Medical System Bendable Unit Attachment Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical systems with bendable units, such as catheters, face challenges in reliable attachment due to manufacturing tolerances, leading to potential misalignment and interference with other components, which can result in fitting issues or damage during attachment to the actuator body portion.
Innovation Solution
A medical system design featuring a driving unit with abutting portions that engage to move in the longitudinal direction, ensuring proper alignment and attachment of the bendable unit, utilizing a control portion to adjust the position of the first member to engage with the second member, facilitating reliable attachment and preventing damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rod is coupled to a driving wire and fitted in a groove on the actuator body portion to control bending, then the bending of the catheter can be controlled by the driving force of a drive source, but the rod may interfere with members on the actuator body portion side due to positional deviation from manufacturing tolerances, causing fitting failures or damage
Solution Approach 1:
The control portion moves the first member (rod) to a predetermined position before attachment to advance the driving wire into the groove. This preliminary positioning action ensures that even with manufacturing tolerances causing positional deviation, the rod will be in the correct location to engage properly with the groove, preventing interference and fitting failures during attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The control portion detects the position of the second member (bendable unit) and adjusts the position of the first member (rod) accordingly. This feedback mechanism compensates for positional deviations caused by manufacturing tolerances, ensuring accurate alignment between the rod and groove during attachment, thereby preventing interference and ensuring reliable engagement.
2Ease of operation
If the end portion of the groove is chamfered to absorb positional deviation of the rod, then fitting is facilitated, but a range where deviation can be addressed by the chamfered shape is exceeded when the rod position is deviated greatly
Solution Approach 1:
The control portion performs preliminary positioning by moving the first member (rod) to a predetermined position before the attachment operation. This advance positioning ensures that even when manufacturing tolerances cause significant positional deviation, the rod will be correctly aligned with the groove entrance, allowing the chamfered end portion to effectively guide and absorb the deviation during attachment, preventing fitting failures.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical system includes a driving unit including a drive source and a first member, a bendable unit that includes a bending portion, a linear body, and a second member and that is attachable to and detachable from the driving unit, and a control portion. In a state in which the bendable unit is attached to the driving unit, the first member and the second member engages with each other such that the first member and the second member integrally move in the longitudinal direction. The control portion is configured to, in a case where the bendable unit is attached to the driving unit, move the first member toward a position in the longitudinal direction where the first member is capable of engaging with the second member, by the drive source and in accordance with a position of the second member in the longitudinal direction.