Scaffolded FPCB Catheter Structure for Bendability Without Kinking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current manufacturing technologies for attaching a FPCB on a catheter result in high stiffness, limiting bendability and flexibility, and are sensitive to environmental conditions, making them unsuitable for applications requiring flexibility and precision.
Innovation Solution
A catheter design incorporating a FPCB with a scaffold structure featuring FPCB free spaces and transducer patches, allowing for enhanced bendability, pushability, and torquability, while minimizing material usage and stress peaks, using LCP for the FPCB and thermoplastic polymer for the catheter tube.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If bonding processes (gluing or welding) are used to attach FPCB to catheter, then adhesion strength is improved, but catheter stiffness increases and bendability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The FPCB is designed with a scaffold structure containing multiple openings that segment the continuous material into discrete regions. This segmentation allows the FPCB to maintain structural integrity through the scaffold framework while the opening spaces provide flexibility and bendability, resolving the contradiction between adhesion strength and bendability.
Solution Approach 2:
The scaffold structure creates local variations in material density and stiffness throughout the FPCB. Regions with higher scaffold density provide strength and adhesion, while regions with larger openings provide flexibility and bendability. This local quality differentiation allows simultaneous optimization of both adhesion strength and bendability.
2Strength
If adhesive additives are used to promote bonding, then adhesion strength is improved, but sensitivity to environmental conditions increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the adhesive additive from the bonding process entirely. Instead of relying on chemical adhesives that require precise environmental control and dosage, the scaffold structure provides mechanical interlocking and structural integration, simplifying manufacturing and removing sensitivity to environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the chemical bonding mechanism (adhesives) with a mechanical/structural bonding mechanism. The scaffold structure creates physical interlocking and structural integration between the FPCB and catheter, eliminating the need for chemical additives and their associated manufacturing complexities.
3Stability of the object's composition
If FPCB edges are glued or welded to establish tubular structure, then structural stability is improved, but flexibility and bendability are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The scaffold structure segments the FPCB into a framework of supporting elements with intentional openings. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain stability through the scaffold framework while the opening spaces enable flexibility and bending without requiring edge welding or gluing.
Solution Approach 2:
The FPCB combines rigid scaffold material with flexible opening spaces to create a composite structure. The scaffold provides structural stability and shape maintenance, while the flexible spaces allow bending and flexibility, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter includes a catheter tube and a Flexible Printed Circuit Board, FPCB, wherein the FPCB covers essentially the catheter circumference for predetermined FPCB transducer segment length, especially at the distal portion, wherein the FPCB in the FPCB transducer segment includes a scaffold structure with a plurality of FPCB free spaces and one FPCB free surface portion creating maximum mechanical stability with the least amount of material and a FPCB scaffold structure which ensures maximum flexibility. The FPCB includes transducer patches which are connected by traces on the straight scaffolds of the scaffold structure. The FPCB free spaces are configured for preventing, circumventing and/or compensating the kinking behavious of the catheter tube.