Inflatable Balloons for Foldable Ultrasound Transducer Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intra cardiac echography (ICE) applications face challenges in deploying ultrasound transducers within the heart without requiring overly large catheters, and existing folding mechanisms for medical devices are complex, power-intensive, and may not provide adequate protection or biocompatibility.
Innovation Solution
A foldable ultrasound transducer assembly with a balloon-based folding mechanism, where flaps with ultrasound transducer elements are folded over each other and housed within a catheter, and balloons are used to unfold the flaps upon inflation, allowing for deployment and imaging within the heart while maintaining a compact size and providing protective cushioning and biocompatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If flaps with ultrasound transducer elements are folded over each other to fit inside a catheter, then the catheter size is reduced, but the deployment mechanism becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is divided into multiple segments or flaps that can be independently folded and deployed. Each flap contains ultrasound transducer elements and can be manipulated separately, allowing the overall catheter to be compact during insertion while expanding to full size for imaging operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The flaps are nested within each other in a compact configuration during insertion, similar to nested dolls. The first flap contains the second flap, which contains the third flap, creating a space-efficient bundled structure that fits within a smaller catheter diameter while maintaining all functional elements.
2Ease of operation
If complex folding mechanisms are used to deploy flaps, then deployment capability is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
A balloon located within the flaps is inflated with fluid to provide the force necessary for deploying the flaps from the bundled configuration to the expanded imaging configuration. This pneumatic/hydraulic approach replaces complex mechanical actuators, reducing power consumption while maintaining deployment capability.
3Measurement precision
If flaps are unfolded for imaging, then imaging capability is achieved, but protection and biocompatibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A balloon is positioned within the flaps to provide protective cushioning when the flaps are in the bundled configuration during insertion through the cardiovascular system. This pre-positioned protective element prevents clot formation and tissue damage during the insertion phase before imaging begins.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically transitions between two states: a protected bundled configuration during insertion where the balloon provides cushioning, and an expanded imaging configuration where the flaps are unfolded for ultrasound imaging. The balloon can be deflated or repositioned to allow proper flap deployment while maintaining protection during the vulnerable insertion phase.
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
Enables high-quality ultrasound imaging within the heart without a large catheter, with simpler manufacturing and operation, reduced power consumption, and enhanced safety through protective cushioning and reduced clot formation, while being biocompatible.
Implementation Method 1
one or more balloons coupled to the flaps, the balloons being configured to, upon being inflated, unfold the flaps from the folded configuration
Data Source
AI summary
Described embodiments include an apparatus that includes a plurality of flaps configured to fold over each other in a folded configuration. Each one of the flaps includes one or more ultrasound transducer elements. One or more balloons are coupled to the flaps, the balloons being configured to, upon being inflated, unfold the flaps from the folded configuration. Other embodiments are also described.