Apparatus and method for intraluminal polymer deposition

摘要

Methods and apparatus for applying a coating to an interior surface surrounding a passage of an article. A plasma is generated from a process gas inside the passage of the article, and the coating is deposited from the plasma on the interior surface. The article may optionally be placed inside of a passage of a conductive conduit. Either the article or the conductive conduit is coupled with a radio-frequency generator for generating the plasma inside the passage of the article.

主权项

1. A method of applying a coating to a plurality of articles, each article having a first end and a second end opposed to the first end, a passage, an interior surface surrounding the passage, and an exterior surface, the method comprising:
placing the plurality of articles inside a plurality of conductive conduits, each conductive conduit having two opposing ends, a passage, and an interior surface that surrounds the passage such that, at least one of the first end and the second end of the each article is within the two opposing ends of one of the plurality of conductive conduits, and a gap is formed between the interior surface of each conductive conduit and the exterior surface of each respective article; generating a plasma discharge from a process gas inside the passage of each article when the article is inside the passage of one of the plurality of conductive conduits; preventing a plasma discharge in each gap between the interior surface of each conductive conduit and the exterior surface of each article; and depositing the coating from the plasma discharge on the interior surface of each of the plurality of articles.