Patent ID: 7563474

Claim:
A method for applying a coating onto a medical device comprising a plurality of struts which leave spaces between the struts, the method comprising: holding the medical device and providing direct access to the struts of the medical device; using a vision system to determine the position and orientation of the medical device; providing information from the vision system to a processor; using the information provided from the vision system to the processor to provide command signals from the processor to a solenoid fluid dispensing head; spinning the medical device about a longitudinal axis such that the struts of the medical device and the spaces between the struts of the medical device alternately become adjacent to the solenoid fluid dispensing head; and receiving the command signals at the solenoid fluid dispensing head, the command signals including instructions to open the solenoid fluid dispensing head only when an exposed strut of the medical device is adjacent the solenoid fluid dispensing head and thereby force coating onto the struts of the medical device and to close the solenoid fluid dispensing head when a space between struts of the medical device is adjacent the solenoid fluid dispensing head to prevent the flow of coating from the solenoid fluid dispensing head, the solenoid fluid dispensing head in fluid communication with a first source of coating.