Catheter Braid Stiffness Adjustment via Wire Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catheters face challenges in manufacturing due to the difficulty in arranging wires of different stiffness, and they often lack improved flexibility and kink resistance.
Innovation Solution
A catheter design featuring a braid constructed from a combination of third wires and fourth wires, where the second wire is composed of third wires with a predetermined width and fourth wires with a smaller width, allowing for easy adjustment of stiffness, flexibility, and kink resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two kinds of wire rods with different stiffness are wound around the inner cylinder to adjust catheter strength and stiffness, then the catheter's flexibility and kink resistance are improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to difficulty in arranging wires of different stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The braid is divided into multiple layers with different wire configurations. The first layer contains wire rods of first stiffness, the second layer contains wire rods of second stiffness, and the third layer contains wire rods of third stiffness. This segmentation allows each layer to contribute differently to the catheter's mechanical properties while simplifying the manufacturing process by organizing wires of different stiffness into distinct layers rather than mixing them randomly.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the braid have different wire stiffness characteristics. The first layer uses wire rods with first stiffness for basic structural support, the second layer uses wire rods with second stiffness for enhanced flexibility, and the third layer uses wire rods with third stiffness for improved kink resistance. This local quality variation allows optimization of specific catheter regions for specific functions while maintaining overall manufacturing feasibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple wire rods of different stiffness are used in the braid, then the catheter's adjustable properties (strength, flexibility, kink resistance) are improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases due to difficulty in arranging wires
Solution Approach 1:
The braid structure is segmented into three distinct layers, each containing wire rods of a specific stiffness type. This segmentation transforms the complex task of arranging multiple different stiffness wires into three simpler, repetitive tasks of arranging wires layer by layer, significantly improving ease of manufacture while maintaining the ability to adjust catheter properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of wire stiffness in a systematic, layered manner rather than randomly. By assigning specific stiffness values to specific layers (first layer: first stiffness, second layer: second stiffness, third layer: third stiffness), the invention creates a controllable parameter progression that is easy to manufacture while providing versatile adjustment of catheter mechanical properties.
3Reliability
If a complex braid structure with multiple wire types is implemented, then the catheter's performance (flexibility, kink resistance) is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Segmenting the braid into three layers with uniform wire types in each layer reduces manufacturing precision requirements compared to a mixed-configuration braid. Each layer can be manufactured with standard precision requirements for that wire type, avoiding the need for high-precision mixing of different wire types throughout the entire braid structure.
Solution Approach 2:
By assigning specific wire types to specific layers, the invention allows each layer to be manufactured with optimized precision requirements for that particular wire type. This local quality approach avoids the need for uniform high precision across all wire arrangements, as each layer's precision requirements are tailored to its specific function and wire characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a catheter including an inner layer 6a formed of a hollow tubular body having a lumen 3s, a braid 8 covering the inner layer 6a and including a first wire (9a to 9n) wound in a first direction and a second wire (7a to 7f, 5aa to 5bf) wound in a direction intersecting the first direction, and an outer layer 6b covering the braid 8. In particular, the second wire (7a to 7f, 5aa to 5bf) is constituted by a combination of a third wire (7a to 7f) having a width W1 of a predetermined length and a plurality of fourth wires (5aa to 5bf) each having a width W2 smaller than the width W1 of the third wire (7a to 7f).