Spring-Loaded Hammer Medical Device for Occlusion Clearance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical devices, such as wire guides and catheters, face challenges in navigating tortuous passageways and clearing occlusions in the vascular system without causing damage, as they require sufficient stiffness and flexibility, and may struggle to pass through or clear occlusions that impede their path.

Innovation Solution

A medical device featuring a distal tip, a spring, and a hammer component, where the spring is configured to propel the hammer component distally to strike the distal tip, providing a force to overcome occlusions, with a trigger wire mechanism to compress and release the spring, allowing controlled propulsion through occlusions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If the medical device is made stiffer to be pushed along the path, then it can overcome occlusions more effectively, but it becomes difficult to pass through tortuous passageways without causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforce to overcome occlusionsVSAvoiddamage to vascular system

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The device is divided into distinct functional segments: a flexible shaft for navigating tortuous passageways, a hammer component for delivering force to occlusions, and a spring mechanism for storing and releasing energy. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the overall device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The device transitions from a static structure to a dynamic system with a spring-loaded hammer mechanism. The spring can be compressed to store energy and then released to propel the hammer component, providing dynamic force delivery capability that adapts to different occlusion challenges while maintaining flexibility during navigation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the medical device is made more flexible to pass through tortuous passageways, then it can navigate the vascular system more easily, but it struggles to pass through or clear occlusions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenavigation through tortuous passagewaysVSAvoidability to clear occlusions

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The spring mechanism is pre-compressed to store elastic energy before the device reaches the occlusion. This preliminary action prepares the hammer component for a powerful strike once the device is positioned against the occlusion, enabling effective clearing without requiring continuous force application during navigation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If a spring mechanism is added to propel the hammer component, then the ability to clear occlusions is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to clear occlusionsVSAvoidstructure of spring and hammer mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spring mechanism is integrated within the existing device structure, combining the spring, hammer component, and trigger wire into a unified assembly. This merging approach minimizes the increase in overall device complexity while achieving the desired occlusion-clearing capability through coordinated movement of integrated components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The spring mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through the trigger wire system. When the trigger wire is pulled, it automatically compresses the spring and positions the hammer component for strike, eliminating the need for external actuation mechanisms and simplifying the overall device control system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 device effectively navigates tortuous paths and clears occlusions by transferring force from the hammer component to the distal tip, enabling passage through or breaking apart occlusions, thus facilitating smoother insertion and operation within the vascular system.

Implementation Method 1

a spring configured to provide a force when released from a loaded state to propel the hammer component in a distal direction toward the distal tip to strike the distal tip

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Implementation Method 2

The spring is disposed between the hammer component and the support structure. The trigger wire is coupled with the hammer component in a configuration where movement of the trigger wire in a proximal direction relative to the body portion retracts the hammer component and compresses the spring into a loaded state

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

the spring is configured to provide a force when released from a loaded state to propel the hammer component in a distal direction toward the distal tip to strike the distal tip

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpact force: Impact Force

Data Source

PatentUS9108026B2Spring action medical device

Publication Date: 2015.08.18 COOK MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

A spring action medical device includes a spring that may propel a hammer component in a distal direction when the spring is released from a loaded state. When propelled forward by the spring, the hammer component makes contact with a distal tip of the medical device. The distal tip may then transfer a force to an external object, such as an occlusion in a body lumen.