Drainage Catheter Hub Locking Cam Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drainage catheter securement devices are difficult to manipulate, often lead to slippage, and are not intuitive for practitioners, making it challenging to maintain the anchor configuration of the catheter within the patient's body.
Innovation Solution
A drainage catheter hub with a locking cam that is rotatable to secure and release the suture, providing a simple and effective mechanism for maintaining the anchor configuration, and optionally includes a locking tool for rotational movement and suture trimming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wrapping or tying methods are used to secure the suture, then the suture can be secured to maintain anchor configuration, but the device is difficult to manipulate and not intuitive for practitioners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual wrapping/tying mechanical system with a cam-based locking mechanism. The cam leverages mechanical advantage through its curved surface to secure the suture with simple rotational motion, eliminating the need for practitioners to manually wrap or tie the suture around the hub.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam mechanism is designed to be self-securing through its geometric shape. As the cam rotates into the locked position, its curved surface automatically engages with the suture and hub structure, creating a self-locking effect that maintains securement without requiring additional manual manipulation or tying steps.
2Reliability
If conventional suture securing devices are used, then the suture can be secured, but releasing the suture is difficult when preparing to reposition or withdraw the catheter
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism transitions between two dynamic states: locked and unlocked. The curved surface of the cam allows it to rotate into a locked position where it secures the suture, and can be rotated back to an unlocked position for easy release. This dynamic design enables both secure retention and simple release of the suture.
Solution Approach 2:
The securing mechanism is segmented into distinct functional zones on the cam: a locking surface that engages the suture when rotated into position, and a release surface that allows easy disengagement. This segmentation of the cam's perimeter into functional zones enables independent optimization of both securement and release characteristics.
3Reliability
If the anchor configuration is formed with a large pigtail-type loop, then reliable anchoring is provided regardless of material properties, but the catheter is more difficult to manipulate during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is pre-formed with a smaller pigtail loop configuration during manufacturing. This preliminary anchoring structure is sufficient to maintain catheter position during insertion and can be easily manipulated into the final anchor configuration once the catheter is in place, reducing insertion difficulty while maintaining anchoring reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
The drainage catheter hub includes a locking cam for securing a suture to maintain an anchor configuration of the distal end of the drainage catheter. The locking cam is rotatable to a first position for securing the suture and a second position for releasing the suture. The locking cam includes a tapered surface which includes a release portion and a securement portion. The release portion allows movement of the suture while the securement portion cooperatively engages the suture in connection with the seat to minimize movement of the suture.