# US 8,465,789 B2 · Rotatable support elements for stents

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- Number: US 8,465,789 B2
- Document ID: US8465789B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/184,696
- Filed: 2011-07-18
- Published: 2011-11-03
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2006-05-04
- Assignees: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
- Applicants: Jason Van Sciver
- Inventors: Jason Van Sciver
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465789B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/06: Blood vessels
- B05D 1/02: performed by spraying
- B05D 3/0413: {Heating with air}
- F26B 3/04: the gas or vapour circulating over or surrounding the materials or objects to be dried (F26B3/14 takes precedence)
- F26B 21/35: Temperature; Pressure
- A61F 2/91: made from perforated sheets or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
- B05D 1/002: {the substrate being rotated}
- B05D 1/32: using means for protecting parts of a surface not to be coated, e.g. using stencils, resists
- B23K 2103/42: {Plastics other than composite materials}
- B23K 2103/50: {Inorganic materials other than metals or composite materials}
- 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)
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)
- F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27)
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

## Abstract

Various embodiments of methods and devices for coating stents are described herein.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of coating a stent comprising: applying a coating composition to the stent; rotating the stent with a rotatable element supporting at least a portion of the stent; and applying at least one pulse to the rotatable element during the stent coating process, wherein during rotating the stent the stent does not shift relative to the rotatable element, and further wherein the at least one pulse changes a rotational rate of the rotatable element to cause the stent to shift with respect to the rotatable element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one pulse has a duration between about 0.0001 second and about 1 second.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the rotational rate within a duration of the at least one pulse changes from a first non-zero rate to a second non-zero rate different from the first non-zero rate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the rotational rate within the duration of the at least one pulse changes from the second non-zero rate to a third non-zero rate, and the second non-zero rate is greater than the first and third non-zero rates.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the first and third non-zero rates are different from one another.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the first and third non-zero rates are the same as one another.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the rotational rate within the duration of the at least one pulse changes from the second non-zero rate to a third non-zero rate, and the second non-zero rate is less than the first and third non-zero rates.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the applying the at least one pulse comprises applying a plurality of pulses during rotating of the stent, the plurality of pulses spaced apart at equal time intervals.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of pulses occur at a frequency no greater than about 5 Hz.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the applying the at least one pulse comprises applying a plurality of pulses during rotating of the stent, the plurality of pulses spaced apart at unequal time intervals.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising: translating the stent in an axial direction of the stent with the rotatable element during the stent coating process.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the applying the stent coating composition comprises spraying the stent coating composition onto the stent.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one pulse comprises a monotonic increase in the rotational rate of the rotatable element.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising: controlling a maximum rate of the at least one pulse.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising: controlling a degree of acceleration of the at least one pulse.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising: controlling a duration of the at least one pulse.

### Claim 17

A method of coating a stent comprising: applying a coating composition to the stent; rotating the stent with a rotatable element supporting at least a portion of the stent; and applying at least one pulse to the rotatable element during the stent coating process, wherein the rotatable element supports a first end of the stent; and further comprising a member to support a second end of the stent, wherein the member is not connected to the rotatable element.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one pulse causes the rotatable element to rotate relative to the stent.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one pulse causes a shift in an area of contact between the rotatable element and the stent.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one pulse causes sliding or slipping of the stent with respect to the rotatable element such that coating defects are prevented or minimized.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the stent is fit loosely on the rotatable element such that the stent shifts relative to the rotatable element during the rotation of the stent.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein during the rotating the stent, the stent shifts relative to the rotatable element, and further wherein the at least one pulse changes a rotational rate of the rotatable element to cause the stent to further shift with respect to the rotatable element.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, additionally comprising rotating the member at the same rate as rotating the stent with the rotatable element.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the member is stationary while the rotatable element rotates to rotate the stent, such that the stent rotates relative to the member.

### Claim 25 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, additionally comprising applying at least one pulse to the member.

### Claim 26

A method of coating a stent comprising:
applying a coating composition to the stent;
rotating the stent with a rotatable element supporting at least a portion of the stent;
applying at least one pulse to the rotatable element during the stent coating process, wherein the rotatable element supports a first end of the stent and further comprising a member to support a second end of the stent; and
applying at least one pulse to the member, wherein the pulses applied to the rotatable element and the member do not overlap each other.

### Claim 27

A method of coating a stent, comprising: applying a coating composition to the stent; supporting one end of the stent with a rotatable support element; rotating the rotatable support element to rotate the stent during application of the coating composition; and supporting an opposing end of the stent with a fixture such that the stent can rotate with respect to the fixture, wherein the fixture is independent from and not connected to the rotatable support element.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein the fixture does not rotate during the rotation of the rotatable support element to rotate the stent.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein the stent fits loosely over the fixture such that there is no 1:1 rotation of the stent with the fixture.