Catheter Hub Locking Arm Filament Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical catheters face challenges in effectively sealing around a filament, managing the proximal portions of the filament, and providing robustness for multiple modes of operation in and around the catheter hub.
Innovation Solution
The catheter design incorporates a hub with a locking arm that compresses a filament between the locking arm and the hub body, securing the distal region of the catheter in an anchoring profile. The locking arm is movable between unlocked and locked positions, and includes a cutting notch for releasing the secured condition by cutting the filament.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal element is used to seal around the filament in the hub, then fluid leakage is inhibited, but the complexity of the hub structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing element and the locking mechanism into an integrated hub structure. The seal element is positioned within the hub body and works in conjunction with the locking arm and filament fixing regions, merging multiple functions (sealing, locking, and filament management) into a single cohesive component rather than separate assemblies.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub structure is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: the seal element prevents fluid leakage while the locking arm and filament fixing regions secure the filament in place. This multi-functional design reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby managing complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If the locking arm compresses the filament to secure the distal region in an anchoring profile, then the anchoring reliability is improved, but the difficulty of releasing and reconfiguring the filament increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking arm is designed as a movable component that can transition between locked and unlocked positions. When locked, it compresses the filament against the hub body to secure the anchoring profile. When unlocked, it releases the compression, allowing the filament to be reconfigured. This dynamic mechanism enables both secure anchoring and easy release through a single component.
Solution Approach 2:
The filament itself acts as an intermediary between the locking arm and the distal region. By compressing the filament, the locking arm indirectly secures the distal region in the anchoring profile. To release, the locking arm simply needs to release the filament, which then automatically releases the distal region, simplifying the release operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the hub provides multiple modes of operation for filament management, then the versatility of the catheter is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hub is designed with multi-functionality to manage the filament in multiple modes: the locking arm can secure the filament in an anchoring profile, the cutting notch can release the filament, and the seal element can prevent leakage. These multiple functions are integrated into a single hub structure, providing versatility without requiring separate devices for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the locking mechanism, cutting feature, and sealing element into a single integrated hub. The locking arm provides both locking and cutting capabilities, while the seal element is positioned to work with both the locked and unlocked states. This consolidation provides multiple filament management modes within one component, managing complexity through integration.
4Ease of operation
If a cutting notch is added to the locking arm for releasing the filament, then the ease of filament release is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting notch serves as an intermediary feature on the locking arm that facilitates filament release. Instead of requiring a separate cutting tool or complex release mechanism, the notch provides a predetermined location where the filament can be easily cut with standard surgical scissors, simplifying the release operation while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Data Source
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AI summary
Described are catheters having a distal catheter tube region that can be secured in an anchoring profile by a locking engagement of a filament at a catheter hub. The catheter hub can include a locking arm that cooperates with a hub body to provide a locked position that compresses and positionally fixes a portion of the filament between a fixing surface of the locking arm and a fixing surface of the hub body. The locking arm can define a cutting notch in its outer surface through which a further portion of the filament passes in the locked position, and the further portion of the filament can be cut to release the secured condition of the anchoring profile as the locked position of the hub is maintained. The locked position defined between the hub body and the locking arm can leave at least portions of the respective fixing surfaces of the locking arm and the hub body spaced from one another a distance, when in a relaxed or unstressed condition. The locking arm can include first, second and third holes for routing the filament between the inner and outer surfaces of the locking arm, which can provide a filament path extending through the cutting notch and between the fixing surfaces of the locking arm and hub body. The locking arm can define a cinching notch for cinching and thereby securing a proximal-most segment of the filament.