Medical Balloon Cone Section Wall Thickness Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The thicker cone sections of medical balloons, formed by blow molding, interfere with refolding and re-introduction into an introducer sheath, making it difficult to withdraw and re-deploy the balloon catheter for further treatment.
Innovation Solution
A material-removing machine with a rotating material-removing element, featuring a conical cavity, reduces the wall thickness of the cone sections by continuously removing material around the 360-degree exterior perimeter, facilitating easier refolding and re-introduction of the balloon catheter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If blow molding is used to form the medical balloon, then the balloon can be efficiently manufactured, but the cone sections become too thick, interfering with refolding and re-introduction into the sheath
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by removing material from the cone sections after balloon formation but before the balloon is put into service. The material removal machine is configured to receive an inflated balloon and selectively remove material from the cone sections, reducing their thickness to facilitate subsequent refolding and re-introduction operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the wall thickness parameter of the cone sections. The material removal machine selectively removes material to reduce the thickness of the cone sections from their original thicker state (after blow molding) to a reduced thickness that allows easy refolding and re-introduction, while preserving the body section thickness.
2Strength
If the cone sections maintain their original thickness from blow molding, then structural integrity is preserved, but the force required for re-introduction into the sheath increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively removing material only from the cone sections while leaving the body section and waist sections unchanged. The material removal machine is configured with a removal pattern that targets specifically the cone sections, reducing their thickness and the force required for re-introduction, while maintaining the structural integrity of other critical balloon portions.
3Ease of operation
If material is removed from the cone sections to reduce wall thickness, then refolding ease is improved, but additional manufacturing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing the material removal machine to automatically perform the material removal operation on inflated balloons. The machine receives the inflated balloon, selectively removes material from the cone sections through a controlled process, and outputs the modified balloon ready for storage or use, eliminating the need for manual intervention in the material removal process.
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
The reduced wall thickness of the cone sections decreases the force required for re-introduction into the sheath, enhancing the usability and efficiency of the balloon catheter for repeated treatments.
Implementation Method 1
a material-removing element operatively connected to a prime mover such that operation of the prime mover imparts rotation to the material-removing element about a rotational axis
Data Source
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AI summary
A material-removing machine (56) for removing material from a cone section (28b) of a medical balloon (12) includes a material-removing element (60) operatively connected to a prime mover (58) such that operation of the prime mover (58) imparts rotation to the material- removing element (60) about a rotational axis (Al). The material-removing element (60) includes an interior surface (90) defining a generally conical-shaped cavity (92) extending along the rotational axis (Al) and adapted to receive at least a longitudinal portion of a cone section (28b) of an expanded medical balloon (12) for removing material from the longitudinal portion of the cone section (28b) to reduce a wall thickness of the cone section (28b). Material may be removed continuously around a 360-degree exterior perimeter of the longitudinal portion of the cone section (28b) of the medical balloon (12) to reduce the thickness of the balloon wall defining the cone section.