Apparatus and methods for coating medical devices
Embodiments herein include apparatus and methods for coating medical devices. In an embodiment, a coating apparatus is included having a coating application unit including a movement restriction structure, a fluid applicator having a lengthwise major axis, a fluid distribution bar having a body angled with respect to the major lengthwise axis of the fluid applicator between 0 and 20 degrees, 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 movement restriction structure;
a fluid applicator comprising a flexible shaft and having a lengthwise major axis;
a fluid distribution bar;
a rotation mechanism configured to rotate a medical device to be coated; 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;
wherein the fluid applicator is positioned such that it exerts a degree of pressure against a surface of the medical device rotated by the rotation mechanism.
2. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution bar is connected to the fluid applicator.
3. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution bar is tangent with respect to a surface of a device to be coated.
4. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution bar directly contacts a surface of a device to be coated.
5. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution bar is sufficiently close to a surface of a device to be coated so as to contact a coating material that is deposited thereon but not to contact the surface of the device.
6. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution bar is substantially straight with respect to the lengthwise major axis of the fluid applicator.
7. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution bar includes a tail portion that is angled with respect to the lengthwise major axis of the fluid applicator.
8. The coating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the tail portion of the fluid distribution bar extends in a direction that is downstream of the fluid applicator.
9. The coating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the tail portion of the fluid distribution bar extends in a direction that is upstream of the fluid applicator.
10. The coating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the tail portion of the fluid distribution bar extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to a lengthwise major axis of a device to be coated.
11. The coating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the tail portion of the fluid distribution bar extends in a direction that is angled with respect to a lengthwise major axis of a device to be coated.
12. The coating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the tail portion of the fluid distribution bar is angled back toward the fluid applicator.
13. The coating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the tail portion of the fluid distribution bar is angled away from the fluid applicator.
14. The coating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a portion of the fluid distribution bar is disposed upstream of the fluid applicator and a portion of the tail portion is disposed downstream of the fluid applicator.
15. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , the fluid distribution bar comprising a material selected from the group consisting of polymers, metals, composites, ceramics, or combinations thereof.
16. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution bar is flexible.
17. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution bar is rigid.
18. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution bar has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the fluid applicator.
19. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , the fluid distribution bar comprising a circular cross section.
20. The coating apparatus of claim 1 , the fluid distribution bar comprising a flattened surface at a point where it contacts a device to be coated.