Catheter Bond Interface With Undercuts to Prevent Delamination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Catheter parts bonded via butt joints are prone to delamination due to small surface area, which can be exacerbated by bending and twisting forces, and existing surface processing methods to enhance bonding strength are costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating radially oriented undercut structures, such as T- or L-shapes, on the edge surfaces of catheter parts to create interlocking features that enhance bond resilience, using a bonding material to fill these undercuts and reinforce the bond.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If butt joints are used to bond catheter parts, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the bond strength is insufficient and delamination occurs due to small surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a conventional planar bonding surface to a three-dimensional interlocking structure by forming undercut features (such as T-shaped, L-shaped, or interdigitating patterns) on the bonding surfaces of catheter parts. This dimensional transformation increases the effective bonding area and creates mechanical interlocking that prevents delamination while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Strength
If surface processing methods are used to enhance bonding strength, then bond strength improves, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The undercut bonding features are integrated into the catheter part design during the molding or fabrication process itself, rather than being added as a separate post-processing step. This preliminary incorporation of the interlocking structure eliminates the need for additional surface treatment operations, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while achieving enhanced bond strength.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional bonding surfaces are used, then manufacturing is cost-effective, but the bonds fail under bending and twisting forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric undercut patterns (such as T-shaped or L-shaped features) on the bonding surfaces that create directional interlocking. These asymmetric geometries provide resistance to multi-directional forces including bending and twisting, while the features are designed to be formed through standard manufacturing processes, maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A catheter manufacturing method includes the step of providing a hollow cylindrical part of a catheter, having a longitudinal axis, to be bonded to a given part along respective edge surfaces of the hollow cylindrical and the given parts. One or more undercut structures that are disposed circumferentially with respect to the longitudinal axis and also generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, the undercut structures having a radial orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis, are formed at least in the edge surface of the hollow cylindrical part. The hollow cylindrical part and the given part are connected using the undercut structures.