Stent crimping mechanisms

A system for reducing the diameter of a stent comprising:

• a stent contracting assembly, the stent contracting assembly comprising a plurality of blades, the plurality of contracting blades defining a diameter reduction chamber, the chamber having an open diameter configuration and a closed diameter configuration the contracting assembly constructed and arranged to receive a stent into and through the chamber, wherein when the chamber is in the open diameter configuration the stent has a first diameter and when the chamber is in the closed diameter configuration the stent has a second diameter, the second diameter being less than the first diameter;
• each of the plurality of blades having an engagement surface, the engagement surface having a curved shape, at least a portion of the engagement surface constructed and arranged to contact a portion of a surface of the stent.

A method for reducing the diameter of a stent comprising:

• providing a stent contracting assembly, the stent contracting assembly comprising a plurality of blades, the plurality of contracting blades defining a diameter reduction chamber, the chamber having an open diameter configuration and a closed diameter configuration, the plurality of blades comprising active blades and floating blades, each active blade being engaged to an actuation mechanism, and each floating blade not being engaged to the actuation mechanism;
• inserting a stent into the chamber when the chamber is in an open diameter configuration;
• actuating the actuation mechanism to move each active blade from the open diameter configuration to a closed diameter configuration, wherein when each active blade is moved from the open diameter configuration to the closed diameter configuration each floating blade is moved from the open diameter configuration to the closed diameter configuration, in the open diameter configuration the stent having an un-crimped diameter and when the chamber is in the closed diameter configuration the stent having a crimped diameter, the crimped diameter being less than the un-crimped diameter.