Braided Reinforced Catheter Distal End With Ring Wire Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Catheters without a distal end tip can experience undesirable bending stress and expose wires, potentially piercing the plastic layer during operation.
Innovation Solution
A percutaneous catheter design featuring a tubular reinforcing member with intersecting wires covered by a plastic layer, sandwiched by a pair of rings at the distal end to prevent wire exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a catheter without a distal end tip is used to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but bending stress increases and wires may pierce the plastic layer
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is divided into distinct functional segments: a lightweight distal end without tip, a reinforcing member with wires, and a plastic layer. The rings segment the structure to provide localized reinforcement at the distal end, allowing weight reduction while preventing wire exposure through distributed structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter employs composite construction combining lightweight materials for the distal end with reinforcing wires and plastic layers. The reinforcing member integrates multiple materials (wires and plastic) to provide both weight reduction and structural integrity, preventing wire piercing while maintaining overall catheter lightweight design.
2Device complexity
If a catheter without a distal end tip is used, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but structural integrity at the distal end deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The distal end is segmented into functional zones with the reinforcing member and rings providing localized structural support. This segmentation allows simplified manufacturing of the distal end while maintaining integrity through strategic placement of reinforcing elements and rings at critical stress points.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing member with wires is pre-formed and positioned within the catheter structure before final assembly. The rings are pre-configured to sandwich the distal end of the reinforcing member, creating a pre-strengthened structure that maintains integrity during operation without complex manufacturing processes.
3Strength
If wires are braided to intersect one another for reinforcement, then strength is improved, but wire exposure risk increases without distal end tip
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic layer acts as an intermediary barrier between the reinforcing wires and the external environment. The rings serve as intermediary structural elements that constrain the wires within the plastic layer at the distal end. This intermediary structure allows wire braiding for reinforcement while preventing wire exposure and piercing hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter uses composite construction with intersecting wires embedded in plastic material. The plastic layer composite structure encapsulates the wire braiding, providing both the strength benefits of wire reinforcement and the safety of wire containment, preventing penetration while maintaining structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter 30 includes a tube 31 provided with a tubular reinforcing member 311 having a plurality of wires W braided to intersect one another and a plastic layer 312 that covers the reinforcing member. The catheter 30 includes a pair of rings 32 and 33 configured to sandwich a distal end 311A of the reinforcing member from the inner periphery and the outer periphery.