Catheter Coupling Device for Secure Sensor Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catheter devices face challenges in easily, flexibly, and reliably placing sensor devices within the human heart or blood vessels while allowing for subsequent adjustment or removal without causing significant injury to the vessel wall.
Innovation Solution
A catheter device equipped with a coupling device featuring a coupling element and a locking element that forms a form-fit connection with the sensor device, enabling secure attachment and easy detachment through a small stroke adjustment, allowing for atraumatic placement and potential repositioning or removal of the sensor device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a secure coupling is used to firmly hold the sensor device during placement, then placement reliability is improved, but the ability to easily detach and reposition is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device transitions from a static locked state to a dynamic adjustable state. The locking element can be positioned to block the bracket element during secure coupling, and then adjusted to release the bracket element for easy detachment. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between secure placement and easy removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device is divided into separate functional components: a coupling element for engagement and a locking element for securing. This segmentation allows the locking element to be independently adjusted to transition between locked and unlocked states, enabling both secure placement and easy detachment without compromising either function.
2Strength
If a form-fit connection is used to securely attach the sensor device, then connection robustness is improved, but the complexity of the coupling device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element is integrated within the coupling element structure, combining the coupling and locking functions into a single unified component. This merging approach provides robust form-fit connection while minimizing the number of separate parts, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the locking element is adjusted with a small stroke, then ease of operation is improved, but the force required for locking and unlocking increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element utilizes a conical geometry with a curved surface that engages with the bracket element. This curved engagement surface allows the locking element to be adjusted with a small linear stroke while generating sufficient locking force through the mechanical advantage provided by the conical angle, resolving the contradiction between ease of adjustment and locking force.
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter device for placing a sensor device comprises a shaft and a coupling device, arranged at the shaft, for coupling the catheter device to the sensor device comprising at least one bracket element. The coupling device comprises a coupling element and a locking element adjustable with respect to the coupling element, wherein the coupling element comprises at least one engagement section with which the at least one bracket element of the sensor device can be brought in engagement, wherein the locking element is designed, in a coupled position, to block the at least one bracket element at the at least one engagement section, and is adjustable with respect to the coupling element so as to release the at least one bracket element for detachment from the at least one engagement section.