Vacuum chamber and apparatus for loading material into a stent strut

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9414942-B2
Application number	US-201514958060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2015
Priority date	Feb 25, 2011
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus for loading material into a stent strut can comprise a chamber capable of maintaining an internal pressure below pressure external to the chamber. The chamber carries within it the stent and the material to be loaded into a lumen within the stent strut. Pressure within the chamber is decreased. The decreased pressure can draw the material into lumen. The decreased pressure can draw air out of the lumen so that, after a subsequent increase in pressure in the chamber, the material is drawn into the lumen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for loading material into a stent strut, the apparatus comprising:
a vacuum chamber configured to carry the material;
a stent support configured to carry a stent;
a pump configured to reduce pressure inside the vacuum chamber;
a temperature control device configured to alter temperature of the material carried by the vacuum chamber;
a temperature sensor configured to detect temperature of the material carried by the vacuum chamber; and
a controller in communication with the temperature sensor and configured to activate the temperature control device based at least on input from the temperature sensor,
wherein the controller is configured to prevent the material carried by the vacuum chamber from boiling by activating the temperature control device while pressure inside the vacuum chamber is being reduced by the pump.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stent support is movable into and out of the vacuum chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pump is configured to remove gas from the vacuum chamber while the material remains inside the vacuum chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure inside the vacuum chamber,
wherein the controller is in communication with the pressure sensor, and the controller is configured to activate the pump based at least on input from the pressure sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a motor configured to move the stent support into and out of the vacuum chamber.

6. An apparatus for loading material into a stent strut, the apparatus comprising:
a vacuum chamber configured to carry the material;
a stent support configured to carry a stent;
a pump configured to reduce pressure inside the vacuum chamber;
a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure inside the vacuum chamber;
a controller in communication with the pressure sensor, the controller configured to activate the pump based at least on input from the pressure sensor; and
a cooling device configured to reduce temperature of the material carried by the vacuum chamber when the cooling device is activated, wherein the controller is configured to prevent the material carried by the vacuum chamber from boiling by simultaneously activating the cooling device and activating the pump.

Assignees

• Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc

Inventors

• Pacetti Stephen D

Classifications

• A61F2250/0068

  the pharmaceutical product being in a reservoir · CPC title

• A61F2/915 Primary

  with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other · CPC title

• A61F2/86 Primary

  Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure · CPC title

• A61F2240/002

  Designing or making customized prostheses · CPC title

• A61F2250/0069

  Sealing means · CPC title