Stent fixture and method for reducing coating defects

• US 20070003688A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Yung-Ming, Teaby, Greg, Bradshaw, Allan, Foreman, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 7,823,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/2.240
• 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: A61L 31/082 Inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/0228 the movement of the objects being rotative B05B13/0242 takes precedence

Abstract

A stent fixture for supporting a stent during formation of a coating is provided.

Claims

1. A stent fixture for supporting a stent during formation of a coating, comprising a structure having arm elements extending from the structure, the arm elements are configured to allow an inner side of a stent to rest on and be supported by the arm elements.

2. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the structure supports one end of the stent and wherein the fixture additionally comprises a second structure for support an opposing end of the stent.

3. The fixture of claim 2, wherein the second structure comprises arm elements extending out from the second structure, the arm elements of the second structure are configured to allow the inner side of the stent to rest on and be supported by the arm elements of the second structure.

4. The fixture of claim 3, additionally comprising a third structure connecting the structure to the second structure and extending through a longitudinal bore of the stent, wherein the stent can be securely pinched between the plurality of arm elements of the structures.

5. The fixture of claim 3, wherein the arm elements are slanted away from the inner side of the stent.

6. The fixture of claim 3, wherein the arm elements are parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stent.

7. The fixture of claim 3, wherein the arm elements include spheres positioned at an end of the arm elements.

8. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the arm elements are slanted away from the inner side of the stent.

9. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the structure includes an end wall facing the stent and wherein the arm elements extend out from the end wall of the structure.

10. The fixture of claim 9, wherein the arm elements extend out from a perimeter position on the end wall and converge towards each other towards a middle section of the end wall.

11. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the arm elements include spheres positioned at an end thereof.

12. The fixture of claim 11, wherein the spheres make contact with the inner side of the stent.

13. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the arm elements are of a suitable size so as to be able to penetrate at least partially into an open crown of struts of the stent.

14. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the arm elements are of suitable size so as to be able to be inserted at least partially in a space between two struts of the stent or a space between two section of a strut of the stent.

15. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the arm elements angularly extend out from the structure such that when an end of the stent is placed over the arm elements, the arm elements prevent the structure from making contact with the stent.

16. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the arm elements are positioned about the perimeter of the structure and do not contact one another.

17. The fixture of claim 1, additionally comprising a mandrel for extending out from the structure and configured to extend at least partially into a longitudinal bore of the stent.

18. The fixture of claim 17, wherein the arm elements prevent the mandrel from making contact with the inner side of the stent during formation of the coating.

19. The fixture of claim 17, wherein the arm elements converge at an angle towards the mandrel but do not make contact with the mandrel.

20. The fixture of claim 17, wherein the arm elements converge at an angle towards the mandrel and make contact with the mandrel.

21. A method of coating a stent with a substance, comprising:

positioning the stent on the fixture of claim 1 and applying a coating substance to the stent.