Balloon Coating Apparatus Groove Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current balloon coating methods fail to consistently apply a drug coating in a controlled morphological form, leading to instability in the balloon's rotation and uneven drug distribution, which affects the drug's release and transfer to the lesion area.
Innovation Solution
A balloon coating method and apparatus that accommodates the balloon catheter's shaft in a groove to stabilize its rotation, using a dispensing tube to apply a coating liquid while rotating the balloon, ensuring accurate and controlled application of the drug coating, with adjustable support bases and dual rotation forces to prevent twisting and eccentricity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the balloon is rotated during coating without stabilization, then the coating process can be performed, but the balloon's rotation becomes unstable and the drug distribution becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
A support base with a groove is introduced as an intermediary device to stabilize the balloon catheter shaft during rotation. The groove receives and guides the shaft, ensuring stable rotational motion without affecting the coating process. This mediator resolves the contradiction by providing mechanical stability while allowing the coating to be applied uniformly.
2Manufacturing precision
If the shaft is accommodated in a groove with a lid, then the balloon rotation is stabilized and coating precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support base is segmented into functional components: a base structure, a groove for shaft accommodation, and a lid for closing the groove. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while maintaining overall simplicity. The groove provides stabilization, the lid prevents interference, and together they enable precise coating without requiring a complex overall structure.
3Productivity
If the balloon rotates at high speed for efficient coating, then productivity is improved, but the balloon may twist or become eccentric affecting coating quality
Solution Approach 1:
The support base with groove and lid is prepared in advance to provide a stable rotational environment. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that when the balloon rotates at high speed during coating, the pre-established mechanical guidance prevents twisting and eccentricity, maintaining coating uniformity while enabling high-speed operation for improved productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for precise control over the morphological form of the drug coating, ensuring appropriate drug distribution and release, reducing the risk of restenosis by stabilizing the balloon's rotation and maintaining consistent contact with the dispensing tube.
Implementation Method 1
accommodating the shaft in a groove formed in a support base so that the shaft extends rectilinearly; closing at least part of the groove with a lid, thereby to support the shaft such that the balloon can be rotated about an axis of the balloon
Implementation Method 2
moving a dispensing tube for supplying a coating liquid containing the drug relative to the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon, while rotating the balloon about an axis of the balloon, thereby to coat the outer surface of the balloon with the coating liquid
Implementation Method 3
The drug in the coating on the outer surface of the balloon can assume different morphological forms such as crystalline form, amorphous form and mixed forms thereof, depending on various conditions such as the length of time of volatilization of the solvent
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a balloon coating method for forming a coating layer containing a water-insoluble drug on an outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter, the balloon catheter including the balloon which is inflatable and provided on a distal portion of an elongate shaft. The balloon coating method includes: accommodating the shaft in a groove portion formed in a support base to extend rectilinearly, and closing at least part of the groove portion with a lid portion, thereby to support the shaft such that the shaft can be rotated within the groove portion; and moving a dispensing tube for supplying a coating liquid containing the drug relative to the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon, while rotating the balloon about an axis of the balloon, thereby to coat the outer surface of the balloon with the coating liquid.