Nested Instrument Housing for Low-Friction Vascular Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing instrument delivery devices face challenges such as obstruction, deflection, and fluid leakage when advancing instruments through vascular access devices, due to factors like friction, torturous paths, and fluid exchange, which complicate the delivery process.
Innovation Solution
The instrument delivery device features a telescoping outer and inner housing system with a fluid flow preventing seal, instrument supports, and low-friction coatings to minimize buckling and fluid transfer, allowing smooth advancement of instruments through vascular access devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the instrument is advanced through the delivery device, then the instrument can be delivered into the vascular access device, but friction and obstruction cause deflection and delivery failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested housing structure where an inner housing is positioned within an outer housing. The inner housing defines a passage for instrument advancement, while the outer housing provides structural support and contains sealing mechanisms. This nested configuration creates a controlled environment that reduces friction and obstruction during instrument delivery, directly addressing the reliability issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a seal member as an intermediary component between the inner and outer housings. This seal member prevents fluid leakage while allowing instrument passage, and its presence reduces direct contact and friction between the instrument and the housing walls, thereby reducing obstruction and improving delivery reliability.
2Device complexity
If the delivery device structure is simplified, then device complexity is reduced, but fluid leakage between the VAD and delivery device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nested housing arrangement allows the seal member to be integrated within the existing structure of the outer and inner housings. The seal member is positioned in a groove or channel formed by the nested housings, creating an effective seal without requiring additional external sealing components. This maintains structural simplicity while preventing fluid leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member is constructed as a flexible component that can deform to conform to the interfaces between the housings and the vascular access device. This flexibility allows the seal to adapt to slight variations in geometry and maintain sealing effectiveness without requiring complex rigid sealing structures, thus preventing fluid leakage while keeping the device simple.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the instrument passage is enlarged to reduce friction, then instrument advancement is smoother, but structural support and sealing effectiveness are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The nested housing design allows the inner housing passage to be optimally sized for low-friction instrument advancement while the outer housing maintains overall structural integrity. The annular space between the nested housings provides additional structural support and houses the sealing mechanism, enabling the passage to be enlarged without compromising strength or sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing components are constructed using materials with appropriate mechanical properties that balance friction reduction and structural support. The use of biocompatible, low-friction materials for the inner housing passage surface reduces friction during instrument advancement, while the outer housing uses materials with higher structural strength to maintain overall device integrity and sealing effectiveness.
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 device ensures robust and efficient delivery of instruments by reducing friction, preventing buckling, and minimizing fluid leakage, thereby enhancing the performance and reliability of instrument delivery.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid flow preventing seal provided in or adjacent the connector and configured to prevent a transfer of fluid between the vascular access device and the inner volume of the outer housing
Implementation Method 2
low-friction coatings to minimize buckling and fluid transfer, allowing smooth advancement of instruments through vascular access devices
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein is an instrument delivery device for advancing an instrument into a vascular access device. The instrument delivery device includes an outer housing, a connector coupled to the outer housing and including a projection member that mates with the vascular access device, and an inner housing having a distal end positioned within the outer housing and engaged with a proximal end of the instrument. The inner housing moves relative to the outer housing so that a distal movement thereof moves the instrument from a first position to a second position, with a distal end of the instrument moving from within the outer housing to out beyond the distal end of the outer housing and the projection member. A fluid flow preventing seal provided in or adjacent the connector prevents a transfer of fluid between the vascular access device and the inner volume of the outer housing.