Patent ID: 9511385
Filing Date: 2016-12-06
CPC Classification: A61F,A61L,B05B,B05C,B05D

Claim Text:
1. An automated method of applying a coating on the outer surface of a stent whose tubular structure is composed of linked skeletal elements, comprising (a) processing an image of such a stent to determine (a1) paths along the stent skeletal elements by which a stent secured to a rotating support element that can be axially rotated and translated relative to a dispenser head that moves linearly relative to the support, along the support axis, such that some or all of the stent skeletal elements will be traversed, (a2) the relative speed of the dispensing head and support element as said paths are traversed, and (a3) positions of the dispenser head with respect to a centerline of the stent skeletal elements, as said paths are traversed, and (b) synchronously activating a first electromechanical device that controls the rotational speed of the support element and a second electromechanical device that controls the relative linear motion of the dispensing head with respect to the support element along the support element axis, in order to move the dispensing head relative to the support element along the paths and with the relative speeds and positions determined in step (a), wherein during step (b) the dispensing head dispenses a continuous liquid stream of coating material onto the stent skeletal elements, and wherein determining the relative speed of the dispensing head comprises determining speed coefficients between points that define the centerline according to varying features of the stent for controlling width of the continuous liquid stream as it is applied to the stent skeletal elements.