Apparatus and methods for coating medical devices

A coating apparatus comprising:

• a coating application unit comprising
• a fluid applicator having a lengthwise axis and a width, the fluid applicator comprising a tip, the tip comprising a first face across the width of the fluid applicator, the first face oriented at an angle of from about 15 to about 75 degrees with respect to the lengthwise axis of the fluid applicator,
• wherein the fluid applicator defines a second face intersecting the first face, wherein the second face is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the lengthwise axis of the fluid applicator, wherein the second face is configured to contact a surface of a device to be coated while the fluid applicator applies a coating to the device, wherein the second face is concave;
• a rotation mechanism configured to rotate the device about a rotation axis;
• and
• an axial motion mechanism, the axial motion mechanism configured to cause movement of at least one of the coating application unit and the rotation mechanism with respect to one another about an axis parallel to the rotation axis.

A coating apparatus comprising:

• a coating application unit comprising
• a fluid applicator having a lengthwise axis and a width, the fluid applicator comprising a tip, the tip comprising a first face across the width of the fluid applicator, the first face oriented at an angle of from about 15 to about 75 degrees with respect to the lengthwise axis of the fluid applicator,
• wherein the fluid applicator defines a second face intersecting the first face, wherein the second face is configured to contact a surface of a device to be coated while the fluid applicator applies a coating to the device, a rotation mechanism configured to rotate a device about a rotation axis that is substantially orthogonal to the lengthwise axis of the fluid applicator, wherein the second face is concave;
• and
• an axial motion mechanism, the axial motion mechanism configured to cause movement of at least one of the coating application unit and the rotation mechanism with respect to one another.