Deburring technique for stents
AssigneeUniversity of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsHitomi Greenslet, Mingshuo Li
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method is provided for finishing surfaces and edges of a stent. The apparatus may be capable of rotating a turning wheel, lowering the turning wheel onto a stent, tilting the stent, and polishing and deburring exterior, interior, and wall surfaces of the stent. An automated method is provided for polishing and deburring exterior, interior, and wall surfaces of a stent. Additionally, the automated method may include rotating a turning wheel, applying magnetic abrasive particles to the turning wheel, lowering the turning wheel onto the stent, tilting the stent, and polishing and deburring the exterior, interior, and wall surfaces of the stent.
Claims18
An automated method for deburring exterior, interior, and wall surfaces of a stent, the automated method comprising:
- rotating a turning wheel;
- applying magnetic abrasive particles to the turning wheel, wherein the turning wheel comprises a magnet;
- bringing the turning wheel toward the stent with clearance between the turning wheel and stent for layers of the magnetic abrasive;
- and
- deburring the exterior, interior, and wall surfaces of the stent, wherein the wall surfaces are between the exterior surface and the interior surface of the stent, in response to the pressing in of magnetic abrasive particles into holes of the stent by the turning wheel and the pulling out of magnetic abrasive particles from the holes of the stent by the magnet,
- wherein the pressing in of magnetic abrasive particles into holes of the stent by the turning wheel and the pulling out of magnetic abrasive particles from the holes of the stent by the magnet is performed by rotating the turning wheel in a first direction and rotating the stent in a second direction, opposite the first direction.
A method for deburring the surfaces of a stent comprising:
- rotating a turning wheel, wherein the turning wheel comprises a magnet;
- lowering the turning wheel toward a stent, where the stent is mounted on a rod, with clearance between the turning wheel and the stent for layers of magnetic abrasive;
- and
- deburring, simultaneously, exterior surfaces, interior surfaces, and wall surfaces of the stent, wherein the wall surfaces are between the exterior surface and the interior surface of the stent, wherein the exterior surfaces are deburred by the friction between the stent and magnetic abrasive pressed by the turning wheel, wherein the interior surfaces are deburred by the friction between the stent and the magnetic abrasive, and wherein the wall surfaces of the stent are deburred by pressing in of magnetic abrasive particles into holes of the stent by the turning wheel and pulling out of the magnetic abrasive particles from the holes of the stent by the magnet of the turning wheel,
- wherein the pressing in of magnetic abrasive particles into holes of the stent by the turning wheel and the pulling out of magnetic abrasive particles from the holes of the stent by the magnet is performed by rotating the turning wheel in a first direction and rotating the stent in a second direction, opposite the first direction.
An automated method for deburring exterior surfaces, interior surfaces, and wall surfaces of a stent, the automated method comprising:
- rotating a turning wheel comprising a magnet;
- lowering the turning wheel toward the stent, wherein the stent is mounted on a rod, with clearance between the turning wheel and the stent for layers of magnetic abrasive;
- deburring the exterior walls of the stent, caused by the friction between the stent and magnetic abrasive pressed by the turning wheel;
- deburring the interior walls of the stent, caused by the friction between the magnetic abrasive and stent;
- and
- deburring the wall surfaces of the stent, wherein the wall surfaces are between the exterior surface and the interior surface of the stent by pressing of magnetic abrasive particles into holes of the stent by the turning wheel and the pulling out of the magnetic abrasive particles from the holes of the stent by the magnet of the turning wheel while keeping the magnetic abrasive sliding along the exterior, interior, and wall surfaces of the stent,
- wherein the pressing in of magnetic abrasive particles into holes of the stent by the turning wheel and the pulling out of magnetic abrasive particles from the holes of the stent by the magnet is performed by rotating the turning wheel in a first direction and rotating the stent in a second direction, opposite the first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.