Catheter Robot Module for Synchronized Translation and Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catheter robot modules face synchronization challenges when increasing translation and rotation speeds, leading to inefficiencies and reduced safety in maneuvering flexible elongated medical elements, particularly in complex vascular procedures.
Innovation Solution
The catheter robot module splits the global synchronization task into two simpler tasks: controlling phase opposition and managing clamping conflicts between pairs of movable pads, using variations in translation cycle durations and travel extensions to maintain synchronized movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If translation and rotation speeds are increased to improve efficiency and safety, then productivity and reliability are improved, but synchronization control becomes more difficult and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the synchronization control into two independent tasks: (1) controlling phase opposition between the two pairs of movable pads, and (2) managing clamping conflict between the pairs. This segmentation simplifies the overall control complexity while enabling high-speed operation by making each sub-task more manageable and less interdependent.
2Reliability
If translation and rotation speeds are increased for quicker reactions, then reliability is improved, but global synchronization between pairs becomes harder to manage
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing synchronization management into separate phase opposition control and clamping conflict management tasks, the system maintains reliability at high speeds while improving ease of operation through modular control strategies that are simpler to implement and manage independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-coordinating the phase opposition between pairs before executing translation and rotation movements. This preliminary phase synchronization ensures that when high-speed operations occur, the pads are already properly positioned and timed, reducing the complexity of real-time synchronization management.
3Productivity
If speed variations are increased to improve agility in difficult situations, then productivity is improved, but synchronization control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by handling phase opposition control and clamping conflict management as separate tasks, allowing speed variations to be implemented more easily within each independent control domain without compounding complexity across the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic control where the duration of translation cycles and travel extensions of movable pads are continuously adjusted based on real-time synchronization needs. This dynamic adaptation enables agile speed variations while maintaining synchronization through flexible, responsive control parameters.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a catheter robot module for translation and rotation of a flexible elongated medical element, including: a casing, two pairs of movable pads: the pads of a same pair at least partly facing each other, each pair of movable pads being adapted to separately or in combination: perform a translation of the flexible elongated medical element longitudinally with respect to the casing, by a first translation cycle which clamps, translates forth, unclamps, and translates back, depending on a user set longitudinal translation direction, perform a rotation of the flexible elongated medical element around longitudinal axis with respect to the casing, by a second rotation cycle which clamps, performs a relative forth translation of the pads in opposite directions, unclamps, performs a relative back translation of the pads in opposite directions, depending on a set rotation direction.