Stent coating device

• US 20030207019A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation), IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Labcoat Ltd. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Shekalim, Avraham, Shmulewitz, Ascher
• Granted Patent: US 7,048,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/2.24
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/12 responsive to conditions of ambient medium or target, e.g. humidity, temperature position or movement of the target relative to the spray apparatus B05B12/082, B05B12/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/0442 Installation or apparatus for applying liquid or other fluent material to separate articles rotated during spraying operation
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 5/0216 by relative movement of article and outlet according to a predetermined path

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.

Claims

1. A method for coating comprising:

(a) providing a prosthesis having identifiable features;

(b) pre-scanning said prosthesis prior to coating to identify said features and to obtain coating coordinates for said features; and

(c) applying a coating material at desired regions of the prosthesis as a function of said coordinates.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(d) determining paths between said coating coordinates for an applicator to deposit said coating material.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising:

(e) determining a sequence for said coating coordinates.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

(f) determining vectors between the coating coordinates in said sequence.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(d) determining a predetermined path independent of said coating coordinates.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said predetermined path covers a surface area of said prosthesis, wherein said surface area comprises said coating coordinates.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined path is a function of the overall contour or geometric shape of said prosthesis.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(d) post-scanning said prosthesis after coating.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said post-scanning comprises rotating said prosthesis and detecting of said coated prosthesis.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said pre-scanning comprises rotating said prosthesis and detecting of said prosthesis.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said detecting comprises detecting energy from said identifiable features of said prosthesis.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said pre-scanning further comprises analyzing said images for edges associated with said prosthesis.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein said pre-scanning further comprises determining said coating coordinates from said edges.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein said detecting comprises capturing energy transmitted around identifiable features of said prosthesis.

15. A method according to claims 14, wherein said pre-scanning further comprises analyzing said images for the edges associated with said prosthesis.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said pre-scanning further comprises determining said coating coordinates from said edges.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein said coating material is chosen from polymers, therapeutic agents, and mixtures thereof.

18. A method for coating comprising:

(a) providing a prosthesis;

(b) pre-scanning said prosthesis prior to coating to obtain coating coordinates for said prosthesis;

(c) applying a coating material to said prosthesis at said coating coordinates; and

(d) post-scanning said prosthesis after coating.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said applying comprises translating an applicator and delivering drop-on-demand of a quantity of coating from said coating applicator, wherein said translating and said delivering are on-the-fly.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein said applying comprises raster type coating.

21. A method according to claim 18, wherein said applying comprises vector type coating.

22. A method according to claim 18, wherein said pre-scanning comprises rotating said prosthesis and detecting of said prosthesis.

23. A method according to claim 18, wherein said pre-scanning comprises rotating a detector and detecting of said prosthesis.

24. A method according to claim 18, wherein said post-scanning comprises rotating said prosthesis and detecting of said coated prosthesis.

25. A method according to claim 18, wherein said post-scanning comprises rotating a detector and detecting of said coated prosthesis.

26. A method according to claim 22, wherein said detecting comprises capturing energy from said prosthesis or capturing energy transmitted around said prosthesis.

27. A method according to claim 22, wherein said pre-scanning and said post-scanning further comprises analyzing said images for edges of said prosthesis.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein said pre-scanning further comprises determining said coating coordinates from said edges.

29. A method according to claim 22, wherein said analyzing comprises comparing images from said pre-scanning and said post-scanning.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein said analyzing further comprises identifying coating errors.

31. A method according to claim 30, further comprising repeating said coating to re-coat said prosthesis at coordinates associated with detected coating errors.

32. A method according to claim 30, further comprising assigning a coating quality approval to said coated prosthesis.

33. A method according to claim 22, wherein said analyzing comprises optically distinguishing a first type of surface from a second type of surface.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein said analyzing further comprises rendering a three-dimensional shape from said images.

35. A method according to claim 22, wherein said analyzing comprises identifying pigment in a coating applied to said prosthesis.

36. A method according to claim 18, wherein said coating comprises jetting with hot air, wherein said hot air evaporates a volatile solvent in a coating material.

37. A method according to claim 18, wherein said coating comprises directing infrared radiation, wherein said infrared radiation evaporates a volatile solvent in a coating material.

38. A method according to claim 18, wherein said coating material is chosen from polymers, therapeutic agents, and mixtures thereof.

39. A method for coating comprising:

(a) providing a prosthesis having identifiable features;

(b) determining a predetermined path independent of said features; and

(c) applying a coating material to the prosthesis at desired regions,

wherein said regions are a function of said features.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein said predetermined path covers a surface area of said prosthesis, wherein said surface area comprises said desired regions.

41. A method according to claim 40, wherein said predetermined path is a function of the overall contour or geometric shape of said prosthesis.

42. A method according to claim 40, wherein said applying comprises raster type coating.

43. A method according to claim 39, wherein said coating material is chosen from polymers, therapeutic agents, and mixtures thereof.

44. An apparatus for coating comprising:

an applicator for applying a coating material to a prosthesis;

a detector for scanning said prosthesis; and

an applicator controller connected to said detector and said applicator,

wherein said applicator controller is adapted to on-the-fly coating.

45. An apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said prosthesis comprises identifiable features for which said detector provides coating coordinates for said applicator controller.

46. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said applicator controller is adapted to determine paths between said coating coordinates for said applicator.

47. A system for coating comprising:

(a) providing a prosthesis having identifiable features;

(b) means for pre-scanning said prosthesis prior to coating to identify said features and to obtain coating coordinates for said features; and

(c) means for applying a coating material at desired regions of the prosthesis as a function of said coordinates.

48. A system according to claim 47, further comprising:

(d) means for determining paths between said coating coordinates for an applicator.

49. A system according to claim 48, further comprising:

(e) means for determining a sequence for said coating coordinates.

50. A system according to claim 49, further comprising:

(f) means for determining vectors between the coating coordinates in said sequence.

51. A system according to claim 47, further comprising:

(d) means for determining a predetermined path independent of said coating coordinates.

52. A computer program product for coating, the computer program product comprising computer-readable media having computer-readable code, the computer program product comprising the following computer-readable program code for effecting actions in a computing platform:

(a) program code for providing a prosthesis having identifiable features;

(b) program code for pre-scanning said prosthesis prior to coating to identify said features and to obtain coating coordinates for said features; and

(c) program code for depositing a coating material at desired regions of the prosthesis as a function of said coordinates.

53. A computer program product according to claim 52, further comprising:

(d) program code for determining paths between said coating coordinates for an applicator.

54. A computer program product according to claim 53, further comprising:

(e) program code for determining a sequence for said coating coordinates.

55. A computer program product according to claim 54, further comprising:

(f) program code for determining vectors between the coating coordinates in said sequence.

56. A computer program product according to claim 52, further comprising:

(d) program code for determining a predetermined path independent of said coating coordinates.

57. An applicator control module comprising:

an applicator adapted to drop-on-demand a quantity of coating material at a desired location of a prosthesis; and

an applicator controller adapted to on-the-fly coating.

58. An applicator control module according to claim 57, wherein said applicator controller comprises of a servo controller, a driver for said applicator, and a location feedback device.