Composite Wire for Medical Implants with Fatigue-Resistant Alloy Core

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current medical wires and alloys used in implants, such as cardiac pacemakers, face challenges in achieving high fatigue resistance and electrical conductivity, especially when in contact with the human body, leading to potential corrosion and toxicity issues.

Innovation Solution

A composite wire comprising a metallic component and a high-purity Cr, Ni, Mo, and Co alloy, with carefully controlled impurity levels, is developed. This alloy provides enhanced fatigue resistance and corrosion resistance, while a biocompatible metallic part enhances electrical conductivity and biostability, forming a durable and reliable implantable solution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional alloys are used in medical wires, then electrical conductivity can be maintained, but fatigue resistance and corrosion resistance are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefatigue resistanceVSAvoidcorrosion and toxicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a composite wire structure consisting of a core element made from a specific alloy (containing Cr, Ni, Mo, Co) and an outer metallic component. This composite structure allows the core to provide fatigue resistance while the outer layer provides corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliability and eliminating harmful factors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent specifies precise compositional parameters for the alloy, including Cr (10-30 wt%), Ni (20-50 wt%), Mo (2-20 wt%), and Co (10-50 wt%), with strict control of impurities (Al < 0.01 wt%). By optimizing these parameters, the alloy achieves enhanced fatigue resistance and corrosion resistance simultaneously, resolving the technical contradiction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-generated harmful factors

If impurity levels are reduced to improve corrosion resistance, then manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrosion resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent establishes specific compositional ranges and impurity limits (Al < 0.01 wt%) that balance corrosion resistance with manufacturability. These parameter specifications provide clear manufacturing targets while achieving the desired corrosion resistance, resolving the contradiction between performance and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3415649B1A composite wire
Publication Date: 2022.08.03 HERAEUS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3415649B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3415649B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3415649B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention generally relates to a s, a coil comprising at least two composite wires, a cable comprising at least three composite wires, a medical device comprising such composite wire, coil and/or cable and a manufacturing method for a composite wire. The composite wire comprises a first part and a second part. The first part is a metallic component. The second part comprises an alloy comprising the following alloy components: a) Cr in the range from about 10 to about 30 wt. %; b) Ni in the range from about 20 to about 50 wt. %; c) Mo in the range from about 2 to about 20 wt. %; d) Co in the range from about 10 to about 50 wt. %. The A1 content of the Cr, Ni, Mo and Co alloy is less than about 0.01 wt. % and each wt. % is based on the total weight of the alloy. The first part may at least partially surround the second part when seen in a cross section. The composite wire may further comprise a core part, which is at least partially surrounded by the second part when seen in a cross section.