Inflatable Testing Fixture for Heart-Motion Durability Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current testing fixtures for medical device implants, particularly those for the left atrial appendage, fail to simulate the realistic anatomical motion of the heart, leading to inadequate durability testing.
Innovation Solution
A durability testing fixture with a stabilizing member and an inflatable member that can be inflated and deflated to apply radial forces, mimicking heart motion, and includes a pressure controller to control the inflation and deflation, along with sensors to monitor the device's performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If uniaxial motion is used in current testing fixtures, then the testing mechanism is simple, but the anatomical motion of the heart is not simulated realistically
Solution Approach 1:
The testing fixture transitions from static uniaxial motion to dynamic multi-axial motion by incorporating an inflatable member that can expand and contract to simulate the complex anatomical motion of the heart, including radial, tangential, and axial movements
Solution Approach 2:
The inflatable member uses pneumatic pressure to generate the complex multi-axial motion patterns that mimic heart motion, replacing traditional mechanical actuation systems and enabling realistic simulation of anatomical dynamics
2Reliability
If the inflatable member is inflated to apply radial force, then the simulation of heart motion is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inflatable member is constructed as a flexible membrane structure that can deform under pneumatic pressure to create complex motion patterns, replacing rigid mechanical components and reducing overall system complexity while improving motion realism
Solution Approach 2:
The inflatable member serves multiple functions simultaneously: it applies radial force, generates tangential motion, and simulates axial displacement, consolidating what would otherwise require multiple separate actuation mechanisms into a single component
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 fixture effectively simulates heart motion to test the durability and fatigue life of medical devices, providing accurate data on their performance and failure points.
Implementation Method 1
The inflatable member is configured to receive and release a fluid so that the inflatable member is respectively inflatable and deflatable to radially displace the inner surface of the bore
Data Source
AI summary
A durability testing fixture, system and method for testing a medical device. The testing fixture include a stabilizing member, an inflatable member and a pressure controller. The inflatable member is positioned adjacent the stabilizing member and defines a bore therein, the bore sized to hold the medical device. The inflatable member is configured to receive and release a fluid so that the inflatable member is respectively inflatable and deflatable to radially displace an inner surface of the bore. The pressure controller is coupled to the inflatable member and is configured to control inflation and deflation of the inflatable member to radially displace the inner surface of the bore and to apply a force directly along an outer radially extending surface of the medical device.