Patent ID: 7628051

Claim:
A stent crimping apparatus for use in crimping a stent onto a medical device, said apparatus comprising: a crimping assembly adapted to crimp the stent from a first diameter to a reduced second diameter; a clamp assembly configured to secure the medical device, wherein said clamp assembly includes: a lower clamp device defining a seating groove formed and dimensioned to seat a portion of the medical device therein; a retaining assembly having an elastomeric member, said elastomeric member defining a contacting groove oriented in an opposed manner proximate to at least a portion of the seating groove; an actuation mechanism associated with the retaining assembly and the lower clamp device such that operation thereof causes the retaining assembly to move between an opened condition, enabling positioning of the medical device between the lower clamp device and the retaining assembly, and a closed condition, retaining the medical device between the contacting groove of the elastomeric member and the seating groove of the lower clamp device; a pivot lever rotatably mounted to said lower clamp device, said pivot lever cooperating between the actuation mechanism and the retaining assembly for movement of said retaining assembly between the opened condition and the closed condition; and a control unit configured to control the movement of the crimp assembly.