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US 8,268,228 B2Granted
Method of fabricating stents from blow molded tubing
AssigneeAbbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
InventorsBin Huang, David C. Gale, Vincent J. Gueriguian
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Abstract
Methods to expand polymer tubing with desirable or optimum morphology and mechanical properties for stent manufacture and fabrication of a stent therefrom are disclosed.
Claims19
A method for fabricating a stent comprising:
- radially deforming a polymer tube for use in fabrication of a stent from the deformed tube, wherein the radial deformation propagates along the tube axis as the tube is heated along the axis, the polymer tube having an internal tube pressure higher than ambient translating a heat source along an axis of the pressurized polymer tube to heat the tube to the deformation temperature, wherein the heat source is translated at a rate of 0.5 to 0.7 mm/s;
- controlling a temperature of the deforming polymer tube to provide a selected fracture toughness of the stent fabricated from the tube, wherein the temperature is controlled to provide a morphology of the polymer tube that provides the selected fracture toughness, and wherein the temperature is in a range in which a polymer crystal nucleation rate is larger than a polymer crystal growth rate;
- and
- fabricating the stent from the deformed tube.
1 more element
A method for fabricating a stent comprising:
- increasing an internal pressure of a tube to a deformation pressure;
- translating a heat source along an axis of the pressurized polymer tube to heat the tube to a deformation temperature, wherein the heat source is translated at a rate of 0.5 to 0.7 mm/s;
- allowing the tube to radially expand as the heat source translates along the axis of the polymer tube, wherein the heating of the tube and the increase in pressure allow the tube to radially expand;
- and
- controlling the deformation temperature to provide a selected fracture toughness to a stent fabricated from the tube wherein the deformation temperature is controlled to provide a morphology of the deformed polymer tube comprising about 50% crystallinity;
- and
- fabricating the stent from the expanded tube.
4 more elements
A method for fabricating a stent comprising:
- determining a deformation temperature of a radial deformation process of a tube to provide a selected fracture toughness of a stent fabricated from the tube, wherein the temperature is controlled to provide a morphology of the polymer tube that provides the selected fracture toughness and wherein the temperature is in a range in which a polymer crystal nucleation rate is larger than a polymer crystal growth rate, the radial deformation process comprising:
- increasing an internal pressure of a tube to a deformation pressure;
- translating a heat source along an axis of the pressurized polymer tube to heat the tube to the deformation temperature, wherein the heat source is translated at a rate of 0.5 to 0.7 mm/s;
- allowing the tube to radially expand as the heat source translates along the axis of the polymer tube, wherein the heating of the tube and the increase in pressure allow the tube to radially expand;
- and
- fabricating the stent from the expanded tube.
3 more elements
A method for fabricating a stent comprising:
- increasing an internal pressure of a tube to a deformation pressure;
- translating a heat source along an axis of the pressurized polymer tube to heat the tube to a deformation temperature;
- allowing the tube to radially expand as the heat source translates along the axis of the polymer tube, wherein the heating of the tube and the increase in pressure allow the tube to radially expand;
- and
- controlling the deformation temperature, wherein the heat source is translated at a rate of 0.5 to 0.7 mm/s to provide a selected fracture toughness to a stent fabricated from the tube wherein the temperature is controlled to provide a morphology of the deformed polymer tube comprising an amorphous matrix including dispersed crystalline regions and wherein the crystalline regions have a size less than about ten microns;
- and
- fabricating the stent from the expanded tube.
4 more elements
A method for fabricating a stent comprising:
- increasing an internal pressure of a tube to a deformation pressure;
- translating a heat source along an axis of the pressurized polymer tube to heat the tube to a deformation temperature, wherein the heat source is translated at a rate of 0.5 to 0.7 mm/s;
- allowing the tube to radially expand as the heat source translates along the axis of the polymer tube, wherein the heating of the tube and the increase in pressure allow the tube to radially expand;
- and
- controlling the deformation temperature to provide a selected fracture toughness to a stent fabricated from the tube wherein the temperature is controlled to provide a morphology of the deformed polymer tube comprising an amorphous matrix including dispersed crystalline regions and wherein the crystalline regions have a size less than about 15 microns;
- and
- fabricating the stent from the expanded tube.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.