Catheter Drainage Holes with Beveled Edges and Material Ejection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing catheter manufacturing methods result in sharp and uneven drainage holes, leading to increased production costs, health hazards from residual material, and patient discomfort due to kinking and injury risks.

Innovation Solution

A method and device using tubular punching members to form drainage holes from opposing sides, with an ejection unit to remove severed material from the catheter lumen, resulting in smooth beveled edges and reduced residual material risk.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional punching or injection molding methods are used to form drainage openings, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the edges become sharp and uneven requiring costly post-processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidedge smoothness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the punching tool by providing it with a beveled surface instead of a conventional flat or rounded surface. This parameter change in the tool design directly produces beveled edges on the drainage openings, eliminating the need for post-processing while maintaining manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of trying to smooth sharp edges after punching (conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by pre-forming the edges with the desired beveled shape through the punching tool design itself, thus achieving smooth edges during the primary manufacturing operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional punching methods are used to form drainage openings, then production costs are reduced, but residual material remains in the catheter causing health hazards

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction costVSAvoidresidual material

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the residual material problem from the manufacturing process by designing the punching tool with an ejection unit that actively removes severed material from the catheter lumen. This extraction of harmful residual material occurs immediately during manufacturing, eliminating health hazards while maintaining cost-effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The ejection unit acts as an intermediary mechanism between the punching action and the final product. It mediates the removal of residual material by forcing it out through the internal lumen of the punching tool, thus preventing contamination without adding complex post-processing steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If drainage openings with sharp edges are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but patient comfort decreases due to kinking and injury risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidpatient discomfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the edge geometry parameter of the drainage openings by using a punching tool with a beveled surface. This produces beveled edges that are smooth and rounded, directly reducing patient discomfort and injury risks while maintaining manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-forming the desired beveled edge shape during the punching operation itself, rather than adding smoothing steps later. This preliminary formation of smooth edges ensures patient comfort is built into the product during manufacturing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 method reduces production costs, minimizes health hazards, and enhances patient comfort by providing smoother edges and decreased kinking risk without the need for additional processing steps.

Implementation Method 1

driving at least one tubular punching member of said pair of tubular punching members towards the other in order to punch through said lateral wall of the catheter and thereby sever one pair of oppositely located hole pieces from the lateral wall

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

actuating an ejection unit, in order to force said severed hole pieces away from the catheter via one of said internal lumens of the tubular punching members

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS12458776B2Catheters with bevelled drainage holes

Publication Date: 2025.11.04 DENTSPLY IH AB

AI summary

A method and a device for forming holes (17a, 17b) through a lateral wall of a catheter are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of providing a section of the catheter between a pair of tubular punching members 6, driving at least one of said pair of tubular punching members towards the other in order to punch through said lateral wall 23 of the catheter and thereby sever one pair of oppositely located hole pieces from the lateral wall, actuating an ejection unit 7, in order to force said severed hole pieces away from the catheter via said internal lumen of the tubular punching members, withdrawing said pair of tubular punching members. A catheter 2 produced is also disclosed.