Basket Catheter Barrel Electrodes With Locking Stub Attachment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current catheter-based ablation technologies for cardiac arrhythmias face challenges such as thermal risks with RF ablation and maneuvering difficulties with cryoablation, and existing electrode attachment methods are time-consuming and prone to failure due to improper bonding or misalignment.
Innovation Solution
A medical probe with electrodes that are crimped and locked to spines using a locking stub, eliminating the need for soldering, welding, or adhesives, and featuring a lumen for wire connection and insulative material for electrical isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If soldering, welding, or adhesives are used to attach electrodes to spines, then the electrode attachment is secure, but the manufacturing time and cost increase, and the risk of misalignment and bond failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical attachment methods (soldering, welding, adhesives) with a purely mechanical interference fit system. The locking stub with complementary geometric features (such as a square cross-section) engages with a corresponding receptacle in the spine, creating a secure mechanical bond without requiring thermal processes or chemical adhesives. This substitution eliminates the associated risks and complexities while maintaining attachment reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode design incorporates self-aligning features where the locking stub geometry automatically guides the electrode into proper alignment with the spine during assembly. The complementary shapes ensure that the electrode self-corrects minor positioning errors and locks into the correct position without requiring external alignment tools or complex positioning mechanisms, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process.
2Reliability
If soldering, welding, or adhesives are used to attach electrodes to spines, then the electrode attachment is secure, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex thermal and chemical processes (soldering, welding, adhesive application) with a simple mechanical interference fit. The locking stub geometry provides inherent alignment and securing functionality, eliminating the need for specialized equipment, controlled environments, or multi-step processes. This mechanical solution is inherently simpler to manufacture and assemble.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode is segmented into distinct functional components: the conductive body, the insulative coating, and the locking stub with specific geometric features. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and assembled through simple geometric interlocking, reducing manufacturing complexity compared to integrated designs requiring complex bonding processes.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional attachment methods are used, then electrode attachment is achieved, but the risk of misalignment and bond failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking stub incorporates asymmetric geometric features (such as a square or rectangular cross-section) that provide inherent alignment guidance. These asymmetric shapes ensure that the electrode can only be inserted in the correct orientation, preventing misalignment and ensuring precise positioning relative to the spine. The asymmetric geometry acts as a mechanical constraint that enforces proper alignment during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode design incorporates self-aligning features where the locking stub geometry automatically guides the electrode into proper alignment with the spine during assembly. The complementary shapes ensure that the electrode self-corrects minor positioning errors and locks into the correct position without requiring external alignment tools or complex positioning mechanisms, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed technology includes an electrode for a medical probe having an elongated body. At least a portion of the elongated body can be electrically conductive. The elongated body can define a lumen that extends through the elongated body along a longitudinal axis of the elongated body. The electrode can include a locking stub that extends at least partially into the lumen so that the locking stub is locked to a member inserted into the lumen.