Medical Guide Wire Tapered Core Rotation Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical guide wires face challenges in effectively navigating vascular lesions due to limitations in rotation transmission performance and perforation capabilities, particularly at stenotic and completely occluded portions of blood vessels.

Innovation Solution

The guide wire features a core with a combined truncated cone structure, where the diameter tapers from the proximal end to the distal end, and is inserted into an outer coil with a tapered shape, enhancing torsional force and rotation transmission performance by reducing the rotation angle at the proximal end and increasing the torsional moment at the distal end.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional guide wire with uniform core structure is used, then the structure is simple, but the rotation transmission performance and perforation capability are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverotation transmission performanceVSAvoidcore structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The core is divided into multiple sections along its length, with each section having different structural characteristics. The distal end portion has a first core structure optimized for perforation, while the proximal end portion has a second core structure optimized for rotation transmission, allowing each segment to perform its specific function effectively

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the core are given different properties: the distal end portion has higher flexibility and perforation capability, while the proximal end portion has higher stiffness and rotation transmission capability. This local differentiation of properties resolves the contradiction between simple structure and high performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the core is made stiffer to improve rotation transmission, then rotation transmission improves, but the ability to navigate vascular lesions decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverotation transmission performanceVSAvoidability to navigate vascular lesions
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The core is segmented into distal and proximal portions with different stiffness characteristics. The distal portion remains flexible to navigate lesions while the proximal portion is stiffer to transmit rotation, resolving the contradiction between navigation ability and rotation transmission

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The core exhibits local quality variation along its length, with the distal end having lower stiffness for adaptability and the proximal end having higher stiffness for rotation transmission, allowing the single core to simultaneously satisfy both contradictory requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If a single layered coil structure is used, then the device complexity is low, but the perforation performance at completely occluded lesions is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperforation performanceVSAvoidcoil structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide wire employs a nested coil structure where an inner coil is positioned within an outer coil. This nested configuration enhances perforation capability at occluded lesions while maintaining a relatively compact and manageable device structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The coil structure uses composite construction with inner and outer coils that may have different material properties and structural characteristics, creating a composite system that achieves superior perforation performance compared to single-layer structures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3061486B1Medical guide wire
Publication Date: 2018.01.24 FMD CO LTD
  • EP3061486B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3061486B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3061486B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A distal end portion 2B of the core has a structure of a combined truncated cone 26 formed by connecting truncated cones satisfying a predetermined relational expression. An outer diameter ratio between the maximum outer diameter and the minimum outer diameter of the combined truncated cone 26 is greater than the outer diameter ratio between a large diameter proximal portion and a small diameter distal portion of an inner coil 4, and is greater than the outer diameter ratio between a large diameter proximal portion and a small diameter distal portion of the outer coil. Because of this, the rotation angle of the proximal side is reduced when rotation operation is performed and the torsional moment toward the distal end side is increased. Thus, the perforation performance at the completely occluded lesion can be improved.