Balloon Catheter with Inner Projections for Pressure Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Balloon catheters face a challenge in achieving high pressure resistance while maintaining passability through the body, as increasing strength often results in a larger outer diameter, which can hinder navigation through blood vessels.
Innovation Solution
The balloon catheter incorporates linear projections on the inflation/deflation portion, including both outer and inner projections, to enhance pressure resistance without significantly increasing the outer diameter, with the outer projections providing slip resistance and inner projections reducing the diameter of tapered portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the strength of the balloon is increased by forming a projecting portion on the outer surface, then the pressure resistance is improved, but the outer diameter is increased, making it likely that the passability in the body is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming projections on the outer surface of the balloon to increase strength, the patent inverts the approach by forming recesses on the outer surface and corresponding projections on the inner surface. This allows the balloon to achieve enhanced pressure resistance through internal structural reinforcement without increasing the external dimensions, thereby maintaining passability through blood vessels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating specific recesses and projections only at critical locations on the balloon - specifically at the tip end and base end portions. This localized structural modification reinforces the balloon at areas most susceptible to pressure while minimizing the overall impact on the balloon's outer diameter and maintaining its ability to navigate through the body.
2Strength
If the balloon is reinforced to resist deformation during inflation, then the pressure resistance is improved, but the device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the reinforcement function into the balloon wall structure itself by forming recesses and projections as integral parts of the balloon. This eliminates the need for separate reinforcing elements or additional components, thereby achieving enhanced pressure resistance without increasing device complexity. The recesses and projections are formed directly in the balloon material during manufacturing.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(d)
AI summary
A balloon catheter 10 that comprises a balloon 13 that is formed from a film part 29 that has a prescribed thickness. The balloon 13 has an expanding/contracting part that can expand and contract. The expanding/contracting part has: a straight tube section 13c at which the diameter of the expanding/contracting part is greatest during expansion; and a pair of cone sections 13b, 13d that are provided at a base-end side and a tip-end side of the straight tube section 13c. The film part 29 of the balloon 13 has linear projections provided thereto. The linear projections protrude in the thickness direction and extend in the axial direction along the surface of the film part 29. At the straight tube section 13c, there is a projection 31 that protrudes to the outside of the balloon 13, and at the cone sections 13b, 13d, there are projection 32, 33 that protrude to the inside of the balloon 13.