FLUID BEARING TO SUPPORT STENT TUBING DURING LASER CUTTING

• US 20120057813A1
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Von Oepen, Randolf
• Granted Patent: US 8,556,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 384/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• 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: A61F 2240/001 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0823 Devices involving rotation of the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/38 by boring or cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/053 aligning cylindrical work; Clamping devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/38 using fluid bearings or fluid cushion supports
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/527 with a ring or tube in which a workpiece is fixed coaxially to the degree of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2316/10 in medical appliances, e.g. in diagnosis, dentistry, instruments, prostheses, medical imaging appliances
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2322/39 General build up of machine tools, e.g. spindles, slides, actuators in general B23Q
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/0629 supported by a liquid cushion, e.g. oil cushion
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/0696 for both radial and axial load

Abstract

A fluid bearing assembly provides support to stent tubing while the stent tubing is undergoing laser cutting to form a stent pattern. The fluid bearing assembly supports the stent tubing and provides a fluid barrier between the bearing and the stent tubing thereby providing nearly frictionless movement between the support bearing and the stent tubing.

Claims

1. A fluid bearing assembly, comprising:

a housing having a gas inlet port and a fluid inlet port;

a bearing having a plurality of blades and being rotatably mounted within the housing so that the bearing is free to rotate without touching the housing;

the gas inlet port being positioned to inject high pressure gas on the plurality of blades to impart rotation to the bearing; and

the fluid inlet port being positioned to inject fluid onto an inner surface of the bearing so that as the bearing rotates, a thin film of fluid adheres to the inner surface of the bearing.

2. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein a plurality of gas inlet ports are positioned to inject high pressure gas on the blades of the bearing.

3. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 2, wherein the gas inlet ports are positioned on an outer surface of the housing.

4. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein a plurality of fluid inlet ports are positioned on an outer surface of the housing.

5. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 4, wherein the plurality of fluid injection ports are spaced apart in alignment around a circumference of the housing.

6. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid injection port is in fluid communication with a cavity formed by an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the bearing.

7. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 6, wherein the bearing has a plurality of fluid passages extending from the outer surface of the bearing to the inner surface of the bearing.

8. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 7, wherein fluid in the cavity flows through the plurality of fluid channels to the inner surface of the bearing.

9. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing has a groove to receive the plurality of blades.

10. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blades have a rectangular shape.

11. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blades have a length and a curved portion along the length.

12. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid includes water, oil, mineral oil, or saline.

13. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the bearing is formed from a polymer.

14. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the bearing is formed from PTFE.

15. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the bearing rotates at speeds between 1,000 rpm and 10,000 rpm.

16. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 1, wherein the bearing rotates at speeds between 10,000 rpm and 100,000 rpm.

17. A fluid bearing assembly for use in laser cutting a stent pattern in tubing, comprising:

a housing having a gas inlet port and a fluid inlet port;

a bearing having a plurality of blades and being rotatably mounted within the housing so that the bearing is free to rotate without touching the housing;

a stent tubing positioned within an inner diameter of the bearing;

the gas inlet port being positioned to inject high pressure gas on the plurality of blades to impart rotation to the bearing; and

the fluid inlet port being positioned to inject fluid onto an inner surface of the bearing so that as the bearing rotates, a thin film of fluid adheres to the inner surface of the bearing and the film of fluid is between the inner surface of the bearing and an outer surface of the stent tubing.

18. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 17, wherein the stent tubing has an outer diameter that is less than an inner diameter of the bearing.

19. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 17, wherein a plurality of gas inlet ports are positioned to inject high pressure gas on the blades of the bearing.

20. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 19, wherein the gas inlet ports are positioned on an outer surface of the housing and spaced apart in alignment around a circumference of the housing.

21. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 17, wherein a plurality of fluid inlet ports are positioned on an outer surface of the housing.

22. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 21, wherein the plurality of fluid injection ports are spaced apart in alignment around a circumference of the housing.

23. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 17, wherein the fluid injection port is in fluid communication with a cavity formed by an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the bearing.

24. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 23, wherein the bearing has a plurality of fluid passages extending from the outer surface of the bearing to the inner surface of the bearing.

25. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 24, wherein fluid in the cavity flows through the plurality of fluid channels to the inner surface of the bearing.

26. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 17, wherein the housing has a groove to receive the plurality of blades.

27. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 17, wherein the plurality of blades have a rectangular shape.

28. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 17, wherein the plurality of blades have a length and a curved portion along the length.

29. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 17, wherein the fluid includes water, oil, mineral oil, or saline.

30. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 17, wherein the bearing is formed from a polymer.

31. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 17, wherein the bearing is formed from PTFE.

32. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 17, wherein the bearing rotates at speeds between 1,000 rpm and 10,000 rpm.

33. The fluid bearing assembly of claim 17, wherein the bearing rotates at speeds between 10,000 rpm and 100,000 rpm.

34. A method of supporting a stent tubing for laser cutting a pattern in a stent, comprising:

providing a computer controlled laser cutting assembly;

providing a fluid bearing assembly;

inserting a stent tubing through the fluid bearing assembly and into a collet on the laser cutting assembly;

simultaneously rotating a bearing in the fluid bearing assembly and injecting a fluid onto an inner surface of the bearing; and

forming a film of fluid on the inner surface of the bearing so that as the collet rotates and translates the stent tubing the fluid film provides a low friction barrier between the inner surface of the bearing and an outer surface of the stent tubing.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the bearing rotates at speeds between 1,000 rpm and 10,000 rpm.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the bearing rotates at speeds between 10,000 rpm and 100,000 rpm.