Apparatus for loading shape memory gripper mechanisms

Patent · Sun Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2000

OSTI ID:873768

Lee, Abraham P ^[1]; Benett, William J ^[2]; Schumann, Daniel L ^[3]; Krulevitch, Peter A ^[4]; Fitch, Joseph P ^[2]

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1. Walnut Creek, CA
2. Livermore, CA
3. Concord, CA
4. Pleasanton, CA

A method and apparatus for loading deposit material, such as an embolic coil, into a shape memory polymer (SMP) gripping/release mechanism. The apparatus enables the application of uniform pressure to secure a grip by the SMP mechanism on the deposit material via differential pressure between, for example, vacuum within the SMP mechanism and hydrostatic water pressure on the exterior of the SMP mechanism. The SMP tubing material of the mechanism is heated to above the glass transformation temperature (Tg) while reshaping, and subsequently cooled to below Tg to freeze the shape. The heating and/or cooling may, for example, be provided by the same water applied for pressurization or the heating can be applied by optical fibers packaged to the SMP mechanism for directing a laser beam, for example, thereunto. At a point of use, the deposit material is released from the SMP mechanism by reheating the SMP material to above the temperature Tg whereby it returns to its initial shape. The reheating of the SM material may be carried out by injecting heated fluid (water) through an associated catheter or by optical fibers and an associated beam of laser light, for example.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6240630
• OSTI ID: 873768
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/29/606/
apparatus
apparatus enables
application
applied
associated
beam
below
carried
catheter
coil
cooled
cooling
deposit
deposit material
differential
differential pressure
directing
embolic
embolic coil
enables
example
exterior
fibers
fluid
freeze
glass
grip
gripper
gripping
heated
heated fluid
heating
hydrostatic
initial
injecting
laser
laser beam
laser light
light
loading
material
material via
mechanism
mechanisms
memory
memory polymer
method
optical
optical fiber
optical fibers
packaged
polymer
pressure
pressurization
provided
reheating
release
release mechanism
released
reshaping
returns
secure
shape
shape memory
smp
smp material
subsequently
temperature
temperature tg
tg
thereunto
transformation
tubing
uniform
uniform pressure
vacuum
via
water
water pressure
whereby