Apparatus and methods for coating medical devices
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the invention include apparatus and methods for coating drug eluting medical devices. In an embodiment, the invention includes a coating apparatus including a coating application unit comprising a movement restriction structure; a fluid applicator; and an air nozzle. The apparatus can further include a rotation mechanism and an axial motion mechanism, the axial motion mechanism configured to cause movement of at least one of the coating application unit and the rotation mechanism with respect to one another. Other embodiments are also included herein.
1. A coating apparatus comprising:
a coating application unit comprising
a fluid applicator having a lengthwise axis and a width, the fluid applicator comprising a tip, the tip comprising a face across the width of the fluid applicator, the face oriented at an angle of from about 15 to about 75 degrees with respect to the lengthwise axis of the fluid applicator, the fluid applicator configured to rotate around its lengthwise axis;
a rotation mechanism; and
an axial motion mechanism, the axial motion mechanism configured to cause movement of at least one of the coating application unit and the rotation mechanism with respect to one another.
2. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coating application unit is configured to remain stationary and the rotation mechanism is configured to move.
3. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotation mechanism is configured to remain stationary and the coating application unit is configured to move.
4. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotation mechanism comprises an electric motor.
5. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the fluid applicator.
6. The coating apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a fluid pump in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir and the fluid applicator.
7. The coating apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a controller configured to control the fluid pump and the rotation mechanism.
8. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , the fluid applicator comprising a polymeric tube.
9. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotation mechanism is configured to rotate a drug eluting balloon catheter.
10. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , the coating application unit further comprising a fluid distribution bar.
11. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , the coating application unit further comprising a movement restriction structure.
12. The coating apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the movement restriction structure is configured to prevent lateral movement of the drug eluting balloon catheter as it is being rotated by the rotation mechanism.
13. The coating apparatus of claim 12 , the movement restriction structure defining a channel surrounding the drug eluting balloon catheter.
14. The coating apparatus of claim 12 , the movement restriction structure defining a channel having a size sufficient to surround the balloon of the drug eluting balloon catheter when the balloon is in an expanded state.
15. The coating apparatus of claim 12 , the movement restriction structure defining a channel surrounded by the movement restriction structure in a radially continuous manner.
16. The coating apparatus of claim 12 , the movement restriction structure defining a channel surrounded by the movement restriction structure in a radially non-continuous manner.
17. The coating apparatus of claim 12 , the movement restriction structure comprising a first body member and a second body member, the first body member defining a first portion of a channel and the second body member defining a second portion of a channel, the first body member and second body member separated from one another by a distance of at least 3 millimeters.
18. The coating apparatus of claim 12 , the movement restriction structure comprising a first body member and a second body member, the first body member defining a first portion of a channel and the second body member defining a second portion of a channel, the first body member and second body member configured to rotate between a closed position where a balloon is locked in place in the channel and an open position where the balloon is released.
19. The coating apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first body member and second body member are configured to rotate together around a single axis.
20. The coating apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first body member and second body member are configured to rotate independently from one another.
21. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the axial motion mechanism is configured to create horizontal motion.
22. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the axial motion mechanism is configured to create vertical motion.