1. A stent adapted to be implanted in a blood vessel comprising:
a stent body comprising a biologically inert metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, iridium, gold, and alloys thereof; and
a coating of an active metal adapted to corrode when implanted in the blood vessel, the active metal comprising zinc or iron, wherein one or more portions of the stent body are uncoated to allow for direct exposure of the one or more portions of the stent body to body fluid when the stent is implanted within a body lumen, wherein the coating is upstream or downstream of at least one uncoated portion.
2. The stent of claim 1, wherein the active metal comprises zinc.
3. The stent of claim 1, wherein the active metal comprises iron.
4. The stent of claim 1, wherein the biologically inert metal comprises platinum.
5. The stent of claim 1, wherein the biologically inert metal comprises palladium.
6. The stent of claim 1, wherein the biologically inert metal comprises gold.
7. The stent of claim 1, wherein the active metal acts as an anode and the biologically inert metal acts as a cathode when the stent is implanted within a blood vessel.
8. The stent of claim 7, wherein the active metal and the biologically inert metal are both directly exposed to the flow of body fluid in a blood vessel when the stent is implanted in a blood vessel.
9. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent comprises a body of the biologically inert metal and a coating of the active metal.
10. The stent of claim 9, wherein the coating of the active metal is a partial coating such that the active metal acts as an anode and uncoated portions of the body act as a cathode.
11. The stent of claim 10, wherein the uncoated portions of the body are upstream of the coated portions of the body.
12. The stent of claim 1, wherein the active metal is adapted to electrochemically convert, in a body fluid stream environment, at least one substance present in the body fluid into a therapeutic agent.
13. The stent of claim 12, wherein the at least one substance is a normal body fluid constituent.
14. The stent of claim 13, wherein the normal body fluid constituent is selected from the group consisting of water, moledular oxygen, nitrite and nitrite ions and L-arginine.
15. The stent of claim 12, wherein the at least one substance is a substance administered to the body.
16. The stent of claim 15, wherein the at least one substance is selected from the group consisting of nitrite ions, nitrate ions, and a combination thereof.
17. The stent of claim 12, wherein the therapeutic agent is an oxidizing agent.
18. The stent of claim 12, wherein the therapeutic agent is the vasodilating agent, nitric oxide.
19. A stent adapted to be implanted in a blood vessel comprising:
a stent body comprising a biologically inert metal selected from the group consisting of palladium and alloys thereof; and
a coating of an active metal adapted to corrode when implanted in the blood vessel, the active metal comprising iron, wherein one or more portions of the stent body are uncoated to allow for direct exposure of the one or more portions of the stent body to body fluid when the stent is implanted within a body lumen, wherein the coating is upstream or downstream of at least one uncoated portion.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for handling a work piece for an EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) machining process, the method comprising:
providing the work piece in a first position;
grasping the work piece with a first automated gripping device mounted to a robotic manipulator;
transferring the work piece with the robotic manipulator from the first position to a second position in a vessel where the work piece can be accessed by an EDM machine tool;
introducing a dielectric fluid to the vessel; and
grasping the work piece in the second position with a second automated gripping device wherein the work piece is positioned for machining by the EDM machine tool.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the machine tool comprises a wire EDM machine tool.
3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein grasping the work piece with the first automated gripping device comprises grasping the work piece between a first jaw and a second jaw of the first automated gripping device.
4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the second jaw is stationary, and wherein grasping the work piece between the first jaw and the second jaw comprises translating the first jaw toward the stationary second jaw.
5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein grasping the work piece with the second automated gripping device comprises grasping the work piece between a first jaw and a second jaw of the second automated gripping device.
6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the second jaw is stationery, and wherein grasping the work piece between the first jaw and the second jaw comprises translating the first jaw toward the stationary second jaw.
7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises releasing the work piece from the grasp of the first automated gripping device and removing the first automated gripping device from the vessel.
8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises electrical discharge machining the work piece.
9. A system for handling a work piece for an EDM machining process, the system comprising:
a robotic manipulator;
a first automated gripping device mounted to the robotic manipulator and adapted to grip a work piece located in a first position;
a second automated gripping device adapted to receive and retain the work piece in a second position located in a vessel including at least some dielectric fluid for machining by an EDM machine tool; and
means for controlling the operation of the robotic manipulator, the first gripping device, and the second gripping device to position the first gripping device whereby the first gripping device grips the work piece, the robotic manipulator transfers the work piece from the first position to the second position, and the second gripping device grips the work piece to retain the work piece in a the second position whereby the work piece can be machined by the EDM machine tool.
10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein machine tool comprises a wire EDM tool.
11. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the first automated gripping device comprises a first jaw and a second jaw adapted to engage the work piece therebetween.
12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the second jaw is stationary and the first jaw is mounted for translation toward the second jaw.
13. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the second automated gripping device comprises a first jaw and a second jaw adapted engage the work piece therebetween.
14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the system further comprises an electrical discharge machining tool adapted to machine the work piece in the second position.