthesis of claim 17, wherein said tubular layer is selected from the group consisting of an extruded tube of said polymeric material, an extruded sheet of said polymeric material, a coating of said polymeric material, and combinations thereof.
22. The prosthesis of claim 18, wherein said tubular layer is selected from the group consisting of an extruded tube of said polymeric material, an extruded sheet of said polymeric material, a coating of said polymeric material, and combinations thereof.
23. The prosthesis of claim 19, wherein said first and second tubular layers are selected from the group consisting of an extruded tube of said polymeric material, an extruded sheet of said polymeric material, a coating of said polymeric material, and combinations thereof.
24. The prosthesis of claim 17, wherein said yarns are polytetrafluoroethylene yarns.
25. The prosthesis of claim 18, wherein said yarns are polytetrafluoroethylene yarns.
26. The prosthesis of claim 19, wherein said yarns are polytetrafluoroethylene yarns.
27. The prosthesis of claim 26, wherein said polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and combinations thereof.
28. The prosthesis of claim 27, wherein said polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and combinations thereof.
29. The prosthesis of claim 28, wherein said polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, and combinations thereof.
30. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said radially extensible member is a stent.
31. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said longitudinally extending members secure said prosthesis against a wall of a bodily lumen.
32. The prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said radially extensible member is an anchor device for securing said prosthesis against a wall of bodily lumen.
33. The prosthesis of claim 32, wherein said zig-zag portion is securable against a wall of a bodily lumen.
34. A method of reducing prosthesis profiles comprising:
providing a low profile stent member having a first portion with a lower profile than a second portion; said first portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending members with detents;
securably attaching yarns to said detents; and
inter-engaging said yarns in a textile pattern to form a tubular graft.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein said textile pattern is selected from the group consisting of a braided textile pattern, a knitted textile pattern, a woven textile pattern, and combinations thereof.
36. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of inter-engaging said yarns is selected from the group consisting of inter-braiding said yarns, inter-knitting said yarns, inter-weaving said yarns, and combinations thereof.
37. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of inter-engaging said yarns is selected from the group consisting of circular braiding said yarns, circular knitting said yarns, circular weaving said yarns, and combinations thereof.
38. A method of making a prosthesis having a low-profile, radially-extensible-member-graft attachment, comprising:
providing a tubular, radially extensible member comprising a portion arranged in a closed zig-zag pattern, said pattern having a series of angled bends at proximal and distal ends thereof, and longitudinally extending members having opposed proximal and distal ends, said distal ends being disposed from the angled bends of said proximal end; said longitudinally extending members having a plurality of detents; and
engaging yarns of a tubular textile graft with said detents to form a low-profile, radially-extensible-member-graft.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein said radially extensible member is a stent.
40. The method of claim 38, wherein said radially extensible member is an anchoring device.
41. The method of claim 38, wherein said textile pattern is selected from the group consisting of a braided textile pattern, a knitted textile pattern, a woven textile pattern, and combinations thereof.
42. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of engaging said yarns is selected from the group consisting of braiding said yarns, knitting said yarns, weaving said yarns, and combinations thereof.
43. The method of claim 38, further comprising:
disposing a tubular, non-textile liner within said graft; and
securing said liner to said graft.
44. The method of claim 38, further comprising:
disposing a tubular, non-textile cover over said graft; and
securing said cover to said graft.
45. The method of claim 38, further comprising:
disposing a first tubular, non-textile liner within said graft;
disposing a second tubular, non-textile cover over said graft; and
securing said liner and said cover to said graft.
46. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of securing said liner to said graft includes adhesive bonding, chemical bonding, heat bonding, and combinations thereof.
47. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of securing said cover to said graft includes adhesive bonding, chemical bonding, heat bonding, and combinations thereof.
48. The method of claim 45, wherein the step of securing said liner and said cover to said graft includes adhesive bonding, chemical bonding, heat bonding, and combinations thereof.
49. The method of claim 38, further comprising:
providing a tubular mandrel;
providing a circular textile machine having a plurality of yarns; and
inter-engaging said yarns to form said textile graft.
50. An implantable prosthesis comprising:
a tubular graft comprising opposed open ends and having yarns in a textile pattern to define a textile wall having a luminal surface and an exterior surface; and
a tubular, radially extensible member comprising a tubular portion arranged in an open-cell arrangement and longitudinally extending members having opposed proximal and distal ends, said distal ends being disposed from said tubular portion, said longitudinally extending members having a plurality of detents for securing said yarns within said textile pattern at one of said opposed open ends,
wherein said yarns of said textile patterns are securably disposed to said detents.
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. A lubricant applying device comprising:
a lubricant; and
a lubricant applying unit that is a brush roller, the lubricant applying unit being arranged at a lubricant applying position that is opposed to an image carrier that moves in a predetermined direction and applies lubricant to the image carrier, the lubricant applying position being upstream of a cleaning position in the predetermined direction where a cleaning unit cleans residual toner from the image carrier, the lubricant applying unit having a collection rate X of 50% or less for collecting the residual toner from the image carrier in a state where the lubricant applying unit is new, wherein the collection rate X is obtained by
X=(Ta\u2212Tb)Ta\xd7100
where Ta is weight per unit area of the residual toner on an area of the image carrier that has not come into contact with the lubricant applying unit, and Tb is weight per unit area of the residual toner on an area of the image carrier that has come into contact with the lubricant applying unit.
2. The lubricant applying device according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant applying unit has a resistance of 105 ohms or smaller.
3. The lubricant applying device according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant applying unit rotates in a forward direction in the predetermined direction at the lubricant applying position.
4. The lubricant applying device according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant applying unit is grounded.
5. The lubricant applying device according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant is made of a material selected from a group of metallic salts of fatty acids and fluorine resin.
6. The lubricant applying device according to claim 1, wherein
the lubricant is formed as a compact and is pressed towards the lubricant applying unit at a lubricant receiving position by a pressing force in a range between 500 millinewtons and 3000 millinewtons, and
the lubricant applying unit receives a portion of the compact and applies received portion to the image carrier.
7. The lubricant applying device according to claim 1, further comprising a removing unit that is brought into contact with the lubricant applying unit at a position upstream of a position where the lubricant applying unit holds the lubricant in a rotation direction of the lubricant applying unit, and removes residual toner adhering to the lubricant applying unit.
8. A process cartridge comprising:
a lubricant applying device and an image carrier, wherein the process cartridge can be attached to and removed from an image forming apparatus that forms an image by using the image carrier, in an integrated manner, the lubricant applying device including
a lubricant; and
a lubricant applying unit that is a brush roller, the lubricant applying unit being arranged at a lubricant applying position that is opposed to an image carrier that moves in a predetermined direction and applies lubricant to the image carrier, the lubricant applying position being upstream of a cleaning position in the predetermined direction where a cleaning unit cleans residual toner from the image carrier, the lubricant applying unit having a collection rate X of 50% or less for collecting the residual toner from the image carrier in a state where the lubricant applying unit is new, wherein the collection rate X is obtained by
X=(Ta\u2212Tb)Ta\xd7100
where Ta is weight per unit area of the residual toner on an area of the image carrier that has not come into contact with the lubricant applying unit, and Tb is weight per unit area of the residual toner on an area of the image carrier that has come into contact with the lubricant applying unit.
9. An image forming apparatus comprising a process cartridge, the process cartridge including a lubricant applying device and an image carrier, wherein the process cartridge can be attached to and removed from an image forming apparatus that forms an image by using the image carrier, in an integrated manner, the lubricant applying device including
a lubricant; and
a lubricant applying unit that is a brush roller, the lubricant applying unit being arranged at a lubricant applying position that is opposed to an image carrier that moves in a predetermined direction and applies lubricant to the image carrier, the lubricant applying position being upstream of a cleaning position in the predetermined direction where a cleaning unit cleans residual toner from the image carrier, the lubricant applying unit having a collection rate X of 50% or less for collecting the residual toner from the image carrier in a state where the lubricant applying unit is new, wherein the collection rate X is obtained by
X=(Ta\u2212Tb)Ta\xd7100
where Ta is weight per unit area of the residual toner on an area of the image carrier that has not come into contact with the lubricant applying unit, and Tb is weight per unit area of the residual toner on an area of the image carrier that has come into contact with the lubricant applying unit.
10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein toner having a circularity of 0.95 or large is used.