| 摘要 |
An automated apparatus and method for coating medical devices such as an intravascular stent, are disclosed in the method, a 2-D image of a stent is processed to determine (1) paths along the stent skeletal elements by which a stent secured to a rotating support element can be traversed by a dispenser head whose relative motion with respect to the support element is along the support-element axis, such that some or all of the stent skeletal elements will be traversed (2) the relative speeds of the dispenser head and support element as the dispenser head travels along the paths, and (3), and positions of the dispenser head with respect to a centerline of the stent elements as the dispenser head travels along such paths The rotational speed of the support and relative linear speed of the dispenser are controlled to achieve the desired coating thickness and coating coverage on the upper surfaces, and optionally, the side surfaces, of the stem elements |
| 主权项 |
1. Apparatus for creating a coating on the outer surface of a stent whose tubular structure is composed of linked skeletal elements, comprising
(a) a support element adapted to support such a stent during a coating operation, (b) a dispenser having an dispensing head through which coating material can be applied in liquid form, at a selected rate, as the dispensing head moves relative to the support element, (c) first and second electromechanical devices for (i) synchronously rotating the support element at a selected rotational speed, and (ii) moving the dispensing head relative to the support element in a direction along said support element axis, respectively, (d) an imaging system adapted to capture a representation of such a stent, and (e) a control unit operatively connected to the imaging system and to the first and the second electromechanical devices for: (e1) processing the representation obtained with the imaging system to determine (i) paths along the stent skeletal elements by which a stent secured to the support can be traversed by the dispenser head, in one or more passes, such that some or all of the stent skeletal elements will be traversed, (ii) the relative speeds of the support element and dispenser head as said paths are traversed, and (iii), positions of the dispenser head with respect to a centerline of the stent elements, as said paths are traversed, and (e2) synchronously activating the first and second electromechanical devices in order to move the dispensing head relative to support element along the paths and with the relative speeds and positions determined in (e1). |
