Catheter Single Lumen Flexible Moving Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional catheters require multiple lumens for transmitting movement to surgical tools, leading to increased size and complexity, making them less suitable for accessing small body vessels and cavities, and often result in friction losses and potential warping during use.
Innovation Solution
A compact catheter design featuring a single lumen with a flexible moving element that is circumferentially supported by the catheter shaft wall, allowing for efficient transmission of movement to the surgical tool while maintaining flexibility and reducing manufacturing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple lumens are used to transmit movement to surgical tools, then the catheter can effectively deliver surgical tools, but the catheter size increases and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of multiple lumens into a single lumen by using a flexible moving element that can transmit movement while allowing the catheter shaft to remain simple. The flexible moving element acts as an intermediary that enables surgical tool delivery through one lumen, eliminating the need for multiple separate lumens and reducing overall catheter complexity
2Reliability
If multiple lumens are used to transmit movement to surgical tools, then the catheter can effectively deliver surgical tools, but the catheter outer diameter increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple lumen functions into a single lumen, allowing the catheter to maintain a smaller outer diameter suitable for accessing small body vessels and cavities while still effectively transmitting movement to surgical tools through the flexible moving element mechanism
3Ease of operation
If a flexible moving element is used without circumferential support, then the catheter maintains flexibility, but the flexible moving element bends and cannot transmit movement effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter shaft wall acts as an intermediary support structure that provides circumferential support to the flexible moving element. This support enables the flexible moving element to transmit movement effectively to the surgical tool while preventing excessive bending, without compromising the overall flexibility of the catheter system
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention refers to a catheter (1) comprising a catheter shaft (2), a flexible moving element (3) and a surgical tool (5) connected to the flexible moving element (3). The catheter shaft (2) extends along a longitudinal axis (500) and comprises a flexible moving element receiving lumen (21) defined by a catheter shaft wall (24). The flexible moving element (3) is arranged in the flexible moving element receiving lumen (21) in such a way that the flexible moving element (3) is at least circumferentially supported by the catheter shaft wall (24) so that a movement of the flexible moving element (3) in a direction from a proximal shaft end (29) of the catheter shaft (2) to a distal shaft end (28) of the catheter shaft (2) causes a movement of the surgical tool (5).