Textile Balloon Catheters With Variable Loop Weft
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Solution Overview
Problem
The development of textile-reinforced high-pressure balloon catheters has introduced manufacturing challenges, necessitating the creation of new textile balloon catheters and methods for their production that can achieve higher burst pressures with thinner wall thicknesses.
Innovation Solution
The design and manufacturing of balloon catheters with a textile sleeve comprising warp and weft threads, where the weft threads form circumferential loops and knots to provide reinforcement, are secured to the balloon and elongate member, allowing fluid movement to inflate and deflate the balloon, with specific loop and knot configurations optimizing structural properties for stress areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If textile reinforcement is added to balloon catheters to increase burst pressure, then the burst pressure capability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The textile sleeve is pre-formed with specific knit patterns and loop structures before being integrated with the balloon. The weft threads are pre-configured to form circumferential loops at predetermined locations that will become reinforcement zones. This preliminary preparation allows the complex textile structure to be manufactured separately and then attached to the balloon, reducing the overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining the high burst pressure capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The textile sleeve incorporates varying knit patterns along its length, with circumferential loops and knots positioned at specific locations corresponding to stress concentration areas on the balloon. The weave density, thread type, and loop configuration are locally optimized to provide enhanced reinforcement where needed, rather than uniformly throughout the entire sleeve. This localized quality approach maintains strength where required while simplifying manufacturing in less critical areas.
2Strength
If textile reinforcement is added to balloon catheters to increase burst pressure, then the burst pressure capability is improved, but the wall thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The solution employs a composite structure combining a thin-walled balloon material with a textile reinforcement sleeve. The balloon itself maintains a minimal wall thickness for flexibility and low profile, while the textile sleeve provides the additional strength and burst pressure capability. The composite construction allows each material to contribute its optimal properties without requiring the balloon wall itself to be thickened.
Solution Approach 2:
The textile sleeve features circumferential loops and varied knit patterns that are concentrated at specific locations along the balloon length, particularly at the shoulders and body portions where stress concentrations occur during inflation. These localized reinforcement zones provide enhanced burst pressure capability without requiring uniform thickening of the balloon wall throughout its entire length, thus maintaining overall thin wall thickness while achieving high strength where needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Textile balloon catheters, textile sleeves useful in balloon catheters, and methods of making balloon catheters are described. An example catheter includes an elongate shaft and a balloon movable between uninflated and inflated configurations, and a textile sleeve secured to the balloon. The textile sleeve has a plurality of warp threads and at least one weft thread extending circumferentially around the balloon. Circumferential loops in the portion of the textile sleeve that is secured to the body of the balloon are larger in diameter than circumferential loops in the portion of the textile sleeve that is secured to one or more of the proximal neck, distal neck, proximal cone and distal cone portions of the balloon.