Devices and methods for crimping and loading a medical device into a delivery system

A device for crimping and loading an expandable medical device from an expanded configuration to a compressed configuration, the device comprising:

• an actuator including a compression chamber, an opening, and a shoulder between the opening and the compression chamber, wherein an inner surface of the shoulder includes a plurality of grooves, wherein each groove includes a first end adjacent an outer edge of the shoulder and a second end disposed radially inward from the first end;
• a compression assembly disposed in the compression chamber, wherein the compression assembly includes a plurality of compression elements arranged adjacent each other and forming a central cavity therein, wherein the compression elements are coupled to the actuator such that rotation of the actuator causes the compression elements to rotate such that the central cavity radially compresses from an expanded configuration to a compressed configuration;
• a pusher coupled to the actuator opposite the opening, wherein the pusher includes a pusher rod sized and shaped generally similar to the central cavity in the compressed configuration, wherein the pusher is configured to translate relative to the actuator such that the pusher rod may enter the central cavity with the central cavity in the compressed configuration;
• and
• a sleeve disposed within the actuator opposite the opening, wherein the sleeve is sized and shaped to fit within the pusher, wherein the sleeve includes a surface facing the compression chamber, and where the surface includes a plurality of grooves, wherein each groove includes a first end adjacent an outer edge of the surface and a second end disposed radially inward from the first end,
• wherein each compression element includes a first rod sized and shaped to fit within one of the grooves of the inner surface of the shoulder.

A device for crimping and loading an expandable medical device from an expanded configuration to a compressed configuration, the device comprising:

• an actuator including a compression chamber and an opening;
• a compression assembly disposed in the compression chamber, wherein the compression assembly includes a plurality of compression elements arranged adjacent each other and forming a central cavity therein, wherein the compression elements are disposed entirely between the first and second longitudinal ends of the actuator and are coupled to the actuator such that rotation of the actuator causes the compression elements to rotate such that the central cavity radially compresses from an expanded configuration to a compressed configuration;
• a pusher coupled to the actuator opposite the opening, wherein the pusher includes a pusher rod sized and shaped generally similar to the central cavity in the compressed configuration, wherein the pusher is configured to translate relative to the actuator such that the pusher rod may enter the central cavity with the central cavity in the compressed configuration;
• and
• a sleeve disposed within the actuator and coupled to the compression elements,
• wherein the sleeve is coupled to the pusher such that the pusher and sleeve do not rotate relative to each other, and wherein the pusher may translate relative to the sleeve, and
• wherein protrusions on an inner surface of the pusher are coupled to grooves on an outer surface of the sleeve to couple the pusher and sleeve to each other.

A device for crimping and loading an expandable medical device from an expanded configuration to a compressed configuration, the device comprising:

• an actuator including a compression chamber and an opening;
• a compression assembly disposed in the compression chamber, wherein the compression assembly includes a plurality of compression elements arranged adjacent each other and forming a central cavity therein, wherein the compression elements are coupled to the actuator such that rotation of the actuator causes the compression elements to rotate such that the central cavity radially compresses from an expanded configuration to a compressed configuration;
• a pusher coupled to the actuator opposite the opening, wherein the pusher includes a pusher rod sized and shaped generally similar to the central cavity in the compressed configuration, wherein the pusher is configured to translate relative to the actuator such that the pusher rod may enter the central cavity with the central cavity in the compressed configuration;
• and
• a sleeve disposed within the actuator and coupled to the compression elements,
• wherein the sleeve is coupled to the pusher such that the pusher and sleeve do not rotate relative to each other, and wherein the pusher may translate relative to the sleeve,
• wherein when the actuator and sleeve are disposed in a first position the compression assembly is in the expanded configuration and wherein when the actuator and sleeve are disposed in a second position the compression assembly is in the compressed configuration, and
• wherein in the first position, the pusher is prevented from translating towards the actuator such that the pusher rod does not extend into the cavity of the compression assembly, and wherein in the second position, the pusher can translate relative to the actuator and the sleeve such that the pusher rod can extend into the cavity of the compression assembly.