# US 12,004,982 B2 · Devices and methods for crimping a medical device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,982 B2 - Document ID: US12004982B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/052,669 - Filed: 2022-11-04 - Published: 2023-04-13 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2013-05-13 - Assignees: Medtronic Vascular Galway - Applicants: Medtronic Vascular Galway - Inventors: Niall Duffy; Marian Lally; Philip Haarstad; Frank Harewood; Igor Kovalsky; Jason Quill; Daniel Gelfman; Ana Menk; Darren Janzig; Shyam Gokaldas; Kenneth Dale Warnock, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004982B2 ## CPC - A61F 2/9525: {using a funnel} - A61F 2/0095: {Packages or dispensers for prostheses or other implants (for intraocular lenses A61F2/1691; for dental surgery A61C19/02)} - A61F 2/243: {Deployment by mechanical expansion} - A61F 2/2436: {Deployment by retracting a sheath} - A61F 2/95: Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts - A61F 2/9522: {Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument} - B23P 11/005: {by expanding or crimping} - Y10T 29/49863: with prestressing of part - Y10T 29/53987: Tube, sleeve or ferrule - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Devices, systems, and methods for crimping a medical device are disclosed. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to devices, systems, and methods for reducing the diameter of a collapsible heart valve prosthesis to be loaded onto a delivery device. The devices, systems, and methods using at least one funnel to crimp the heart valve prosthesis and load it onto the delivery system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for crimping a prosthetic valve comprising: a funnel having a first funnel diameter at a proximal end, a tapered funnel region, and a second funnel diameter at a distal end smaller than the first funnel diameter; a retaining tube having: a first tube diameter at a proximal-most end, a second tube diameter at a distal-most end, a tapered region extending from the distal-most end and separating the first tube diameter and the second tube diameter, and a constant diameter region of the first tube diameter extending from the tapered region to the proximal-most end, wherein the second tube diameter is smaller than the first tube diameter, the first tube diameter is smaller than the second funnel diameter, and the retaining tube is configured to slide entirely through the funnel; and a delivery device including: a distal tip, an inner shaft, and an outer sheath having a sheath diameter smaller than the second tube diameter; wherein the funnel is configured to provide a first crimping of the prosthetic valve, the retaining tube is configured to provide a second crimping of the prosthetic valve that is smaller than the first crimping, and the outer sheath is configured to provide a third crimping of the prosthetic valve that is smaller than the second crimping. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the funnel is configured to crimp the prosthetic valve to the second funnel diameter when the prosthetic valve is pulled through the funnel in the first crimping, the retaining tube is configured to crimp the prosthetic valve to the second tube diameter when the prosthetic valve is pulled through the retaining tube in the second crimping, and the outer sheath is configured to encapsulate the prosthetic valve within the sheath diameter in the third crimping. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising sutures configured for attachment to support arms extending from a frame of the prosthetic valve. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the sutures are further configured to successively pull the prosthetic valve into the funnel and the retaining tube. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the sutures are further configured to maintain tension on the prosthetic valve while the funnel, the retaining tube, and the outer sheath are successively passed over the prosthetic valve. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the retaining tube is concentrically aligned and slidable within a through hole of the funnel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the tapered region and the tapered funnel region taper in a direction toward the distal tip. ### Claim 8 A method for crimping a prosthetic valve comprising: advancing the prosthetic valve into a funnel to provide a first crimping of the prosthetic valve, the funnel having a first funnel diameter, a tapered funnel region, and a second funnel diameter smaller than the first funnel diameter; arranging the prosthetic valve over a landing zone of an inner shaft of a delivery device; advancing the prosthetic valve into a retaining tube to provide a second crimping of the prosthetic valve, the retaining tube having: a first tube diameter at a proximal-most end, a second tube diameter at a distal-most end, a tapered region extending from the distal-most end and separating the first tube diameter and the second tube diameter, and a constant diameter region of the first tube diameter extending from the tapered region to the proximal-most end, wherein the second tube diameter is smaller than the first tube diameter, the first tube diameter is smaller than the second funnel diameter, and the retaining tube is configured to slide entirely through the funnel; the method further comprising removing the funnel from around the prosthetic valve; advancing the prosthetic valve into an outer sheath of the delivery device to provide a third crimping of the prosthetic valve, the outer sheath having a sheath diameter smaller than the second tube diameter; and removing the retaining tube from around the prosthetic valve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising attaching the prosthetic valve to the inner shaft at the landing zone. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising attaching sutures to support arms extending from a frame of the prosthetic valve. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: advancing the prosthetic valve into the funnel by pulling the prosthetic valve with the sutures; and advancing the prosthetic valve into the retaining tube by pulling the prosthetic valve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: advancing the prosthetic valve into the funnel by maintaining tension on the prosthetic valve with the sutures while the funnel is advanced over the prosthetic valve; advancing the prosthetic valve into the retaining tube by advancing the retaining tube over the prosthetic valve; and advancing the outer sheath over the prosthetic valve.