Patent ID: 8104321

Claim:
A system for reducing a diameter of a stent comprising: a stent crimper, the stent crimper comprising a plurality of blades arranged to define a diameter reduction chamber for receiving a stent therein, the chamber having an open diameter configuration and a closed diameter configuration, wherein when the chamber is actuated from the open diameter configuration to the closed diameter configuration a diameter of the stent is reduced; each of the plurality of blades having an engagement surface and a trailing surface converging with the engagement surface at a tip of the blade, the engagement surface having a curved shape and the trailing surface having a curved shape; wherein at least a portion of the curved engagement surface is arranged to contact at least a portion of the curved trailing surface of an adjacent blade; wherein at least a portion of the engagement surface is constructed and arranged to contact a portion of a surface of the stent; wherein the tip of each of the plurality of blades maintains constant contact with the engagement surface of an adjacent blade during actuation of the chamber from the open diameter configuration to the closed diameter configuration.