Welded Rod Mandrel Ball Tip for Medical Device Joint Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional cardiovascular treatments are often invasive, causing discomfort and long recovery times, and existing less invasive methods may be inefficient or ineffective for conditions like defective heart valves.
Innovation Solution
A medical device system comprising an outer sheath and inner catheter that allows for percutaneous delivery and deployment of a replacement heart valve, with a mechanism for expanding and locking the valve in place, reducing invasiveness and improving treatment efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional invasive cardiovascular treatments are used, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but patient discomfort and recovery time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The medical device is divided into multiple segments including an inner catheter, outer sheath, and replaceable valve components. This segmentation allows the device to be delivered through a minimally invasive percutaneous approach while maintaining the capability to perform effective valve replacement therapy.
2Reliability
If traditional invasive cardiovascular treatments are used, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but recovery time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inner catheter is nested within the outer sheath, creating a compact delivery system that can be introduced through small percutaneous access points. This nested configuration enables minimally invasive delivery while maintaining the functionality to deploy effective valve replacement therapy, thereby reducing recovery time compared to traditional open surgery.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If less invasive percutaneous treatments are used, then patient discomfort is reduced, but treatment effectiveness may be insufficient for defective heart valves
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates expandable valve components that transition from a compressed delivery state to an expanded functional state upon deployment. This dynamic transformation allows the valve to achieve its full therapeutic effect after being delivered through a minimally invasive percutaneous approach, resolving the contradiction between reduced patient discomfort and adequate treatment effectiveness.
4Strength
If multiple rod mandrels are welded together to form a ball tip, then structural strength is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple rod mandrels are welded together at their proximal ends to form an integrated ball tip structure. This merging of components creates a strong, unified joint that can withstand the forces involved in valve deployment, while the welding process, though adding manufacturing steps, creates a permanent strong bond that simplifies the overall assembly structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The tubular coupling element serves as an intermediary component that facilitates the connection between the ball tip (formed by welded rod mandrels) and the elongated shaft. This intermediary element provides a standardized interface that simplifies the assembly process and ensures proper alignment and strength in the joint.
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
Enables minimally invasive delivery and deployment of replacement heart valves, reducing patient discomfort and recovery time while effectively addressing valve defects.
Implementation Method 1
welding the first, second, and third elongated rod mandrels together at a predetermined distal location, welding the first, second, and third elongated rod mandrels together at a predetermined proximal location
Data Source
AI summary
An elongated member and a method of manufacturing an elongated member may include first, second, and third elongated rod mandrels. The first, second, and third elongated rod mandrels may be fixed together at predetermined proximal and distal locations and at a ball tip. The first, second, and third rod mandrels may be disposed within a tubular coupling element and fixed to the tubular coupling element at the ball tip. The tubular coupling element may be placed into abutment with and fixed to the distal end of an elongated shaft.