Patents by Inventor Yung-Ming Chen

Yung-Ming Chen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method of making a coated stent
    Patent number: 8167931
    Abstract: A stent with at least one severable supporting device and methods of coating using the same are disclosed. The severable supporting device can be an end tube or a tab attached to some portion of the stent by at least one “gate” or attachment. The end tube or tab may be part of the design of the stent when it is originally manufactured, or it may be attached to the stent in a secondary process by a biocompatible glue or solder. The end tube or tab can be used to support a stent during a coating process eliminating the need for a mandrel which would otherwise contact the stent during the coating process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yung-Ming Chen, Eric Aldenbrook
  • System for Coating a Stent
    Publication number: 20120097094
    Abstract: A system for forming a coating on a stent has a hub for holding a plurality of cartridges. Each cartridge has a plurality of mandrels, each mandrel capable of supporting a stent. A chamber has a drying section and a spray coating section, and is configured to receive a cartridge from the hub. An arm moves a cartridge from the hub to the chamber. A spray applicator applies a coating composition to a stent in the spray coating section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventors: Arkady Kokish, Yung-Ming Chen, Jason Van Sciver, Roberto Listek
  • Systems and methods for inspection of stents
    Patent number: 8134700
    Abstract: A system and method for inspecting stents can involve an inspection camera to take an image of the stent and a computer system for analyzing the image to determine the presence of any coating defects. The determination can be made by masking out a portion of the stent, identifying deviations from a strut edge, and/or highlighting features protruding from a stent external boundary defining an outer diameter. The image can be taken after a focus feedback camera determines the position of the stent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignees: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., ATS Automation Tooling Systems
    Inventors: Ian Cameron, Andrew David Coppin Maw, Hong Zhang, Calden Wloka, Sidney Watterodt, Sang joon Park, Anthony S. Andreacchi, Yung-Ming Chen, Arnoldo M. Currlin, Antonio Garcia, Jason Van Sciver, Bryan D. Glenn
  • Coating abluminal surfaces of stents and other implantable medical devices
    Patent number: 8117984
    Abstract: A sleeve is positioned over a radially-expandable rod assembly and a stent is positioned over the sleeve. A mandrel is inserted into the rod assembly to thereby press the sleeve against the inner surface of the stent and expand the stent. A coating (such as a solvent, a polymer and/or a therapeutic substance) is then applied to the outer (abluminal) surfaces of the stent, by spraying, for example. The sleeve advantageously prevents the coating material from being applied to inner (luminal) surfaces of the stent and also allows the coating material to be efficiently applied to the abluminal surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yung Ming Chen, Jeff H. Smith, Celenia Gutierrez
  • Apparatus and method for coating and drying multiple stents
    Patent number: 8109230
    Abstract: A coating and drying apparatus for the application of a coating substance to a stent and drying the stent is provided. The apparatus can include a cartridge. The cartridge can comprise a core, a plurality of stent mandrels, a first clutch, and a second clutch. The core can extend outwards from a circumference of the core. Each stent mandrel can be capable of supporting a stent. The first clutch can be coupled to the core and capable of being removeably coupled to a first shaft such that rotation of the first shaft enables rotation of the core. The second clutch can be coupled to the plurality of stent mandrels and capable of being removeably coupled to a second shaft such that rotation of the second shaft enables rotation of the stent mandrels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Arkady Kokish, Yung-Ming Chen, Jason Van Sciver, Roberto Listek
  • Stent Support Devices
    Publication number: 20120029616
    Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and devices for coating stents are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan E. Guerriero, Yung-Ming Chen, Celenia Gutierrez, Ian J. Coulson, Nathan Harold, Andrew Tochterman
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INSPECTION OF STENTS
    Publication number: 20120013732
    Abstract: A system and method for inspecting stents can involve an inspection camera to take an image of the stent and a computer system for analyzing the image to determine the presence of any coating defects. The determination can be made by masking out a portion of the stent, identifying deviations from a strut edge, and/or highlighting features protruding from a stent external boundary defining an outer diameter. The image can be taken after a focus feedback camera determines the position of the stent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Ian Cameron, Andrew David Coppin Maw, Hong Zhang, Calden Wloka, Sidney Watterodt, Sang Joon Park, Anthony S. Andreacchi, Yung-Ming Chen, Arnoldo M. Currlin, Antonio Garcia, Jason Van Sciver, Bryan D. Glenn
  • Methods for electrostatic coating of an abluminal stent surface
    Patent number: 8097292
    Abstract: A stent mandrel fixture for supporting a stent during the electrostatic application of a coating substance is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc,
    Inventors: Yung-Ming Chen, Fuh-Wei Tang
  • Systems and methods for the inspection of stents
    Patent number: 8081307
    Abstract: A system and method for inspecting stents can involve an inspection camera to take an image of the stent and a computer system for analyzing the image to determine the presence of any coating defects. The determination can be made by masking out a portion of the stent, identifying deviations from a strut edge, and/or highlighting features protruding from a stent external boundary defining an outer diameter. The image can be taken after a focus feedback camera determines the position of the stent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignees: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Cameron, Andrew David Coppin Maw, Hong Zhang, Calden Wloka, Sidney Watterodt, Sang joon Park, Anthony S. Andreacchi, Yung-Ming Chen, Arnoldo M. Currlin, Antonio Garcia, Jason Van Sciver, Bryan D. Glenn
  • Laser System And Processing Conditions For Manufacturing Bioabsorbable Stents
    Publication number: 20110307050
    Abstract: The present invention involves laser machining polymer substrates to form a stent with laser parameters that minimize damage to the substrate in a surface region adjacent to the machined edge surface. The wavelength and pulse width are selected for this unique application and they can be controlled to minimize the surface modifications (such as voids, cracks which are induced by the laser-material interaction) which contribute to the variation in mechanical properties with distance from the edge surface, bulk mechanical properties, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventors: Joel Harrington, Ryan Vaughan, Kevin Jow, William Pippey, Yung-Ming Chen
  • Stent support devices
    Patent number: 8069814
    Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and devices for coating stents are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan E. Guerriero, Yung-Ming Chen, Celenia Gutierrez, Ian J. Coulson, Nathan Harold, Andrew Tochterman
  • Abluminal, multilayer coating constructs for drug-delivery stents
    Patent number: 8062353
    Abstract: Implantable medical devices may include at least one structural element having an abluminal side, luminal side, and sidewalls between the abluminal and luminal sides. The coating may include at least two continuous coating layers. In some embodiments, the luminal side, and all or a majority of the sidewalls are free of at least two of the coating layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Dirk Pacetti, Jessica DesNoyer, Yung-Ming Chen, Lothar Kleiner, Syed F. A. Hossainy
  • Methods for coating implantable medical devices
    Patent number: 8057844
    Abstract: Methods for coating an implantable medical device, such as a stent, are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yung-Ming Chen, Henjen Ho
  • Method and system for aligning a stent with a stent support
    Patent number: 8055360
    Abstract: A system and method of aligning a stent with a stent support involves taking two images of the stent that has been placed on the stent support and determining from the two images whether the stent is aligned with the stent support. The stent can be rotated so that the two images are of different views of the stent. A computer can be configured to receive the images and to determine the whether the stent is aligned. A backlight can be used to take images of the stent in silhouette. A portion of the stent support can be re-positioned based on an image taken of the stent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignees: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Sang joon Park, Shaulaine Choo, Anthony S. Andreacchi, Yung-Ming Chen, Arnoldo M. Currlin, Antonio Garcia, Jason Van Sciver, Thomas David Esbeck, Bryan D. Glenn
  • STENT COATING METHOD
    Publication number: 20110244112
    Abstract: A stent is coated by ejecting droplets of a coating substance from a reservoir containing a coating substance. A reservoir housing can have a plurality of reservoir compartments. A transducer is used to eject the coating substance from the reservoir. Energy from the transducer is focused at a meniscus or an interface between the coating substance and another coating substance in the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Van Sciver, Yung-Ming Chen, Lothar Kleiner
  • STENT COATING APPARATUS USING FOCUSED ACOUSTIC ENERGY
    Publication number: 20110239939
    Abstract: An apparatus for coating a stent includes an optical feedback system used to align a transducer with a stent strut. Once alignment is achieved, the transducer causes a coating to be ejected onto the stent strut and the transducer is moved along the stent strut to coat the stent strut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Van Sciver, Yung-Ming Chen, Lothar Kleiner
  • Method for Coating Stents
    Publication number: 20110217450
    Abstract: A method for coating a stent can involve a device having a drying zone, a spray zone, and movable member for positioning a stent in the drying zone and another stent in the spray zone. Each stent can be on a support. A force can be applied to the outside surface of a stent to prevent rotation of the stent with respect to the support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Inventors: Bryan Russell Hemphill, Andrew James McKay, Sang joon Park, Aaron Meyer Waese, Anthony S. Andreacchi, Yung-Ming Chen, Arnoldo M. Currlin, Antonio Garcia, Jason Van Sciver
  • System and method for coating a stent
    Patent number: 8003157
    Abstract: A system for coating a stent includes a device for weighing a stent, a device for aligning the stent with a stent support, a device for coating the stent, a device for drying the stent, and a device for inspecting the stent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignees: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony S. Andreacchi, Yung-Ming Chen, Arnoldo M. Currlin, Antonio Garcia, Jason Van Sciver, Bryan D. Glenn
  • Abluminal stent coating apparatus and method of using focused acoustic energy
    Patent number: 7976891
    Abstract: The apparatus and method use an optical feedback system to align a transducer with a stent strut. Once alignment is achieved, the transducer causes a coating to be ejected onto the stent strut and the transducer is moved along the stent strut to coat the stent strut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Van Sciver, Yung-Ming Chen, Lothar Kleiner
  • Method and Apparatus for Weighing a Stent
    Publication number: 20110148130
    Abstract: An apparatus for weighing a stent includes a buffer for storing a stent support with a stent mounted thereon, a stent mounting and dismounting assembly that mounts and dismounts the stent from the stent support, a robotic arm for moving the stent support with the stent between the buffer and the stent mounting and dismounting assembly, and a scale assembly for weighing the stent. The stent mounting and dismounting assembly moves the stent into the scale assembly after the stent has been dismount from the stent support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Bryan Russell Hemphill, Andrew James McKay, Sang Joon Park, Aaron Meyer Waese, Anthony S. Andreacchi, Yung-Ming Chen, Arnoldo Currlin, Antonio Garcia, Jason Van Sciver