METHOD OF FORMING A TUBULAR MEMBRANE ON A STRUCTURAL FRAME
First Claim
1. A method of forming a tubular membrane on a radially expandable structural frame, the method comprising the steps of:
- placing a transfer sheath over a spinning mandrel;
placing the radially expandable structural frame over the transfer sheath;
electro-statically spinning a fiber directly onto at least a portion of the structural frame to form a tubular membrane, the structural frame and tubular membrane forming a fiber spun frame assembly;
reshaping the tubular membrane; and
removing the fiber spun frame assembly from the spinning mandrel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a medical device and method of forming the medical device. In particular, the present invention relates to a medical device having a tubular membrane structure over a radially expandable structural frame, and to a method of forming the tubular membrane on the radially expandable structural frame. In one aspect, a structural frame is placed over a spinning mandrel and a fiber is electro-statically spun over at least a portion of the structural frame forming a membrane. A transfer sheath may be used between the mandrel and structural frame to prevent the electro-statically spun fiber from adhering to the mandrel. In another aspect, a first membrane is spun over the mandrel before the structural frame is placed over the mandrel. In this aspect, at least a portion of the structural frame is sandwiched between the membranes. The membrane or membranes and structural frame form a fiber spun frame assembly. The fiber spun frame assembly may be coated with an elastic polymer. In addition, the membrane or membranes may go through some post processing to achieve desired characteristics or configurations.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method of forming a tubular membrane on a radially expandable structural frame, the method comprising the steps of:
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placing a transfer sheath over a spinning mandrel;
placing the radially expandable structural frame over the transfer sheath;
electro-statically spinning a fiber directly onto at least a portion of the structural frame to form a tubular membrane, the structural frame and tubular membrane forming a fiber spun frame assembly;
reshaping the tubular membrane; and
removing the fiber spun frame assembly from the spinning mandrel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 23, 25, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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3. (canceled)
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26. (canceled)
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27. (canceled)
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28. (canceled)
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31. (canceled)
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38. A method of forming a tubular membrane on a radially expandable structural frame, the method comprising the steps of:
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placing the radially expandable structural frame over a spinning mandrel;
electro-statically spinning a first fiber directly onto at least a portion of the structural frame to form a tubular membrane, the structural frame and tubular membrane forming a fiber spun frame assembly;
reshaping the tubular membrane; and
removing the fiber spun frame assembly from the spinning mandrel.
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39. A method of forming a tubular membrane on a radially expandable structural frame, the method comprising the steps of:
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placing a transfer sheath over a spinning mandrel;
electro-statically spinning a first fiber directly onto at least a portion of the transfer sheath to form a first tubular membrane;
placing the radially expandable structural frame over the first tubular membrane;
electro-statically spinning a second fiber directly onto at least a portion of the structural frame to form a second tubular membrane, the combination of the first tubular membrane, structural frame and second tubular membrane forming a fiber spun frame assembly; and
removing the fiber spun frame assembly from the spinning mandrel. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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Specification