Motor Drive Unit for Medical Imaging Catheter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current imaging apparatus for vascular diagnosis using hybrid catheters with both ultrasound and optical coherence tomography (OCT) face challenges in downsizing the motor drive unit and improving its durability, which affects the accuracy and reliability of the imaging process.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a motor drive unit connected to a catheter that rotates and moves an imaging core, featuring a catheter connector with a cylindrical member for optical fibers and connection terminals for ultrasound transceivers, and a connector unit that supports the cylindrical members for stable rotation and connection, allowing for the generation of vascular OCT and ultrasound tomographic images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the motor drive unit is downsized to allow closer positioning to the patient during medical procedures, then the accessibility and convenience are improved, but the structural stability and durability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber is nested within a hollow cylindrical portion of the connector, which is itself nested within the motor drive unit structure. This nested arrangement allows compact positioning of components without compromising structural integrity, enabling the motor drive unit to be downsized while maintaining durability through efficient space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is divided into distinct functional segments: a hollow cylindrical portion for optical fiber accommodation, a connection portion for electrical contacts, and a support structure. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling the motor drive unit to achieve compact dimensions while maintaining structural stability through well-defined functional zones.
2Ease of operation
If the catheter is repeatedly attached to and detached from the motor drive unit, then the flexibility and ease of operation are improved, but the connection durability and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The connector incorporates a rotatable cylindrical member that can dynamically adjust its orientation. This dynamic feature allows the connector to accommodate repeated attachment and detachment operations while maintaining stable electrical and optical connections, as the rotatable design enables easy alignment and engagement without compromising connection integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector design integrates multiple functions into a single component: electrical connection through contact terminals, optical connection through the hollow cylindrical portion, and mechanical coupling for the catheter. This multi-functional design simplifies the connection process, improving ease of operation while ensuring reliable connections through integrated structural support for all connection types.
3Measurement precision
If the optical fiber end portion is precisely positioned at the rotation center, then the imaging precision is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow cylindrical portion is positioned asymmetrically within the connector structure, with its center deliberately aligned with the rotation center of the imaging core. This asymmetric positioning, combined with the cylindrical geometry, provides inherent alignment features that simplify manufacturing while ensuring the optical fiber end is precisely positioned at the rotation center for optimal imaging precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique is disclosed for downsizing a motor drive unit (MDU) and improving durability in an imaging apparatus for diagnosis. In the motor drive unit, when a catheter connector is connected, a motor drive unit connector (MDU connector) for being connected to the catheter connector has a shape which accommodates the catheter connector in order to optically connect an optical fiber of a cylindrical member of a catheter and an optical fiber leading from the imaging apparatus for diagnosis to each other, and in order to connect an electrical contact portion of the catheter and an optical/electrical signal line leading from the imaging apparatus for diagnosis to each other. Then, the motor drive unit has a structure, which supports a center position of an end portion of the optical fiber exposed from the cylindrical member of the catheter, as a rotation center position of an imaging core.