Sealed Catheter Wireless Sensor Power and Data Transmission
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional catheters are open, making them difficult to sterilize and expensive to produce due to complex connections of many tiny wires, and are typically disposable, which is inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
A sealed catheter design with a local power-delivery/data-reception (PDDR) unit at the insertion end for wireless communication with a sealed sensor, allowing for efficient energy transmission and simplifying fabrication and sterilization, enabling re-use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional catheters use open design with multiple wire connections, then data transmission capability is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases and sterilization becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrical connection function from physical wire connections and implements it through wireless communication. The PDDR unit at the insertion end transmits power and data signals wirelessly to electrodes, eliminating the need for complex wire connections through the catheter body, thus simplifying manufacturing while maintaining data transmission capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical wire connection system with an electromagnetic field-based wireless power and data transmission system. The PDDR unit uses electromagnetic signals to deliver power and receive data from electrodes without physical connections, substituting mechanical complexity with electromagnetic functionality
2Productivity
If conventional catheters are designed as open structures, then assembly is simplified, but sterilization capability is lost and re-use becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sealed membrane structure that encapsulates the catheter components, creating a sterile barrier. This flexible sealing approach allows the catheter to maintain sterility for re-use while preserving the necessary flexibility for medical application, enabling transition from single-use to reusable design
3Loss of information
If wireless sensors are placed at the insertion end, then data transmission efficiency improves, but power delivery complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the power delivery and data communication functions into a single integrated PDDR unit at the insertion end. This unified approach uses the same wireless electromagnetic interface for both powering the electrodes and receiving data, eliminating the need for separate power and data transmission systems and reducing overall complexity
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 sealed catheter design simplifies production, allows for sterilization, and reduces costs by enabling re-use while maintaining efficient data transmission and power delivery to the sensor, improving the overall efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the catheter.
Implementation Method 1
A local power-delivery/data-reception (PDDR) unit is incorporated at the insertion end of the catheter body for wirelessly emitting a signal that powers the sensor and for receiving data signals from the sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A local power-delivery/data-reception unit is installed within an insertion end of a sealed catheter. The local power-delivery/data-reception unit wirelessly powers a separately sealed sensor that is attached to the insertion end and configured for wirelessly sending a data signal to the local power-delivery/data-reception unit. The catheter may further feature a remote power-delivery/data-reception unit disposed within the handle and configured for wirelessly communicating with the local power-delivery/data-reception unit and a controller for controlling the sensor.