Valve Repair Coupling Instrument Balloon Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coupling instruments for valve clips suffer from asymmetry, high resistance, and incomplete fitting due to clearance issues between the pushing wire and restriction rings, leading to difficulties in engaging and disengaging with the valve clip.
Innovation Solution
A coupling instrument featuring a prosthesis holder with inflatable balloons to actuate prosthetic members, allowing them to transition between deflected configurations for stable attachment and detachment from the valve clip without the need for a pushing wire and restriction rings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pushing wire is used to couple the coupling instrument with the valve clip through restriction rings, then the coupling can be achieved, but asymmetry occurs between the two clasps due to clearance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the pushing wire and restriction rings from the system entirely. Instead, it uses a self-contained coupling instrument where the two clasps are directly actuated by a control wire without intermediate restriction rings, eliminating the source of asymmetry and clearance issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces asymmetric pre-deflection to the clasps where the first clasp is pre-deflected at a first angle and the second clasp is pre-deflected at a second angle different from the first. This asymmetric design compensates for potential manufacturing variations and ensures symmetrical coupling behavior.
2Ease of operation
If the pushing wire diameter is made smaller than the restriction ring opening diameter to allow movement, then the wire can be advanced and retracted, but clearances are created that prevent adequate center-alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the restriction rings and pushing wire interface entirely. The control wire passes directly through the coupling instrument structure without requiring clearance-based movement through restriction rings, thus achieving both ease of operation and precise alignment.
3Ease of manufacture
If the clasps are allowed to deflect slightly due to clearances, then the coupling instrument can be assembled, but the clasps do not tightly fit on the valve clip
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements pre-deflection of the clasps during manufacturing. The first clasp is pre-deflected at a first angle and the second clasp is pre-deflected at a second angle, so that when assembled, the clasps are already positioned to tightly fit the valve clip without requiring excessive deflection during assembly.
4Ease of operation
If the pushing wire is manipulated through restriction rings to decouple the instrument, then the valve clip can be released, but great resistance or noise is experienced during wire movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the restriction rings that cause friction and noise. The control wire moves directly through the coupling instrument structure without passing through restriction rings, eliminating the source of resistance and noise during advancement and retraction.
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 solution ensures stable and symmetrical attachment of the prosthesis holder to the valve clip, reduces resistance issues, and facilitates smooth engagement and disengagement, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of the valve repair system.
Implementation Method 1
The balloon is inflatable to expand to actuate distal ends of the prosthetic members to cause them to transition from a first deflected configuration into a second deflected configuration
Data Source
AI summary
A valve repair system and a coupling instrument thereof are provided. The coupling instrument includes a prosthesis holder (90) and a balloon (100). The prosthesis holder (90) includes at least two prosthetic members (91) arranged circumferentially around its own axis (H). Proximal end of each prosthetic member (91) is fixed in position radially with respect to the prosthesis holder (90). The balloon (100) is inflatable to expand to actuate distal ends of the prosthetic members (91) to cause them to transition from a first deflected configuration into a second deflected configuration. With this design, when the prosthetic members (91) are clampingly assembled with the valve clip in the first deflected configuration, they are inwardly urged into coupling engagement with the valve clip. This enables the prosthesis holder (90) to be assembled with the valve clip without left-to-right asymmetry of the prosthetic members (91). Moreover, since the use of a pushing wire (04) and restriction rings (013) is dispensed with, the problem that the pushing wire (04) may experience great resistance or make a sound when it is being advanced or retracted is circumvented. Through using the balloon (100) to actuate the prosthetic members (91) into a different deflected configuration, it can be ensured that difficult separation of the prosthetic members (91) from the valve clip will not happen due to deflection of one or more of the prosthetic members (91) to an insufficiently large extent.