A method is disclosed for forming a coating layer on an outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter. The method includes supplying a coating solution containing a drug and a solvent through an end portion of a flexible dispensing tube with an opening portion for discharging the coating solution through the end portion of the flexible dispensing tube; keeping in contact an opening portion-formed end portion side of the dispensing tube with the outer surface of the balloon in such a manner as to be oriented in a direction opposite to a rotating direction of the balloon; rotating the balloon about an axis of the balloon; and discharging the coating solution through the opening portion and applying the coating solution to the outer surface of the balloon while the dispensing tube is moved relative to the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon.

A method and system for retaining and transferring an article uses a frame and a receptacle. The frame is inserted to interact with the receptacle. The article is placed over the frame and receptacle. The article and the frame may be simultaneously removed from the receptacle.

A vacuum chuck adapted for mounting on a lower turret assembly. The lower turret assembly is part a sealant liner applicator. The sealant liner applicator includes an upper turret assembly and a sealant gun, under computer control. The sealant gun is used for applying a sealant around a periphery of an inside of a can or jar lid. The vacuum chuck includes in one embodiment an impeller, with spiral vanes, for creating vacuum air. The impeller is mounted on top of an involute. A top portion of the impeller is adapted for receiving the can lid and held thereon using the vacuum air produced when the impeller and the involute are spun at high speeds, in a range of 1000 to 4000 rpm, on a lower turret assembly.

A balloon coating method for forming a coating layer containing a water-insoluble drug on an outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter includes: inserting a core member into a guide wire lumen penetrating the balloon, disposing a proximal portion of the core member on a proximal side of a region of inflation of the balloon, with a distal portion of the core member protruded distally beyond a distal opening portion of the guide wire lumen, and fixing by clamping together with the core member a part of the balloon catheter that is on a distal side of the region of inflation; and moving a dispensing tube for supplying a coating liquid containing the drug relative to the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon, while rotating the balloon about an axis of the balloon, thereby to apply the coating liquid to the outer surface of the balloon.

A balloon coating method is disclosed for forming a coating layer on an outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter. The method includes an application step where a vertically extending dispensing tube for supplying a coating solution containing the water-insoluble drug and a solvent is formed at its end portion with an opening portion for discharging the coating solution therethrough and when an opening portion-formed end portion side of the dispensing tube is kept in contact with the outer surface of the balloon in such a manner as to be oriented to a rotating direction of the balloon while the balloon is rotated about an axis of the balloon, the coating solution is discharged through the opening portion and applied to the outer surface of the balloon while the dispensing tube is moved relative to the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon.

Provided are a dip coating device which minimizes attachment of a coating material to a member to which a member to be coated is fixed, thereby facilitating coating of the member to be coated and a method for producing a coated member which is obtained by dip coating a member to be coated with a coating material. The dip coating device 10 of the present invention for coating a member to be coated 20 with a coating material 70, comprises a reservoir 30 that stores a coating material 70, a first fixing part 40 that holds a member to be coated 20, and a second fixing part 50 directly or indirectly provided on a wall 31 of the reservoir 30, wherein the first fixing part 40 and the second fixing part 50 magnetically attract to each other.

Disclosed is an installation for producing thermoplastic containers including: a container coating station including an input wheel and an output wheel; an upstream transfer wheel that is tangent with the input wheel in an input tangential zone; and a downstream transfer wheel that is tangent with the output wheel in an output tangential zone. The installation includes a bypass wheel that is directly tangent with the upstream transfer wheel in an upstream tangential zone and the bypass wheel that is directly tangent with the downstream transfer wheel in a downstream tangential zone.

A positioning method for balloon coating by which the thickness and morphological form of a drug in a coating formed on a balloon can be suitably set. This method is a positioning method for balloon coating for forming a coating layer containing a water-insoluble drug on an outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter. The positioning method includes a positioning step in which a dispensing tube is moved, from a state of non-contact with the balloon, in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the dispensing tube, and an opening portion-formed end portion side of the dispensing tube formed at its end portion with an opening portion for discharging a coating solution is thereby placed in contact with the outer surface of the balloon.

Disclosed are stent holding devices having a support mandrel and one or more stent retaining fixtures disposed on the mandrel. The retaining fixture may include a character identifier to facilitate tracking a stent mounted on the holding device. The retaining fixture may include a conical protrusion and a conical recess to allow any number of retaining fixtures to engage each other and be stacked on the mandrel. The retaining fixture may include a tubular member having a spiral cut that enables the diameter of the tubular member to be adjusted to allow for a frictional fit on the mandrel. The retaining fixture may have a Z-shaped or T-shaped structure configured to retain a stent. The stent retaining fixture may also have a filament for retaining a stent.

Disclosed is a method of applying a coating to a glass sleeve with an inner surface and an outer surface, the glass sleeve configured as a part of a solar-receiver tube. Thereby, the coating is solely applied to one of the surfaces of the glass sleeve. Also disclosed is a method of fixing such glass sleeve in an interior of a coating tank, such coating tank and a fixing arrangement for fixing such glass sleeve in an interior of a coating tank.