Polymeric stent polishing method and apparatus
First Claim
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1. A method of polishing a polymeric stent, comprising:
- mounting an unpolished polymeric stent on a spiral mandrel,wherein an outer diameter of the spiral mandrel is such that an abluminal surface of the spiral mandrel matches the luminal surface of the polymeric stent; and
subsequent to mounting the unpolished polymeric stent on the spiral mandrel, directing heat into an interior space of the unpolished polymeric stent and against a luminal surface of the stent to thereby polish the luminal surface, wherein the temperature of a polymer of the stent is increased to equal to or greater than a glass transition temperature and less than a melting temperature of the polymer.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for simultaneously polishing the inner and outer surfaces of an unpolished polymeric stent using a heat process. The unpolished stent can be mounted, for example, on a “spiral-mandrel,” a tubular helical structure with gaps in between a series of coils of the structure. Heat from a heat source can then applied to the spiral-mandrel at a range between the glass transition temperature and melting temperature of the polymer of the stent.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of polishing a polymeric stent, comprising:
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mounting an unpolished polymeric stent on a spiral mandrel, wherein an outer diameter of the spiral mandrel is such that an abluminal surface of the spiral mandrel matches the luminal surface of the polymeric stent; and subsequent to mounting the unpolished polymeric stent on the spiral mandrel, directing heat into an interior space of the unpolished polymeric stent and against a luminal surface of the stent to thereby polish the luminal surface, wherein the temperature of a polymer of the stent is increased to equal to or greater than a glass transition temperature and less than a melting temperature of the polymer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 28)
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18. A method of polishing a polymeric stent, comprising:
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mounting a stent made from a material including a polymer onto a structure having a series of gaps comprising openings between an abluminal and luminal surface of the structure; and after the mounting, subjecting the stent to heat from a heat source so as to modify a surface morphometry of at least a section of the stent from an angular configuration to a non-angular configuration, wherein the heat passes through the gaps between the abluminal and the luminal surface of the structure to reach a luminal surface of the stent, wherein the temperature of the polymer of the stent is increased to less than a melting temperature of the polymer. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of polishing a polymeric stent comprising:
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directing heat into an interior space of an unpolished polymeric stent and against a luminal surface of the stent to thereby polish the luminal surface; wherein the duration of the heating is between two and ten seconds followed by termination of the heat, wherein the temperature of a polymer of the stent is increased to equal to or greater than a glass transition temperature and less than a melting temperature of the polymer. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification