Advanced coating apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE46251-E
Application number	US-201213588125-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Aug 17, 2012
Priority date	Sep 27, 2002
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A method for coating a rollable device including a device rotator having a pair of rollers and spray nozzle is described. The spray nozzle produces a spray of coating material that is directed towards a gap that is between the rollers of the pair. The majority of any spray not deposited on the rollable device during a coating process passes through the gap between the rollers.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for coating an implantable medical device, the method comprising the steps of:
a) placing the a medical device having a circumference on a device rotator, wherein the device rotator comprises a pair of rollers, the pair comprising a first roller having a first axis that is a line about which rotation of the first roller occurs and a second roller having a second axis that is a line about which rotation of the second roller occurs wherein the first and second axes are different and substantially parallel to each other, wherein the first and second rollers are separated by a gap, wherein the first roller, second roller, or both first and second rollers, comprise a plurality of ribs, wherein the device rotator is capable of supporting and rolling the medical device in position as supported;
b) disposing a coating material on the medical device, comprising spraying a coating material from a spray nozzle in a controlled pattern, wherein the spray nozzle is operationally arranged so that its spray is directed at the gap and so that its pattern is not wider than the medical device, wherein disposing forms a stripe of coating material along a portion of the length of the device, wherein the stripe has a width that is a fraction of the circumference of the device; and
c) rotating the medical device by rotating at least one of the first or second rollers.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising a wherein the step of disposing comprises moving the spray nozzle in a direction parallel to either the first or second axis.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the steps of disposing and moving are performed simultaneously.

4. The method of claim 1 where, in the step of rotating, the medical device comprises indexing the first roller, second roller, or both first and second rollers.

5. The method of claim 4 where, in the step of rotating, the medical device comprises randomly indexing the first roller, second roller, or both first and second rollers.

6. The method of claim 1 where the step of rotating is performed prior to the coating being dry.

7. The method of claim 1 where, in the step of disposing, the spray nozzle comprises a sonicating member.

8. The method of claim 7 where, in the step of disposing, the sonicating member includes a channel for gas flow and the spray pattern is established in part by the gas flow.

9. The method of claim 1 where, in the step of disposing, the coating material comprises polymeric, photoactivatable, biologically or pharmaceutically active compounds, or combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 9 where, in the step of disposing, the coating material comprises a hydrophobic polymer.

11. The method of claim 9 where, in the step of disposing, the coating material comprises a polysaccharide.

12. The method of claim 1 comprising a step of regulating the humidity, temperature, or both, around the rollable medical device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of regulating is performed simultaneously with at least one step a), b), or c).

14. The method of claim 1 where, in the step of placing, the medical device has a cylindrical shape and is no greater than 5 cm in diameter.

15. The method of claim 1 where, in the step of placing, the medical device is a catheter or stent.

16. The method of claim 1 where, in the step of placing, the ribs have a shape that is wider proximal to the roller axis and narrower distal to the roller axis.

17. A method for coating a rollable device, the method comprising the steps of:
a) placing a rollable device having a circumference and a diameter of 10 mm or less on a device rotator, wherein the device rotator comprises a pair of rollers, the pair comprising a first roller having a first axis that is a line about which rotation of the first roller occurs and a second roller having a second axis that is a line about which rotation of the second roller occurs wherein the first and second axes are different and substantially parallel to each other, wherein the first roller, second roller, or both first and second rollers, comprise a plurality of ribs, wherein the first and second rollers are separated by a gap, and wherein the device rotator is capable of supporting and rolling the device in position as supported;
b) disposing a coating material on the rollable device, comprising spraying a coating material from a spray nozzle in a controlled pattern, wherein the spray nozzle is operationally arranged so that its spray is directed at the gap and so that its pattern is not wider than the device, wherein disposing forms a stripe of coating material along a portion of the length of the device, wherein the stripe has a width that is a fraction of the circumference of the device; and
c) rotating the rollable device by rotating at least one of the first or second rollers.

18. A method for coating a rollable device, the method comprising the steps of:
a) placing a rollable device on a device rotator, wherein the device rotator comprises a pair of rollers, the pair comprising a first roller having a first axis and a second roller having a second axis wherein the first and second axes are substantially parallel to each other, wherein the first roller, second roller, or both first and second rollers, comprise a plurality of ribs, wherein the first and second rollers are separated by a gap, wherein the device rotator is capable of supporting and rolling the device in position as supported, and wherein the gap is not wider than the device; b) disposing a coating material on the rollable device, comprising spraying a coating material from a spray nozzle in a controlled pattern, wherein the spray nozzle is operationally arranged so that its spray is directed at the gap and so that its pattern is not wider than the device; and c) rotating the rollable device by rotating at least one of the first and second rollers wherein the coated portion of the rollable device contacts either the first or second roller prior to the coating material drying.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising step d) disposing a coating on the portion of the medical device coated in step b).

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising repeating steps c) and d) to produce a medical device having a desired quantity of coating material.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising step d) disposing a coating material on an overlapping portion or same portion of the medical device coated in step b).

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising repeating steps c) and d) to produce a medical device having a desired quantity of coating material.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising step: d) disposing a coating material on a portion of the device that is different than the portion coated in step b.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising repeating steps c) and d) to produce a medical device having a desired quantity of coating material.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the medical device has a surface comprising perforations or a web structure.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second rollers have first and second circumferences, respectively, and the first and second circumferences are greater than the circumference of the medical device.

27. A method for coating an implantable medical device, the method comprising the steps of:
a) placing a medical device having a circumference on a device rotator, wherein the device rotato

Assignees

• Chappa Ralph A
• Carlson Mark F
• Surmodics Inc

Inventors

• Chappa Ralph A
• Carlson Mark F

Classifications

• B05B13/0228

  the movement of the objects being rotative (B05B13/0242 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B13/0442

  Installation or apparatus for applying liquid or other fluent material to separate articles rotated during spraying operation · CPC title

• B05B7/0861

  with one single jet constituted by a liquid or a mixture containing a liquid and several gas jets (B05B7/0815 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B13/0207

  the work being an elongated body, e.g. wire or pipe (B05B13/0436, B05B13/0463 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05D1/002

  the substrate being rotated · CPC title