COATING ABLUMINAL SURFACES OF STENTS AND OTHER IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES

• US 20100276857A1
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Jeff H., Gutierrez, Celenia, Chen, Yung Ming
• Granted Patent: US 8,117,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 269/48.1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/0228 the movement of the objects being rotative B05B13/0242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/0235 the movement of the objects being a combination of rotation and linear displacement B05B13/0242 takes precedence

Abstract

A sleeve is positioned over a radially-expandable rod assembly and a stent is positioned over the sleeve. A mandrel is inserted into the rod assembly to thereby press the sleeve against the inner surface of the stent and expand the stent. A coating (such as a solvent, a polymer and/or a therapeutic substance) is then applied to the outer (abluminal) surfaces of the stent, by spraying, for example. The sleeve advantageously prevents the coating material from being applied to inner (luminal) surfaces of the stent and also allows the coating material to be efficiently applied to the abluminal surfaces.

Claims

1. A stent support fixture, comprising:

a chuck assembly;

an expandable rod element extending from the chuck assembly, such that the rod element can be inserted into a hollow bore of a stent and expanded to securely support the stent.

2. The stent support fixture of claim 1, wherein the expandable rod element comprises a hollow elongated tube having at least two slots extending through the body of the elongated tube so as to allow the elongated tube to expand when a mandrel is inserted into the elongated tube.

3. The stent support fixture of claim 1,

wherein the chuck includes a first chuck element and a set of second chuck elements positioned at a distance from the first chuck element, each of the second chuck elements being connected to the first chuck element by a flange;

and

wherein the rod element includes a set of arm members, an arm member extending from each of the second chuck elements and the arm member converging at the front end thereof.

4. The stent support fixture of claim 3, wherein the first and second chuck elements include a passageway aligned with a hollow bore of the rod element such that when a mandrel is inserted into the passageway and the hollow bore of the rod element, the arm member project in an outwardly direction.

5. The stent support fixture of claim 1, additionally including a sleeve disposed over the rod, wherein the sleeve is capable of expanding with the rod.

6. The stent support fixture of claim 5, wherein the sleeve is porous.

7. The stent support fixture of claim 5, wherein the sleeve is made from an absorbent material.