Catheter Loading Device Hinge Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inserting guidewires into catheters is challenging due to their small dimensions and delicate nature, often requiring manual alignment that can cause perforation of surgical gloves and catheter damage, especially with curved catheter sections.
Innovation Solution
A catheter loading device with a guidewire section and a catheter section connected by a hinge, allowing the guidewire section to rotate relative to the catheter section between aligned and misaligned positions, facilitating easy insertion of the guidewire into the catheter without manual steadying and accommodating curved catheter sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual alignment technique is used to insert guidewire into catheter, then alignment can be achieved, but surgical glove perforation and catheter damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The loading device serves as an intermediary tool between the physician's hand and the delicate guidewire-catheter assembly. The device includes a guide wire insertion channel and a catheter receiver that collectively provide a protected environment for the insertion process, eliminating the need for direct manual alignment while preventing glove perforation and catheter damage
Solution Approach 2:
The loading device is designed to perform the alignment function automatically through its structural configuration. The guide wire section with its channel and the catheter section with its receiver are positioned such that proper alignment occurs naturally during the loading process without requiring manual steadying or finger placement
2Ease of operation
If curved catheter sections are handled manually, then positioning can be achieved, but alignment difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The loading device incorporates a hinge connecting the guide wire section to the catheter section, allowing dynamic adjustment of the guide wire section's position. This enables the device to adapt to curved catheter configurations while maintaining alignment capability, as the hinge can be positioned to accommodate various curvature radii
Solution Approach 2:
The loading device is divided into distinct sections: a guide wire section with insertion channel, a catheter section with receiver, and a hinge connecting them. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for its specific function while working together to handle curved catheter sections effectively
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter loading device includes a guidewire section, a catheter section, and a hinge that connects a proximal end of the guidewire section to a distal end of the catheter section. The guidewire section is rotatable relative to the catheter section about a rotation axis between a first position and a second position. When the guidewire section is in the first position, a longitudinal axis of a guidewire positioned in a channel of the guidewire section is aligned with a longitudinal axis of a lumen of a catheter positioned in a receiver of the catheter section. When the guidewire section is in the second position, the longitudinal axis of the guidewire positioned in the channel is not aligned with the longitudinal axis of the lumen of the catheter positioned in the receiver.