Method and apparatus for automated handling of medical devices during manufacture
First Claim
1. A method for automated handling of work pieces, comprising:
- orienting a plurality of work pieces in a desired direction with an automated work piece orienting device;
feeding individual work pieces from the plurality of oriented work pieces at predetermined intervals onto a continuous carrier tape in a desired orientation using an automated work piece feeder;
applying a continuous cover tape onto the work pieces on the carrier tape to form a work piece-bearing tape assembly, wherein the plurality of work pieces are held between opposing faces of the carrier tape and the cover tape; and
gathering the work piece-bearing tape assembly onto a tape reel.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method and apparatus for automated handling of stents using tape and reel, tray or cassette processing equipment is provided to reduce stent and stent coating damage during production, storage and distribution activities, and to allow high volume processing of high-quality stent products. In the tape reel-based system of the present invention, stents are fed into an automated tape assembly device which orients the stents and then feeds them between a carrier tape and a cover tape. The stent-bearing tape assembly is then gathered onto a reel for storage and transport. The stent-bearing tape assembly reel is subsequently loaded into a reel receiver associated with an automated stent coating machine, wherein the stent-bearing tape is fed into an automated tape separator, and the stents removed from the tape assembly are mounted by automated machinery onto stent holders, which in turn pass the stents through a stent coating applicator. In the tray- or cassette-based system, the tape reel-based storage and feeding elements are replaced with tray- or cassette-based elements for storing and feeding stents. Once the stents have been coated, automated equipment removes the stent holders from the coated stents, which are then forwarded to a variety of alternative destinations, including to storage in coated stent holding containers or another tape assembly, or to an automated stent expansion balloon stent installation and crimping apparatus.
38 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for automated handling of work pieces, comprising:
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orienting a plurality of work pieces in a desired direction with an automated work piece orienting device;
feeding individual work pieces from the plurality of oriented work pieces at predetermined intervals onto a continuous carrier tape in a desired orientation using an automated work piece feeder;
applying a continuous cover tape onto the work pieces on the carrier tape to form a work piece-bearing tape assembly, wherein the plurality of work pieces are held between opposing faces of the carrier tape and the cover tape; and
gathering the work piece-bearing tape assembly onto a tape reel. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for automated work piece coating, comprising:
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loading a tape reel containing a work piece-bearing tape assembly onto a work piece-bearing tape receiver, wherein the work piece-bearing tape assembly includes a plurality of work pieces held between a continuous carrier tape and a continuous cover tape;
feeding the work piece-bearing tape assembly from the work piece-bearing tape receiver into an automated tape assembly separator;
separating the plurality of work pieces from the carrier tape and the cover tape, wherein the plurality of work pieces is maintained in a desired orientation following separation;
mounting at least one of the plurality of work pieces onto one of a plurality of individual work piece holders using an automated work piece holder mounting device;
feeding the work piece holder-mounted plurality of work pieces through an automated work piece coating applicator; and
removing the plurality of work pieces from the plurality of work piece holders after application of a work piece coating using an automated work piece holder removal device. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for automated handling of work pieces, comprising:
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orienting a plurality of work pieces in a desired direction with an automated work pieces orienting device;
placing individual work pieces from the plurality of oriented work pieces into work piece receiving positions in a work piece holding container using an automated work piece holder container loading device, wherein the work piece holding container includes individual work piece receiving positions for receiving individual work pieces and maintaining a desired work piece orientation; and
applying a removable cover to close said work piece holding container. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method for automated work piece coating, comprising:
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loading a work piece holding container onto a work piece holding container receiver, wherein the work piece holding container includes a plurality of work pieces held in work piece receiving positions and maintained in a first desired orientation;
extracting individual work pieces from the work piece holding container using an automated work piece extracting device;
feeding the work pieces extracted from the work piece holding container into a work piece coating machine at a desired interval and in a second desired orientation;
individually mounting the plurality of work pieces onto a plurality of individual work piece holders using an automated work piece holder mounting device, wherein at least one of the plurality of work pieces is mounted on each work piece holder;
feeding the work piece holder-mounted plurality of work pieces through an automated work piece coating applicator; and
removing the plurality of work pieces from the plurality of work piece holders after application of a work piece coating using an automated work piece holder removal device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification