Patent ID: 6009614
Filing Date: 2000-01-04
Classification: A61F,Y10T

Abstract:
A tool for crimping a stent in combination with a stent, the combination comprising;the tool having a rigid chassis, the rigid chassis having a hollow interior, a front end, and a back end;a back end cap enclosing the back end of the chassis;a front end cap having a first central opening and enclosing the front end of the chassis;an elastic tube having a second central opening extending therethrough and having a length less than the length of the hollow interior to define a chamber adjacent to the back end, the elastic tube being disposed within the hollow interior and adjacent the front end cap such that the second central opening is in axial alignment with the first central opening;a piston slidably disposed within the chamber; anda drive source engaging the rigid chassis and the piston and disposed within the hollow interior, so as to displace the piston to compress the elastic tube;wherein the stent is mounted on a balloon catheter and is positioned within the second central opening of the elastic tube, and upon actuation of the drive source, the piston compresses the elastic tube thereby squeezing the stent radially onto the catheter.