Patent ID: 8640521

Claim:
A device for crimping an expandable heart valve prosthesis onto a delivery system, said, crimping tool comprising: a first annular body and a second annular body arranged for relative rotation generally about an axis of the crimping tool; and an array of linear crimping elements defining an orifice having a diameter, wherein rotation of the first annular body with respect to the second annular body about the axis causes a change in the diameter of the orifice; wherein the crimping elements are interposed between the first annular body and the second annular body, with each crimping element having a first end coupled or linked to the first annular body and a second end coupled or linked to the second annular body; wherein the crimping elements are displaceable between a first position where the first and second ends of each crimping element jointly define a chordal, off-center, trajectory with respect to said axis, and a second position where upon relative rotation movement of the first and second annular bodies, the first and second ends of each crimping element come to define a substantially diametrical trajectory with respect to said axis, said substantially diametrical trajectory extending in the vicinity of said axis without crossing said axis; wherein the crimping elements are generally loose when in said first position so that the orifice defined therebetween is adapted to resiliently receive an end portion of the heart valve prosthesis; and wherein the crimping device is sized and dimensioned to reduce the size of the expandable heart valve prosthesis to aid in placement of the heart valve prosthesis on the delivery system.