The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 22, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 24, 1996
Gary E Gustafson, Darwin, MN (US);
Spectralytics, Inc., Litchfield, MN (US);
Abstract
A method of cutting a pattern in a hollow, tubular workpiece to form a stent or the like involves the use of a novel workpiece fixture. The workpiece fixture is rigidly carried on a laser cutting tool to support a long piece of stock tubing in a cantilever manner beneath the laser beam of the cutting tool. The fixture is spaced from the laser beam by a distance which is in a range of approximately the same as to slightly greater than the length of any axial repeat in the pattern. The laser beam cuts the pattern in the stock tubing piece as the stock tubing is advanced past the laser beam. The cutting takes place in a zone that is close to the end of the fixture and the cantilever support provided thereby.