Microwave Ablation Probe Tip Centering Tube for Precise Antenna Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microwave ablation probes face challenges in achieving a small, repeatable, and high-quality ablation zone while minimizing damage to surrounding tissues, due to manufacturing complexities and the need for precise positioning of components.
Innovation Solution
The microwave ablation probe tip features a centering tube that ensures robust attachment, self-centering, and protective functions, including a polyimide centering tube to receive the ferrule and antenna, preventing adhesive deposition and maintaining accurate positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the microwave ablation antenna and needle are made small to minimize damage to surrounding tissues, then tissue damage is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases and positioning precision becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
A centering tube is introduced as an intermediary component between the needle and the microwave antenna. This centering tube simplifies the manufacturing process by providing a standardized interface that eases the positioning and attachment of the antenna to the needle, thereby reducing the overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining the small size of the device to minimize tissue damage.
2Manufacturing precision
If the microwave ablation antenna is positioned precisely to achieve repeatable ablation zones, then ablation zone consistency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The centering tube serves as a mediator that simplifies the positioning process. It provides a standardized structural interface that guides the microwave antenna into the correct position relative to the needle, thereby achieving consistent and repeatable ablation zones without requiring extremely high manufacturing precision for the overall assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The centering tube is pre-formed with specific dimensional characteristics that predetermined the positioning relationship between the needle and antenna. This preliminary structuring of the positioning interface ensures that when the antenna is attached, it automatically assumes the correct position, achieving consistent ablation zones while reducing the complexity of the positioning process.
3Reliability
If adhesive is applied during assembly to secure components, then component attachment is improved, but adhesive deposition on the ferrule or antenna causes manufacturing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The centering tube acts as a protective intermediary barrier between the adhesive and the microwave antenna and ferrule. During assembly, adhesive can be applied to secure the centering tube to the needle without risking deposition on the antenna or ferrule, thereby maintaining reliable component attachment while preventing manufacturing defects caused by adhesive contamination.
Data Source
AI summary
A microwave ablation probe tip includes a post portion configured to be received in an ablation probe needle. The post portion includes a center bore and a centering tube projecting out of the center bore. The centering tube is configured to receive a microwave antenna.