US 6,730,349 B2 · Mechanical and acoustical suspension coating of medical implants

Abstract

The present invention has several plausible embodiments. In one embodiment an apparatus for coating a medical device is provided. This apparatus includes a coating chamber, a vibrating structure within the coating chamber the vibrating structure capable of suspending a medical device positioned in the coating chamber, and a coating source, the coating source positioned to introduce coating into the coating chamber. In another embodiment a method of coating a medical device is provided. This method includes moving a medical device into a predetermined coating area, vibrating a structure below the medical device, the vibration of the structure forcing the medical device away from the vibrating structure, and coating at least a portion of the medical device that has moved away from the vibrating structure.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of coating a medical device comprising:

moving a medical device into a predetermined coating area;
vibrating a conveyor below the medical device, the vibration of the conveyor forcing the medical device away from the vibrating conveyor,
the conveyor urging the medical device from an entrance of the coating area to an exit of the coating area;
and
coating at least a portion of the medical device that has moved away from the vibrating conveyor.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/084,868Filed 1 Mar 2002 · continuation in part

Priority

19 Apr 1999

Published

US 2002/0127327 A112 Sep 2002

Granted

4 May 2004

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

B05B 13/0221
Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work: characterised by the means…
A61L 27/34
Materials for coating prostheses: macromolecular materials
A61L 27/54
Materials characterised by their function or physical properties , e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface…:…
A61L 29/085
Materials for coatings: macromolecular materials

Family

Application09/293,994Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Apr 1999

Application09/551,614Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 Apr 2000

Application09/804,040Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 13 Mar 2001

US 2002/0127327 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Sep 2002

US 6,368,658 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2001/0022988 A1Published application

US 6,607,598 B2Related patent

US 6,730,349 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Mechanical and acoustical suspension coating of medical implants

Life of this patent

Mechanical and acoustical suspension coating of medical implants

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17