| US 7,563,474 B2 | ||
| Method of coating with selectively activated dispensing head | ||
| Sheng-ping Zhong, Northborough, Mass. (US); Dennis R. Boulais, Danielson, Conn. (US); Praveen Kulkarni, Worcester, Mass. (US); and Ron Sahatijian, Lexington, Mass. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc., Maple Grove, Minn. (US) | ||
| Filed on Dec. 17, 2004, as Appl. No. 11/15,783. | ||
| Application 11/015783 is a continuation of application No. 10/737256, filed on Dec. 15, 2003, granted, now 7,037,552. | ||
| Application 10/737256 is a continuation of application No. 10/045492, filed on Jan. 14, 2002, granted, now 6,682,771. | ||
| Application 10/045492 is a continuation in part of application No. 09/895415, filed on Jul. 02, 2001, granted, now 6,676,987. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0100655 A1, May 12, 2005 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. B05B 7/00 (2006.01); B05D 1/02 (2006.01); B05C 11/00 (2006.01); A61L 33/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 427—2.24 [427/2.1; 427/2.25; 427/2.28; 427/261; 427/425; 118/668; 118/669; 118/679] | 21 Claims |
| 1. A method for applying a coating onto a medical device comprising a plurality of struts which leave spaces between the struts,
the method comprising:
holding the medical device and providing direct access to the struts of the medical device;
using a vision system to determine the position and orientation of the medical device;
providing information from the vision system to a processor;
using the information provided from the vision system to the processor to provide command signals from the processor to a
solenoid fluid dispensing head;
spinning the medical device about a longitudinal axis such that the struts of the medical device and the spaces between the
struts of the medical device alternately become adjacent to the solenoid fluid dispensing head; and
receiving the command signals at the solenoid fluid dispensing head, the command signals including instructions to open the
solenoid fluid dispensing head only when an exposed strut of the medical device is adjacent the solenoid fluid dispensing
head and thereby force coating onto the struts of the medical device and to close the solenoid fluid dispensing head when
a space between struts of the medical device is adjacent the solenoid fluid dispensing head to prevent the flow of coating
from the solenoid fluid dispensing head, the solenoid fluid dispensing head in fluid communication with a first source of
coating.
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