Stent fabrication method and apparatus

• US 6,299,755 B1
• Filed: 07/02/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medinol Limited (Medinol USA Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Medinol Limited (Medinol USA Incorporated)
• Inventors: Richter, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Valentine, Donald R.
• Application Number:
  US09/109,532
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 205/640, 205/651, 205/686
• US Class Current: 205/651
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B21F 45/008 of medical instruments, e.g. stents, corneal rings medical science A61
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/083 Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/10 using a fixed support , i.e. involving moving the laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/12 in a special atmosphere, e.g. in an enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/127 in an enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/22 Spot welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/38 by boring or cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 33/006 for cylindrical workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/053 aligning cylindrical work; Clamping devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12188 having marginal feature for indexing or weakened portion for severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12201 Width or thickness variation or marginal cuts repeating longitudinally
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12229 Intermediate article [e.g., blank, etc.]

Abstract

A method is provided for electropolishing a stent. A stent is mounted on a rack having electropolishing mounts. Each of the mounts has a base and an electrically conductive first member having a first end and a second end. The first end is connected to the base and the second end contacts the external surface of the stent. Each of the mounts also has a non-electrically conductive second member having a first end and a second end. The first end of the second member is attached to the base and the second end is placed in the bore of the stent. The second ends of the first and second members bias towards each other to secure the stent between them. The stent is immersed in an electropolishing bath and an electrical current is applied to the first member.

Claims

1. A method of electropolishing a stent, comprising the steps of:

a) mounting a tubular stent having a longitudinal bore on a rack, said rack having a first end and a second end provided with a plurality of stent electropolishing mounts, each of said mounts having a base;

an electrically conductive first member having a first end connected to said base and a second end adapted to selectively contact the external surface of said tubular stent without damaging said external surface;

an electrically non-conductive second member having a first end connected to said base and a second end adapted to be selectively disposed within the longitudinal bore of said stent without damaging said longitudinal bore, said first member and said second member further adapted so as to bias said second end of said second member towards said second end of said first member in an amount sufficient to secure said stent between said first and said second members;

b) immersing said stent in an electropolishing bath and applying electrical current to said first member for a predetermined period of time; and

c) changing the point where said second end of said first member contacts said external surface of said stent prior to the expiration of said predetermined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein point of contact is changed by rotating said stent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of contact is changed by varying the distance between said stent and said base.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the point of contact is changed at about the midpoint of the predetermined period of time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of interrupting the treatment before the expiration of the predetermined time, evaluating the effect of the electropolishing prior to the interruption step, and adjusting the remaining period of the predetermined time to compensate for any variations in the amount of material actually removed prior to the interruption step.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment is interrupted at about the midpoint of said predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of adding pieces of sacrificial material at said first end and said second end of said rack to substantially compensate for the additional material normally removed from stents disposed at said first end and said second end of said rack, said material selected and added in an amount sufficient to substantially equalize the amount of additional material normally removed from the stents disposed at said first end and said second end of said rack.