US 9,539,692 B2 · Material removal from balloon cone

Abstract

A material-removing machine for removing material from a cone section of a medical balloon includes a material-removing element operatively connected to a prime mover such that operation of the prime mover imparts rotation to the material-removing element about a rotational axis. The material-removing element includes an interior surface defining a generally conical-shaped cavity extending along the rotational axis and adapted to receive at least a longitudinal portion of a cone section of an expanded medical balloon for removing material from the longitudinal portion of the cone section to reduce a wall thickness of the cone section. Material may be removed continuously around a 360-degree exterior perimeter of the longitudinal portion of the cone section of the medical balloon to reduce the thickness of the balloon wall defining the cone section.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A material-removing machine for removing material from a cone section of a medical balloon comprising:

a prime mover;
and
a material-removing element operatively connected to the prime mover such that operation of the prime mover imparts rotation to the material-removing element about a rotational axis, the material-removing element including an interior surface defining a generally conical-shaped cavity extending along the rotational axis and adapted to receive at least a longitudinal portion of a cone section of an expanded medical balloon, wherein at least a portion of the interior surface is adapted to remove material from the longitudinal portion of the cone section to reduce a wall thickness of the cone section.

A method of removing material from a cone section of a medical balloon, the method comprising:

providing a medical balloon including a cone section defined by a balloon wall of the medical balloon having a thickness, wherein the medical balloon has a non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration;
expanding the medical balloon to its expanded configuration;
disposing at least a longitudinal portion of the cone section of the expanded medical balloon in a conical-shaped cavity defined by an interior surface of a material-removing element, wherein at least a portion of the interior surface is configured for removing material from the longitudinal portion of the cone section;
and
rotating the material-removing element about a rotational axis to remove material from an exterior perimeter of the cone section to reduce the thickness of the balloon wall defining the cone section.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Material removal from balloon cone

Life of this patent

Material removal from balloon cone

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20