Balloon Catheter Mold Uniform Heating via Center Axis Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing balloon catheters face challenges in achieving uniform temperature distribution within the mold, leading to non-uniform balloon thickness and potential bending issues due to the use of heater blocks with varying heating performance and air gaps between the jacket and mold.
Innovation Solution
The method involves placing a resin tubular body inside a mold, which is then heated within a jacket, with the heating jacket's energy stopped before or during the elongation process to ensure uniform temperature conduction, and optionally detaching the mold from the jacket to allow self-heating uniformity, followed by potential re-heating for annealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heater blocks are used to heat the mold from the periphery, then the mold can be heated, but the temperature distribution becomes non-uniform due to varying heating performance and air gaps between the jacket and mold
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function from the periphery-mounted heater blocks and relocates it to the center axis of the mold. The heating unit is positioned inside the mold cavity, directly heating the parison from the center rather than attempting to heat through the mold walls, thereby eliminating temperature distribution issues caused by air gaps and varying contact between the jacket and mold.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a heating unit that serves as an intermediary heating element positioned on the center axis of the mold. This heating unit directly heats the parison material from the center, acting as a mediator between the heat source and the workpiece, thereby achieving uniform temperature distribution without relying on peripheral heating through the mold structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If the heating jacket is detached from the mold during elongation, then temperature uniformity improves, but the process time increases due to re-heating requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by heating the parison material to the required temperature before elongation begins. The heating unit is positioned and activated in advance, ensuring the parison reaches optimal processing temperature prior to the elongation operation, thereby eliminating the need for re-heating after detachment and reducing overall cycle time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuity of useful action by keeping the heating unit positioned on the center axis throughout the entire process. The heating action continues uniformly during elongation without interruption or detachment, ensuring continuous heat supply and maintaining optimal temperature conditions throughout the forming process, thereby avoiding time losses from re-heating.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures a uniformly heated mold, resulting in balloons with consistent thickness and reduced bending, enhancing the quality of the balloon catheter production.
Implementation Method 1
heating the mold to a first molding temperature that is not lower than a secondary transition temperature and not higher than a primary transition temperature
Implementation Method 2
causing a pressurization fluid to flow into the preparatory parison and subjecting the preparatory parison to primary stretch, to perform primary molding into a balloon shape
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method for producing a balloon catheter having a high-quality balloon, the method enabling an entire mold to be uniformly heated. A method for producing a balloon catheter having a shaft extending in a distal-proximal direction and a balloon provided on a distal side of the shaft, the method comprising: a tubular body placement step of placing a resin tubular body (10) inside a mold (20); a mold placement step of placing the mold (20) inside a heating jacket (30); a heating start step of starting heating the heating jacket (30); an elongation start step of starting elongating the resin tubular body (10) in a lengthwise direction thereof an elongation end step of ending elongating the resin tubular body (10); and a heating end step of ending heating the heating jacket (30), wherein the heating end step is performed before the elongation end step.