Catheter Sublumen Forming via Core Wire Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catheter manufacturing methods face challenges in forming a sublumen with a desired shape, as the shape of the sublumen tends to deform during the manufacturing process, making it difficult to achieve the required design for directional entry into body cavities.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the supply of resin material around a core wire to form a hollow tube, with the core wire inserted for close contact, followed by arranging this hollow tube on the outer periphery of a main lumen forming region, extracting the core wire to create a sublumen, and inserting an operating wire, which includes forming the inner surface with protrusions or recesses to reduce contact area and enhance operativity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a core wire is inserted into a hollow tube to maintain shape during manufacturing, then the shape stability is improved, but the difficulty of removing the core wire increases
Solution Approach 1:
The core wire undergoes parameter changes during the heating process - it is elongated and its diameter is reduced, which causes it to peel off from the hollow tube. This transformation allows the core wire to maintain the hollow tube's shape during molding, then easily separate for removal after the tube is formed.
Solution Approach 2:
The core wire is pre-prepared with specific properties (elongated and reduced diameter) before the molding process. This preliminary state allows it to effectively support the hollow tube during manufacturing, and the pre-configured dimensions enable easy peeling and removal after the tube is formed.
2Strength
If the inner surface of the hollow tube has a large contact area with the operating wire, then the structural integrity is improved, but the operativity of the catheter deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The inner surface of the hollow tube is designed with non-uniform contact characteristics - protrusions and recesses create localized contact points rather than continuous contact. This allows sufficient structural support at specific points while maintaining low friction and high operativity along the length of the tube.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for the precise formation of a sublumen with a desired shape, preventing deformation and enabling easy removal of the core wire, while also reducing the contact area between the operating wire and the hollow tube, thereby enhancing the catheter's operativity and ability to bend the distal end portion effectively.
Implementation Method 1
the core wire inside the hollow tube is elongated and reduced in diameter to peel off the hollow tube and the core wire
Implementation Method 2
supplying a resin material to the periphery of a core wire and molding a hollow tube having the core wire inserted thereinto
Implementation Method 3
A distal end portion of the tubular body part is bent by operating a proximal end of the operating wire
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a catheter includes a process of supplying a resin material in a melted state to the periphery of a core wire (90) and molding a hollow tube (82) having the core wire (90) inserted thereinto; a process of arranging the hollow tube (82) having the core wire (90) inserted thereinto, on an outer peripheral side of a main lumen forming region of a tubular body part (10) made of resin; a process of extracting the core wire (90) from the inside of the hollow tube (82) to form a sublumen after the core wire (90) inside the hollow tube (82) is elongated and reduced in diameter to peel off the hollow tube (82) and the core wire (90), and a process of inserting an operating wire into the hollow tube (82).