Medical Device Wire Actuation Assembly Without Distal Termination Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical devices, such as duodenoscopes, require termination members at the distal ends of actuation wires to maintain their position, occupying valuable space and increasing manufacturing complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
The actuation wires are routed within the articulation portion and around the elevator, eliminating the need for termination members, thereby reducing component count and allowing for a smaller distal tip diameter while accommodating larger components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If termination members are used at the distal ends of actuation wires to maintain their position, then the position stability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the termination members from the actuation wire assembly. The actuation wires are directly integrated into the articulation portion structure, removing the need for separate termination components while maintaining position stability through the wire routing configuration itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the function of termination members with the articulation portion structure. The actuation wires are directly coupled to the articulation portion without intermediate termination components, combining what were previously separate elements into an integrated assembly that reduces overall complexity.
2Reliability
If termination members are used at the distal ends of actuation wires, then the position stability is improved, but the manufacturing cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes termination members from the assembly, eliminating the manufacturing steps associated with producing and installing these separate components. This directly reduces manufacturing cost and time while maintaining position stability through alternative wire routing and anchoring methods.
3Reliability
If termination members are used at the distal ends of actuation wires, then the position stability is improved, but the distal tip diameter increases
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting termination members from the distal tip assembly, the invention eliminates the space these components would occupy. This allows for a smaller distal tip diameter while maintaining actuation wire position stability through direct integration into the articulation portion structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the spatial arrangement by routing actuation wires through the articulation portion structure in a manner that eliminates the need for terminal components at the distal end. This dimensional reconfiguration allows position stability without increasing distal tip diameter.
Data Source
AI summary
An articulation portion of a medical device may include a plurality of links arranged longitudinally about an axis. Each link may include a center lumen and at least one lumen extending longitudinally through a wall of each respective link, which may be configured to receive an articulation wire. A distalmost link of the plurality of links may include a first cutout on first radial surface of the distalmost link, a second cutout on a second radial surface of the distalmost, and a third cutout on the first radial surface of the distalmost link. The first radial surface may be one of a radially outer surface or a radially inner surface, and the second radial surface may be another of the radially outer surface or the radially inner surface. The articulation wire may extend through each of the first cutout, the second cutout, and the third cutout.