Stent coating device
First Claim
1. A method for applying a coating material, the method comprising:
- providing a prosthesis having a pattern of identifiable features;
pre-scanning substantially an entire surface area of said prosthesis, prior to applying the coating material, to identify said identifiable features and to obtain coating coordinates for said identified features; and
applying the coating material to a surface of the prosthesis at substantially each of said coating coordinates by moving a coating material applicator relative to the prosthesis,wherein the movement of the coating material applicator relative to the prosthesis does not substantially follow along any portion of the pattern of identifiable features.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a method and device, which is suitable for use in an operating theater just prior to implantation, for selectively applying a medical coating to an implantable medical device, for example a stent. Disclosed is a device for use with a stent deployed on a catheter balloon. The device is configured to apply a medical coating of a desired thickness to the surface of a stent only. This is done by use of a drop-on-demand inkjet printing system in association with an optical scanning device. The device is further configured so as to, if necessary, apply a plurality of layered coats, each layered coat being of a different coating material, and if appropriate, different thickness. The section of the housing in which the stent is held during the coating procedure is detachable from the housing base. The detachable housing section may be easily cleaned and re-sterilized or simply disposed or simply disposed of.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for applying a coating material, the method comprising:
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providing a prosthesis having a pattern of identifiable features; pre-scanning substantially an entire surface area of said prosthesis, prior to applying the coating material, to identify said identifiable features and to obtain coating coordinates for said identified features; and applying the coating material to a surface of the prosthesis at substantially each of said coating coordinates by moving a coating material applicator relative to the prosthesis, wherein the movement of the coating material applicator relative to the prosthesis does not substantially follow along any portion of the pattern of identifiable features. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of applying a coating material to a prosthesis having a topological pattern, the method comprising:
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scanning the topological pattern, prior to applying the coating material, to identify a plurality of coating locations at which the coating material is to be applied to the prosthesis; calculating a plurality of coating coordinates as a function of the identified plurality of coating locations; and moving a coating material applicator and the prosthesis relative to one another to define a motion path of the coating material applicator with respect to the prosthesis and causing the coating material applicator to apply the coating material to the prosthesis at substantially each point on the motion path that corresponds to one of the coating coordinates, wherein the motion path does not substantially follow along the topological pattern. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification