Shape Memory Dongle for Catheter Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current catheters with control handles are costly and difficult to sterilize, leading to single-use disposal, and the free-hanging dongles with flexible cables are prone to damage and tension issues, making them hard to manage and secure during medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A dongle with a semi-rigid support portion that provides flexibility, shape memory, and varying stiffness, allowing for better positioning and shock absorption, reducing stress on extension cables and enhancing durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If hardware is relocated from catheter control handle to a free-hanging dongle, then catheter manufacturing cost is reduced and waste is minimized, but the dongle becomes difficult to manage and prone to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a flexible support portion with shape memory that can be manually positioned and maintains its position. This flexible yet memory-retaining structure allows the dongle to be easily managed and positioned without being rigid, resolving the contradiction between cost reduction and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The support portion transitions from a flexible state during positioning to a rigid state when maintaining position through shape memory effect. This parameter change allows the dongle to be both easy to position and stable during use, addressing the manageability issue while keeping manufacturing costs low.
2Ease of manufacture
If a free-hanging dongle with flexible cable is used, then catheter cost is reduced, but the dongle is prone to damage from bumping and causes tension on extension cables
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a shock-absorbing element in the support portion that provides beforehand cushioning against accidental bumps. This pre-built protection mechanism absorbs impact forces before they can damage the dongle or create excessive tension on extension cables, thereby improving reliability while maintaining cost effectiveness.
3Ease of operation
If a rigid support structure is used for the dongle, then positioning control is improved, but the dongle cannot absorb shock and is more prone to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible support portion with shape memory that appears rigid when positioned but flexes to absorb shocks. This flexible-yet-memory-retaining material provides both good positioning control and shock absorption capability, resolving the contradiction between positioning control and shock resistance.
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 dongle system reduces catheter costs, minimizes waste, and protects both the dongle and catheter by allowing controlled placement and absorbing accidental shocks, while decreasing tension on extension cables, thus improving usability and durability.
Implementation Method 1
The support portion protects both the dongle body, as well as the catheter and the PIU by providing elastic displacement for shock absorption where the dongle or the catheter are accidentally bumped.
Implementation Method 2
The dongle having a support portion with flexibility, shape memory and/or varying degrees of stiffness also advantageously allows a user more control over the placement, position and orientation of the dongle.
Data Source
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AI summary
A dongle couples an electrophysiologic catheter and a navigational system, including a patient interface unit (PIU). The dongle permits hardware normally carried on catheter control handle to be relocated onto the dongle to render catheter "greener" and less costly to manufacture use. The dongle having a support portion with flexibility, shape memory and/or varying degrees of stiffness also advantageously allows a user more control over the placement, position and orientation of the dongle. The dongle has a body with a first electrical interface unit, and a support portion with a second electrical interface unit, the support portion having an outer flexible tubular member with shape memory. In one embodiment, the support portion comprises a gooseneck tubing. In another embodiment, the support portion comprises a coiled spring.