Patent ID: 7606625
Filing Date: 2009-10-20
Classification: A61F,B23K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for aligning a stent with a stent support, comprising: placing a stent support and a stent mounted on the stent support in a vertical position with the stent support's first support element at a lower position and the stent support's second support element at an upper position, wherein the lower end of the stent faces a conical portion of the first support element and the upper end of the stent faces a conical portion of the second support element; obtaining a digital image of the stent support and stent; analyzing the digital image of the stent support and stent to compute the vertical position of the stent's upper end; computing a desired position of the second support element based on the position of the stent's upper end; and using a positioning device to move the second support element to the desired position, wherein the movement of the second support element causes the conical portions of the first and second support elements to engage the respective ends of the stent to center the stent around a core element of the stent support and to secure the stent in a longitudinal direction of the stent support.