Catheter Handle Stabilizing Clamp With Passive Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current locking mechanisms for medical devices, such as catheter handles, are cumbersome and time-consuming to adjust, requiring active engagement and disengagement, and can be inconvenient for maintaining precise control during transcatheter procedures.
Innovation Solution
A stabilizing apparatus with a retaining arm and biasing member that securely holds the medical device in place using a passive locking mechanism, allowing for easy adjustment by compressing and releasing the fork, and a rotatable locking member for secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional locking mechanism with clamp and threaded shaft is used to secure the catheter handle, then the catheter handle can be firmly held in place, but the adjustment process becomes time-consuming and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is divided into separate functional components: a clamp body, a movable jaw, and a release mechanism. This segmentation allows the clamp to be quickly opened and closed without complex threading operations, reducing adjustment time while maintaining secure holding capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring active engagement through threading, the mechanism uses a passive locking approach where the clamp automatically engages and locks when closed, and requires only a simple release action to open. This inversion of the locking logic simplifies the adjustment process.
2Reliability
If a clamp mechanism with opening is used to secure the medical device, then the device can be firmly attached, but inserting and removing the device becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp incorporates a movable jaw that can be quickly positioned to accommodate devices of different sizes and shapes. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the clamp to adapt to various medical devices without requiring complex insertion or removal procedures, improving ease of operation while maintaining firm attachment.
3Measurement precision
If the catheter handle position is manually maintained throughout the procedure, then precise control can be maintained, but operator convenience deteriorates during long procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp mechanism serves itself by automatically maintaining the catheter handle position once clamped. The mechanical design includes features that prevent slippage and maintain precise positioning without requiring continuous manual adjustment, allowing the system to hold the position reliably throughout long procedures while freeing the operator for other tasks.
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 solution provides a stable and adjustable platform for medical devices, reducing operational time and effort by allowing for quick repositioning and secure locking, enhancing the precision and efficiency of transcatheter procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member configured to urge the stabilizing fork against the catheter handle
Implementation Method 2
a rotatable locking member configured to secure the catheter handle in a fixed position
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure provides a stabilizing unit for a medical device. The stabilizing unit includes a retaining arm having a surface configured to abut a surface of the medical device. The stabilizing unit also includes a stabilizing fork having a slot configured to receive the medical device. A biasing member is in contact with the stabilizing fork and is configured to urge the slot of the stabilizing fork towards the retaining arm. When the medical device is placed in the slot of the stabilizing fork, the basing member urges the stabilizing fork against an adjacent surface of the medical device, and an opposing surface of the medical device against the retaining arm.