Guide Wire Drive for Clearing Obstructions in Medical Tubes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical tubes can become obstructed by clots or other substances, impairing their functionality and potentially leading to serious health issues due to inadequate drainage or delivery of fluids.
Innovation Solution
A fluid system with a medical tube equipped with a clearance wire assembly and a control system that includes sensors and actuators to detect and clear obstructions, utilizing flexible materials and vacuum mechanisms to maintain drainage and delivery efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a medical tube is used to deliver fluids or drain bodily fluids, then fluid transfer functionality is achieved, but the tube can become obstructed by clots or other substances, impairing its functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions to prevent and clear obstructions before they completely block the tube. Sensors detect early signs of obstruction and trigger the clearance wire assembly to disrupt and remove clots or substances, maintaining continuous fluid transfer functionality without waiting for complete blockage.
Solution Approach 2:
A clearance wire assembly acts as an intermediary tool within the medical tube to physically disrupt and remove obstructions. The wire assembly, actuated by a drive mechanism, serves as a mediator between the sensor detection system and the obstruction, enabling non-invasive clearing of clots or substances while maintaining tube patency.
2Reliability
If a clearance wire assembly is added to disrupt obstructions, then tube patency is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clearance wire assembly is designed with multi-functionality to justify the added complexity. The same wire assembly can be actuated in different modes (rotation, translation, vibration) to address various obstruction types and positions, making it a universal solution for maintaining tube patency across different medical applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that provide feedback on obstruction detection and clearance effectiveness. This feedback loop allows the control system to adjust the clearance wire assembly operations dynamically, optimizing performance while minimizing unnecessary complex operations when the tube is already clear.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If sensors and actuators are added to detect and clear obstructions, then obstruction removal capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to be largely self-service, where sensors automatically detect obstructions and trigger the clearance mechanism without requiring constant external monitoring or manual intervention. This automation reduces the operational complexity burden on users while maintaining advanced detection and clearance capabilities.
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 system effectively disrupts and removes obstructions within the medical tube, maintaining effective fluid transfer and reducing the risk of complications by ensuring continuous drainage and delivery.
Implementation Method 1
The clearance wire assembly can be rotated or translated within the passageway of the medical tube by a drive mechanism
Implementation Method 2
The medical tube can be used to facilitate the movement of material, such as fluid, through the tube by creating negative pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A drive system for cleaning debris within a medical tube. The drive system includes a housing defining an interior and an elongated guide wire. A first guide-wire tube accommodates a portion of the guide wire therein and extends longitudinally along a first axis between first and second ends. A roller is disposed in the interior and is configured to rotate about a second axis to both advance and withdraw the guide wire. The drive system further includes a second guide-wire tube configured to receive and accumulate the guide wire as it is withdrawn by the roller.