Surface-Treated Structural Support Member Catheter Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical catheters face challenges in navigating tortuous blood vessels due to lack of sufficient adhesion between structural support members and outer jackets, leading to potential delamination and buckling, which hinders their ability to maintain structural integrity and effectively reach target sites within the vasculature.
Innovation Solution
The catheters incorporate a surface-treated structural support member with increased adhesion to both the inner liner and outer jacket through physical, chemical, or coating treatments, enhancing the shear strength and resistance to delamination and buckling by applying treatments selectively to high-stress areas, thereby stabilizing the catheter within the vasculature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a structural support member is positioned between the inner liner and outer jacket without surface treatment, then the catheter structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the adhesion between layers is insufficient leading to delamination and buckling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies surface treatments (roughening, chemical etching, plasma treatment, or coating) to the structural support member to change its surface properties and increase adhesion to the inner liner and outer jacket, resolving the contradiction between reliability and manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with multiple layers (inner liner, structural support member with surface treatment, outer jacket) where the surface-treated structural support member creates strong interfacial bonding between dissimilar materials, achieving high adhesion while maintaining structural integrity
2Strength
If the catheter lacks sufficient adhesion between structural support member and outer jacket, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the catheter cannot resist buckling and maintain structural integrity in tortuous vasculature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies surface treatment to the structural support member before assembling the catheter layers, preparing the surface in advance to ensure optimal adhesion properties and structural strength while maintaining manufacturing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The surface treatment modifies physical and chemical parameters of the structural support member surface (roughness, surface energy, reactivity) to enhance bonding strength and resistance to buckling and delamination forces
3Reliability
If surface treatment is applied to the structural support member, then adhesion and resistance to delamination are increased, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies surface treatment selectively to specific portions or regions of the structural support member rather than the entire surface, achieving sufficient adhesion in critical areas while reducing overall process time and complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The surface treatment process is optimized by controlling parameters such as treatment duration, intensity, and area to achieve the minimum necessary adhesion improvement while minimizing impact on manufacturing productivity
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 enhanced adhesion between the structural support member and the catheter layers improves the catheter's ability to resist buckling and delamination, allowing for more effective navigation through tortuous vasculature and maintaining structural integrity during medical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
the surface of the structural support member has increased adhesion to the inner liner and/or the outer jacket
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, a catheter includes an inner liner, an outer jacket, and a structural support member positioned between at least a portion of the inner liner and at least a portion of the outer jacket. A surface of at least a portion of the structural support member is surface treated to increase an adhesion of the surface to at least one of the inner liner or the outer jacket. Examples surface treatments include physical treatments, chemical treatments, coating treatments, and combinations thereof. In some instances, the at least one portion of the structural support member is a relatively high density portion.