Lumen Reinforcement Coil for Kink and Crush Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical instruments with passageways, such as the shaft and internal lumen of an electrosurgical device, are prone to kinking when bent, leading to flow restrictions or damage, and existing solutions like PEEK tubing and braided ribbons are costly and ineffective against external crushing forces.
Innovation Solution
A lumen reinforcement system using a helically formed support coil with a wire extending along the length of the inner tubular member, providing structural support to prevent kinking and crushing, and a method of manufacturing this system using off-the-shelf components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the lumen is made of polymer and operated under negative pressure, then the lumen is flexible and lightweight, but it is prone to kinking when bent to a tight radius
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a polymer lumen with a metal support coil to create a structure that maintains flexibility while resisting kinking. The polymer provides lightweight flexibility while the metal coil provides structural support against collapse during bending.
Solution Approach 2:
The support coil is positioned specifically within the lumen wall structure to provide localized reinforcement where needed. This allows the lumen to maintain flexibility in less critical areas while having enhanced kinking resistance where the coil is embedded.
2Reliability
If PEEK tubing and thicker tube walls are used to increase bending resistance, then lumen collapse resistance improves, but device cost and geometric constraints increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using expensive PEEK tubing with thick walls, the patent uses a composite structure of standard polymer tubing with an embedded metal support coil. This achieves comparable or superior bending resistance while reducing material costs and geometric constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a cost-effective support coil structure that can be manufactured more economically than PEEK tubing. The simple metal coil design allows for easier manufacturing and reduced material costs compared to expensive engineering plastics.
3Strength
If braided ribbons or thin wires are over-molded into the lumen walls, then lumen support for torsion and axial resistance improves, but protection against external crushing forces remains ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing reinforcement elements on the outside or in traditional configurations, the patent embeds the support coil within the lumen wall structure. This inverted approach allows the coil to effectively resist external crushing forces by being positioned where the compressive loads are applied.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of polymer and metal coil creates a composite structure where the metal provides crushing resistance while the polymer provides flexibility and torsion resistance, achieving protection against multiple failure modes simultaneously.
4Reliability
If a polymer mandrel is inserted through the shaft to enhance shaft integrity, then bending resistance improves, but additional components and manufacturing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the support function into the lumen structure itself by embedding the support coil within the lumen wall. This eliminates the need for separate mandrels or reinforcement components, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining shaft integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the support function from separate components (mandrels, ribbons) and integrates it directly into the lumen structure through the embedded coil, simplifying the overall device architecture.
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 maintains a passageway integrity during bending and prevents kinking, reducing material costs and assembly complexity while ensuring fluid flow, even under external forces.
Implementation Method 1
a support coil. The support coil has an inside diameter and an outside diameter along its length, and comprises a helically formed wire
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention include an electrosurgical system with a controller, a fluid control unit electrically coupled to the controller, and an electrosurgical wand with a lumen having a coil-supported inner tubular member. Some embodiments include methods of manufacturing components of the electrosurgical system.