Apparatus for crimping a stent

Abstract

An apparatus for crimping down a radially expandable stent to a pre-determined profile, the apparatus has at least one set of rollers, each set including a first roller having at least a first groove and a second roller also having at least a first groove, the first groove on the first roller having the same dimensions and corresponding in relative location along the roller with the first groove on the second roller. The first groove on the first roller is aligned with the corresponding first groove on the second roller so that the respective first grooves together define an aperture whereby on rotation of the rollers, a stent advanced toward the rollers is drawn into the aperture thereby crimping down the stent to the pre-determined diameter.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for crimping a stent, the apparatus comprising: 
 A mounting block;    A first pair of rollers comprising a first roller having a first groove and a second roller having a second groove, the first pair of rollers positioned on the mounting block such that the first groove is aligned with the second groove to form a first aperture for receiving a stent therethrough.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a first pair of grooves defined by the first and second grooves and a second pair of rollers having a pair of grooves, the second pair of rollers positioned on the mounting block such that the pair of grooves are aligned to form a second aperture for receiving the stent therethrough, the second aperture smaller in diameter than the first aperture.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the second pair of rollers are mounted in succession to the first pair of rollers.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus of  claim 2  and further comprising a third pair of rollers having a third pair of grooves, the third pair of rollers positioned on the mounting block such that the third pair of grooves are aligned to form a third aperture for receiving the stent therethrough, the third aperture smaller in diameter than the second aperture.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus of claim where the third pair of rollers are mounted perpendicular to the second pair of rollers.  
     
     
         1 . An apparatus of  claim 1  and further comprising a n+1 pair of rollers having a n+1 pair of grooves, the n+1 pair of rollers positioned on the mounting block such that the n+1 pair of grooves are aligned to form a n+1 aperture for receiving the stent therethrough, the n+1 aperture smaller in diameter than the nth aperture.  
     
     
         2 . An apparatus of claim  6  where the n+1 pair of rollers are mounted perpendicular to the nth pair of rollers.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus for crimping a stent, the apparatus comprising: 
 A mounting block;    A first pair of rollers comprising a first roller having a first groove and a second roller having a second groove, the first pair of rollers positioned on the mounting block for transverse rotation such that the first groove is aligned with the second groove to form a first aperture for receiving a stent therethrough, the first aperture has a substantially circular cross section and predetermined diameter.    
     
     
         9 . An apparatus of claim  8  further comprising a first pair of grooves defined by the first and second grooves and a second pair of rollers having a pair of grooves, the second pair of rollers positioned on the mounting block for transverse rotation such that the pair of grooves are aligned to form a second aperture for receiving the stent therethrough, the second aperture having a substantially circular cross section and a predetermined diameter smaller than predetermined aperture of the first pair of rollers.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the second pair of rollers is mounted in succession to the first pair of rollers.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus of  claim 9  and further comprising a third pair of rollers having a third pair of grooves, the third pair of rollers positioned on the mounting block for transverse rotation such that the third pair of grooves are aligned to form a third aperture for receiving the stent therethrough, the third aperture having a substantially circular cross section and a predetermined diameter smaller than the predetermined aperture of the second pair of rollers.