Duckbill Seal Catheter Cleaning Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning tools for tissue removal catheters require manual actuation and precise positioning to form a fluid seal, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors during the cleaning of tissue collection chambers.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning device with a proximal duckbill seal that forms a passive fluid seal with the catheter body, allowing for easy sliding into an operative position and utilizing a one-piece flushing chamber with interlocking features and bendable tabs to secure seals, enhancing sealing engagement and simplifying the cleaning process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual actuation is used to form a fluid seal, then the sealing function can be achieved, but the cleaning process becomes time-consuming and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The duckbill seal is pre-configured on the cleaning device to automatically form a fluid seal with the catheter body upon insertion, eliminating the need for manual actuation during the cleaning process. This preliminary configuration ensures reliable sealing while reducing the time required for the cleaning procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning device is designed with a self-sealing mechanism where the duckbill seal automatically engages with the catheter body through its own structural design, without requiring external manual intervention. The seal forms passively as the device is inserted into the operative position, making the system self-sufficient and reducing operator workload.
2Measurement precision
If precise positioning is required to form a fluid seal, then sealing accuracy is improved, but the operation becomes more complex and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device automatically positions itself relative to the catheter body through its structural design. The duckbill seal and flushing chamber are configured to self-align and form a precise fluid seal without requiring the operator to manually adjust or precisely position the device, thereby maintaining sealing accuracy while simplifying operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The design replaces complex manual positioning mechanisms with a passive mechanical interface where the duckbill seal naturally conforms to the catheter body geometry. This substitution eliminates the need for precision mechanical adjustments while maintaining accurate sealing through the inherent flexibility and shape-memory properties of the duckbill seal material.
3Productivity
If a passive fluid seal is used, then the cleaning process is simplified and time is reduced, but the sealing mechanism must be more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The duckbill seal is constructed from flexible material that can passively conform to the catheter body and maintain a fluid seal without complex mechanical components. This flexible shell design enables automatic sealing upon insertion, simplifying the overall cleaning process while the seal's material properties and geometric configuration provide the necessary sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is segmented into a dedicated duckbill seal component that is integrated with the flushing chamber. This segmentation allows the sealing mechanism to be optimized independently as a flexible, passive element, reducing the complexity of the overall system while maintaining high cleaning efficiency through specialized sealing functionality.
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
The solution reduces the effort and time required for cleaning by providing a passive fluid seal and precise positioning, ensuring effective flushing of the tissue collection chamber without manual sealing actuation, thereby improving efficiency and reducing errors.
Implementation Method 1
a proximal duckbill seal that forms a passive fluid seal with the catheter body of the catheter
Implementation Method 2
a sealing skirt configured to sealingly engage a flushing chamber of the cleaning device and be exposed to flushing fluid that, when pressurized, enhances the sealing engagement between the sealing skirt and flushing chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning device for cleaning a catheter lumen of a tissue removal catheter has a flushing chamber with distal and proximal seals and an inlet port. The proximal seal is a duckbill seal that includes a pair of opposing duckbill members that slidingly accept the distal end portion of a catheter body to form a seal about the catheter body proximal to a proximal opening in of the catheter lumen. Fluid is directed in the inlet port, into the flushing chamber, into proximal opening in the catheter body, and through the catheter lumen to discharge tissue contained in the catheter lumen. In some embodiments, the cleaning device is preloaded on the catheter body. The cleaning device can have an internal stop that engages with an external stop on the catheter body when the cleaning device is positioned in an operative position.