Puncture Tip Flow Path for Better Fossa Ovalis Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing puncturing devices for the fossa ovalis suffer from poor visibility of injected liquids during intracardiac echocardiography or X-ray irradiation, making it difficult to confirm penetration.

Innovation Solution

A puncturing device with a resin tube and metal member configuration that includes a flow path between the inner surface of the resin tube and the outer surface of the metal member, with an opening on the distal side of the metal tube and proximal side of the metal tip, allowing for wide ejection of liquids like saline or contrast medium.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a traditional puncturing device with a sharp puncturing element is used, then puncturing speed is fast, but the puncturing element is prone to bending or breaking and causes unpredictable puncturing depths

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepuncturing speedVSAvoidpuncturing element stability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The puncturing element is divided into a puncturing rod and a separate cutting element (punch). The puncturing rod provides structural support while the cutting element performs the actual puncturing action, separating the functions to improve both speed and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A cutting element with a cutting edge is introduced as an intermediary between the puncturing rod and the soil medium. This cutting element enables controlled soil separation through shearing action, preventing the puncturing rod from directly contacting and potentially bending upon soil resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If a sharp puncturing element is used to achieve fast puncturing, then puncturing efficiency is high, but soil structure is damaged and root inclusion occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepuncturing efficiencyVSAvoidsoil structure damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting element geometry is specifically designed with a cutting edge angle and dimensions optimized to shear soil particles rather than tear or compress them. This parameter optimization allows efficient puncturing while maintaining soil structure integrity and preventing root inclusion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting edge is designed to utilize the soil's own structural properties by shearing along particle boundaries. This converts the potential harm of soil resistance into a beneficial shearing mechanism that cleanly separates soil particles without damaging the overall soil structure or including roots.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Manufacturing precision

If a punching element with cutting edge is introduced, then soil particles are sheared off cleanly without root inclusion, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepuncturing precisionVSAvoiddevice structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting element is integrated with the puncturing rod through a unified connection structure that allows the cutting element to be mounted on or formed as part of the rod. This merging approach achieves precise cutting action while minimizing the increase in device complexity through integrated design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Device complexity

If the puncturing element is kept simple without cutting edge, then device structure is simple, but puncturing depth cannot be controlled and soil structure is damaged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice structure simplicityVSAvoidpuncturing depth control
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting element is designed to rotate or pivot during the puncturing process, allowing it to adapt to varying soil conditions and maintain optimal cutting angles. This dynamic characteristic enables controlled puncturing depth and clean soil particle separation without requiring complex control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4295886B1Puncturing device
Publication Date: 2026.04.29 KANEKA CORP
  • EP4295886B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4295886B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4295886B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A puncturing device (1) comprising: a resin tube (10) having a distal end (10d) and a proximal end, and extending in a longitudinal direction; a metal tube (20) disposed in a lumen of the resin tube (10); a metal member (30) disposed at a distal end portion of the metal tube (20); and a metal tip (40) disposed at a distal end portion of the metal member (30), wherein the resin tube (10) includes a flow path (50) which is present between an inner surface of the resin tube (10) and an outer surface of the metal member (30) and which is in communication with a lumen of the metal tube (20), the distal end (10d) of the resin tube (10) is present between a distal end (40d) and a proximal end (40p) of the metal tip (40), the resin tube (10) further includes an opening portion (11) through which the flow path (50) and outside of the resin tube (10) are in communication with each other, and the opening portion (11) is present on a distal side relative to a distal end (20d) of the metal tube (20) and on a proximal side relative to the proximal end (40p) of the metal tip (40).