Method and apparatus for automated handling of medical devices during manufacture
First Claim
1. A method for automated work piece coating, comprising:
- 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 a central element of one of a plurality of individual work piece holders using an automated work piece holder mounting device, such that the central element passes longitudinally through at least one of the plurality of work pieces;
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;
wherein the work pieces are stents.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for automated handling of stents using tape and reel, tray or cassette processing equipment is provided to reduce stent and coating damage during production, storage and distribution, and to allow high volume processing. In the tape reel-based system, stents are fed into an automated tape assembly device for orientation and then fed between a carrier and cover tape. The tape assembly is gathered onto a reel and loaded into a receiver wherein stent-bearing tape is fed into an automated tape separator, and stents removed from the tape assembly are automatically mounted onto holders, which pass the stents through a coater. In the tray- or cassette-based system, the tape reel-based storage and feeding elements are replaced with tray- or cassette-based elements. Once coated, automated equipment removes the holders from the coated stents, and forwarded to alternative destinations, including storage or automated stent expansion balloon installation and crimping.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. 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 a central element of one of a plurality of individual work piece holders using an automated work piece holder mounting device, such that the central element passes longitudinally through at least one of the plurality of work pieces; 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; wherein the work pieces are stents. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. 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; 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; and after the removing step, the steps of; placing each of the plurality of stents concentrically over one of a plurality of stent expansion balloons using an automated stent placement device; and crimping each of the plurality of stents onto the stent expansion balloon over which it was placed using an automated stent crimping device; wherein the work pieces are stents.
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12. 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 central element of 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, such that the central elements passes longitudinally through at least one of the plurality of work pieces; 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; wherein the work pieces are stents. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. 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; 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; and after the step of removing the work piece holders, the steps of; placing each of the plurality of stents concentrically over one of a plurality of stent expansion balloons using an automated stent placement device; and crimping each of the plurality of stents onto the stent expansion balloon over which it was placed using an automated stent crimping device; wherein the work pieces are stents.
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Specification