Crimping Tool Radial Compression for Stent Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for crimping stents to reduce their diameter for deployment are often non-uniform, leading to deformation and increased waste, which complicates heart valve implantation and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A crimping tool with a compression assembly and actuation lever that radially compresses stents within a housing, allowing for precise reduction in diameter and easy loading into delivery devices, minimizing deformation and waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual or non-uniform crimping methods are used, then the crimping process is simple, but the stent deformation increases and manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The crimping device divides the compression force application into multiple segments through several compression elements distributed around the stent circumference. Each compression element independently applies force to a specific segment of the stent, ensuring uniform radial compression throughout the entire stent structure and preventing localized deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression elements are designed with specific local geometries and compliance characteristics tailored to the stent's structural features. Each compression element can be adjusted to apply appropriate force distribution at different locations around the stent, accounting for variations in stent wall thickness and structural density to achieve uniform crimping.
2Manufacturing precision
If repeated crimping is performed to correct non-uniform crimping, then the stent can be re-crimped, but the stent structure weakens and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates adjustment mechanisms that allow the compression elements to be positioned and calibrated before the crimping operation begins. This preliminary setup ensures that the correct compression force and distribution are applied from the first crimping attempt, eliminating the need for re-crimping and protecting the stent's structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The crimping device includes measurement and control systems that monitor the crimping process in real-time, providing feedback on the uniformity of compression applied to the stent. This feedback allows for immediate adjustments during the crimping operation to ensure uniform deformation, preventing the need for corrective re-crimping that would compromise stent reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If non-uniform crimping occurs, then the stent may be re-crimped or discarded, but the time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The crimping device is designed with self-aligning and self-adjusting features that automatically ensure uniform compression without requiring manual intervention or multiple adjustment steps. The device performs the crimping operation in a single controlled action, eliminating the need for re-crimping operations and maximizing productivity while maintaining high manufacturing precision.
4Reliability
If uniform crimping is achieved, then the stent maintains structural integrity, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compression elements are nested within a compact housing structure that integrates multiple functions into a single device. The compression elements can be retracted into the housing when not in use and deployed during crimping operations, maintaining a compact form factor while providing the complex multi-element compression system needed to ensure uniform stent crimping and maintain structural integrity.
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
The tool enables uniform crimping of stents to approximately 50% of their original size, reducing deformation risks and waste, while facilitating efficient deployment during heart valve implantation.
Implementation Method 1
radially compressing a stent from a first diameter to a reduced second diameter
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3A
AI summary
A crimping tool for crimping a stented heart valve comprises a housing having a front wall and a back wall, a compression assembly disposed between the front wall and the back wall and including a stent receiving chamber therewithin for receiving a stented heart valve, and a delivery device holder slidably coupled to the front wall of the housing. The compression assembly is movable between an uncrimped position and a crimped position to reduce the diameter of the stented heart valve.