CPC B29B 11/04 (2013.01) [A61F 2/915 (2013.01); A61F 2/958 (2013.01); A61F 2/9524 (2020.05); A61L 31/00 (2013.01); B29C 65/66 (2013.01); B29C 65/7817 (2013.01); B29C 66/532 (2013.01); B29C 66/63 (2013.01); B29C 66/71 (2013.01); B29C 66/73117 (2013.01); B29C 66/73791 (2013.01); B29C 66/91411 (2013.01); B29C 66/91945 (2013.01); B29C 66/9292 (2013.01); B29C 66/92445 (2013.01); B29C 66/92921 (2013.01); B29C 67/0014 (2013.01); A61F 2/9522 (2020.05); A61F 2002/9583 (2013.01); A61F 2250/0067 (2013.01); B29C 55/24 (2013.01); B29C 66/91421 (2013.01); B29C 66/949 (2013.01); B29C 2793/0009 (2013.01); B29K 2101/00 (2013.01); B29L 2028/00 (2013.01); B29L 2031/7534 (2013.01); B29L 2031/7543 (2013.01)] | 8 Claims |
1. A method for crimping a polymer scaffold to a balloon, comprising:
using a crimping mechanism, crimping the scaffold to the balloon, including maintaining a pressure in the balloon as the scaffold diameter is being reduced in size, the crimping comprising
(a) reducing a scaffold diameter from a first diameter to a second diameter;
(b) reducing the scaffold diameter from the second diameter to a final diameter; and
(c) interrupting the reduction of the scaffold diameter during step (a) and step (b) by performing a dwell break at step (a) and step (b) during which the scaffold diameter is held constant for a dwell period of time, wherein the dwell period at step (a) and the dwell period at step (b) is the same, and wherein the reduction of the scaffold diameter from the first diameter to the final diameter is by no more than 40% reduction in diameter before each of the dwell breaks,
wherein the balloon has a first pressure during a stress relaxation period and a second pressure lower than the first pressure during step (b).
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