Threading Support Facility for Medical Guide Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Threading medical objects, such as catheters or guide wires, into guide apparatuses is often time-consuming and requires significant fine motor skills, with risks of bending or snapping due to small apertures and obstruction issues.
Innovation Solution
A threading support facility with a first aperture and a second aperture connected by a wall, featuring a sub-guide apparatus that supports the object's guidance from the first aperture to the second, designed to simplify and accelerate the threading process by providing a larger inlet and a smaller outlet with a tapered cross-sectional area, and optionally incorporating sensors and magnetically active regions for feedback and assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If threading is done manually through a small aperture, then the guide apparatus can be compact, but the threading process becomes time-consuming and requires significant fine motor skills
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a threading support facility as an intermediary device between the operator and the guide apparatus. This facility includes a first aperture for inserting the object and a second aperture that connects to the guide apparatus, with a wall connecting them. The intermediary structure provides a larger first aperture that facilitates easier object insertion while maintaining connection to the compact guide apparatus through the second aperture.
Solution Approach 2:
The threading support facility is segmented into distinct components: a first aperture, a second aperture, a wall connecting them, and a sub-guide apparatus. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the first aperture for easy insertion, the wall for structural support, and the sub-guide apparatus for guiding the object through the narrow passage to the second aperture.
2Reliability
If a small aperture is used in the guide apparatus, then the device remains compact, but the object may bend or snap off during threading
Solution Approach 1:
The threading support facility provides a protective pathway before the object enters the narrow second aperture. The wall and sub-guide apparatus are designed to cushion and guide the object through the transition, preventing bending or snapping that would occur if the object were directly inserted into the small aperture of the guide apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The threading support facility acts as a mediator that protects the object during the threading process. The sub-guide apparatus running along the wall provides a protected pathway that prevents the object from bending or snapping off before it reaches the second aperture and enters the guide apparatus.
3Ease of operation
If manual threading is performed, then no additional threading support structure is needed, but the process requires significant fine motor skills and is obstructed easily
Solution Approach 1:
The sub-guide apparatus is designed to automatically guide the object through the wall from the first aperture to the second aperture without requiring complex manual manipulation. The object threads through the facility with minimal intervention, as the sub-guide apparatus provides self-guiding functionality that reduces the fine motor skills required by the operator.
4Productivity
If a larger inlet aperture is provided, then threading becomes easier and faster, but the connection to the guide apparatus becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture system is segmented into a first aperture with a larger area for easy and fast object insertion, and a second aperture that connects to the guide apparatus. The wall connecting these two apertures, along with the sub-guide apparatus, creates a structured transition zone that maintains productivity benefits while managing the connection complexity through modular design.
Data Source
AI summary
A threading support facility is for threading an object into a guide apparatus. The threading support facility is connectable to the guide apparatus and is configured to support threading of the object into the guide apparatus. In an embodiment, the threading support facility includes a wall connecting a first aperture of the threading support facility and a second aperture of the threading support facility. The first aperture is embodied as an inlet for insertion of the object into the threading support facility and the second aperture is embodied as an outlet out of the threading support facility. Further, a sub-guide runs along the wall of the threading support facility and runs in a direction from the first aperture to the second aperture. The sub-guide is configured to support guiding of the object, after insertion through the first aperture, into the threading support facility in a direction of the second aperture.