Slotted Sensor Guide Wire Tube for Torque Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sensor guide wires for intravascular measurements lack sufficient torsional rigidity and bending stiffness optimization, leading to difficulties in navigating tortuous vessels and maintaining mechanical integrity in sharp bends.
Innovation Solution
A sensor guide wire design featuring a tube with a specified thickness and a pattern of elongated slots along its circumference, varying in length and orientation to enhance torsional rigidity while maintaining low bending stiffness, allowing for improved torque response and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a core wire is positioned inside the tube to increase bending strength and maneuverability, then the guide wire gains pushability and torquability, but the flexibility is reduced making it difficult to navigate tortuous vessels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible tube structure with slots cut into its wall to create a balance between strength and flexibility. The slots allow the tube wall to deform more easily under bending loads while maintaining structural integrity, enabling the guide wire to navigate tortuous vessels without requiring a rigid core wire
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the mechanical properties of the tube by introducing slots with specific dimensions, patterns, and orientations. By varying parameters such as slot width, length, spacing, and angular arrangement, the tube's flexibility and torqueability can be optimized to match the specific requirements of different vascular access scenarios
2Adaptability or versatility
If the core wire is made more flexible to improve vessel navigation, then the guide wire can navigate tortuous vessels more easily, but the pushability and torquability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The slotted tube structure provides flexible yet strength-retaining construction. The slots enable the tube to bend and conform to vessel geometry while the remaining material bridges maintain sufficient rigidity for pushing and torquing the device through the vascular system
Solution Approach 2:
The guide wire combines the slotted tube structure with a core wire and coating layers to create a composite construction. This multi-layer approach allows each component to contribute specific properties: the slotted tube provides flexibility and radial strength, while the core wire maintains axial pushability and torquability
3Adaptability or versatility
If the tube wall is made thinner to increase flexibility, then the guide wire can navigate smaller vessels, but the mechanical integrity and stress resistance are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The slotted tube design allows the use of thinner tube walls while maintaining mechanical integrity. The slots redistribute stresses during bending and deformation, preventing stress concentration that would otherwise lead to failure in thin-walled structures
Solution Approach 2:
The tube wall thickness and slot characteristics can be varied along the length of the guide wire to provide different mechanical properties in different sections. The distal portion may have different slot patterns compared to the proximal portion to optimize performance for specific vascular segments
Data Source
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AI summary
A tube for an intravascular medical device has a longitudinal extension along a longitudinal axis. The tube comprises a tube wall having a specified thickness and a plurality of through-going slots, wherein each slot has an essentially elongated shape along a main extension extending along the circumference of the tube. At least two slots are provided in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis such that the main extension of the at least two slots are in the perpendicular plane. The lengths of the slots in the same perpendicular plane P are essentially the same, and the lengths L of the slots in different planes vary along the longitudinal extension of the tube according to a predefined pattern. A sensor guide wire for an intravascular measurement of at least one variable in a living body may comprise such a tube.