Protective Casing for Thin-Film Lead Paddle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thin-film lead paddles in surgical leads are prone to mechanical stress and damage during handling, testing, cleaning, sterilization, transport, and packaging due to their high flexibility, necessitating a protective solution to prevent bending, kinking, and mechanical stress.
Innovation Solution
A protective casing with a housing comprising two or more parts, where at least one part is permeable to fluids and gases, allowing for testing, cleaning, and sterilization while encasing the thin-film lead paddle, and featuring a locking mechanism for secure assembly and disassembly to minimize handling stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the lead paddle is made of thin film material to increase flexibility, then the flexibility and conformability to target site are improved, but the mechanical strength and resistance to damage during handling and processing deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The protective casing is divided into a first part and a second part that can be separated from each other. This segmentation allows the casing to be opened for placing the lead paddle and closed for protection, resolving the contradiction by providing protection only when needed while maintaining flexibility during handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective casing acts as an intermediary element between the fragile thin-film lead paddle and the external environment. It provides mechanical strength and protection during handling, testing, cleaning, and sterilization, while allowing the lead paddle to maintain its inherent flexibility when the casing is opened or removed.
2Strength
If the protective casing is made impermeable to provide better protection, then the mechanical protection is improved, but the ability to perform testing and sterilization without removal deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective casing is made with a porous structure that allows fluids and gases to pass through. This enables the lead paddle to be tested and sterilized while remaining inside the protective casing, as cleaning solutions, sterilizing agents, and testing media can penetrate the porous material without compromising the mechanical protection provided by the casing structure.
3Reliability
If multiple processing steps are performed on the lead paddle to ensure proper functionality, then the reliability and safety are improved, but the exposure to mechanical stress and risk of damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective casing is placed on the lead paddle before any processing steps are performed. This preliminary protective action ensures that the lead paddle is protected during handling, testing, cleaning, and sterilization operations, allowing all necessary processing steps to be completed without increasing the risk of mechanical damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective casing serves as a mediator that allows multiple processing steps to be performed on the lead paddle without direct exposure to mechanical stress. The casing absorbs and distributes any external forces, protecting the fragile thin-film structure while enabling comprehensive testing and processing.
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 protective casing significantly reduces the risk of damage to the thin-film lead paddle during pre-operative procedures by providing mechanical protection and facilitating testing, cleaning, and sterilization while maintaining the lead's integrity and ease of handling.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the first part or the second part is permeable to fluids and/or gases
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a protective casing for a thin-film lead paddle of a surgical lead, the thin-film lead paddle being connected to a lead cable through an interconnection portion, the protective casing comprising:a housing formed by a first part and at least a second part, the housing being configured and adapted to enclose at least a part of the thin-film lead paddle of the surgical lead,wherein each of the first and second parts includes a first surface and a second surface, the second surfaces of the first and second detachable parts being at least partially in contact to one another and/or in contact with the thin-film lead paddle when the first and second detachable parts are held in place to form the housing.