Method for Coating Stents
AssigneesAbbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc.
InventorsBryan Russell Hemphill, Andrew James McKay, Sang joon Park, Aaron Meyer Waese, Anthony S. Andreacchi, Yung-Ming Chen, Arnoldo M. Currlin, Antonio Garcia, Jason Van Sciver
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for coating a stent can involve a device having a drying zone, a spray zone, and movable member for positioning a stent in the drying zone and another stent in the spray zone. Each stent can be on a support. A force can be applied to the outside surface of a stent to prevent rotation of the stent with respect to the support.
Claims35
1-6. (canceled)
A method of coating a stent comprising:
- applying a coating material to a first stent on a first support positioned in a spraying zone of a device;
- and
- drying a second stent supported on a second support positioned in a drying zone of the device while applying the coating material to the first stent, the second support positioned in the drying zone of the device, wherein the device comprises a movable member configured to position one of the supports in the spray zone and the other support in the drying zone.
11-17. (canceled)
A method of coating a stent comprising:
- applying a coating material with a spray nozzle positioned over a first stent supported on a first support positioned in a spraying zone;
- drying a second stent supported on a second support while applying the coating material to the first stent, the second support positioned in a drying zone;
- and
- shifting the spray nozzle away from the first support to prevent further application of coating material on the first stent while the second stent is drying, the spray nozzle continuing to spray after shifting.
24-26. (canceled)
A method of coating a stent comprising:
- applying a coating material to a stent mounted on a rotatable support;
- applying a force to an outside surface of the stent with a gripping mechanism after applying the coating material;
- and
- rotating the support while the force is applied to the outside surface of the stent, wherein the force prevents rotation of the stent with respect to the support.
The method of claim 26, wherein the gripping mechanism is shifted from a position below the support so that it can apply the force to the stent.
29-32. (canceled)
A method of coating a stent comprising:
- spraying a coating material from a spray nozzle to coat a stent;
- moving the spray nozzle from a spraying position above the stent with a movable support member coupled to the spray nozzle to a position above a container to allow cleaning of the nozzle with a solvent within the container;
- and
- contacting the spray nozzle with the solvent within the container.
A method for coating a stent, comprising:
- spraying a coating material from a spray nozzle to coat a stent;
- positioning the spray nozzle above a container including a solvent for cleaning the nozzle;
- and
- maintaining an amount of solvent in the container so that a tip of the nozzle contacts the solvent in the container when the spray nozzle and container are in a cleaning position.
A method for coating a stent comprising:
- feeding a gas and a liquid into a spray nozzle for coating a stent, the spray nozzle producing a spray plume from the gas and liquid fed to the nozzle;
- monitoring the gas flow properties and the liquid flow properties prior to feeding the gas and liquid into the spray nozzle during the coating;
- and
- adjusting the gas flow properties and liquid flow properties to obtain selected flow properties of gas and liquid into the spray nozzle, wherein the adjustment is based on the monitored gas and liquid flow properties.
46-53. (canceled)
A method of coating a stent comprising:
- calibrating a spray nozzle for coating a stent so that a spray plume from the nozzle has selected properties;
- mounting the calibrated spray nozzle in a spray device, wherein a spray plume from the mounted nozzle has the selected properties;
- and
- spray coating a stent using the mounted spray nozzle.
58-69. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.