Working-Channel Access Valve With Reinforced Seal Ribs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Endoscopic procedures face challenges in accessing patient anatomy through a working channel while preventing undesired fluid exchange, as existing valves either compromise leakage prevention or require excessive force to pass medical instruments, often leading to valve damage.

Innovation Solution

A tubular body with reinforcing ribs or ridges around the aperture to enhance sealability and resistance to tearing, allowing instruments to pass while maintaining fluid containment, featuring symmetrical rib arrangements and varying rib thickness and width to manage force and sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a valve is designed for significant leakage prevention, then fluid containment is improved, but the force required to pass medical instruments through the valve increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid containmentVSAvoidforce required to pass instruments

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a reinforced aperture with ribs or ridges at specific locations around the opening. This localized reinforcement provides fluid containment where needed while leaving the central aperture clear for instrument passage, resolving the contradiction between sealing strength and instrument accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The valve structure is segmented into a reinforced aperture portion with ribs/ridges and a central passage area. This segmentation allows the reinforced portions to provide fluid containment while the central area maintains ease of instrument passage, addressing both requirements simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If additional reinforcement is added to prevent aperture tearing, then valve integrity is improved, but the complexity of the valve structure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaperture tear resistanceVSAvoidvalve structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses thin rib or ridge structures that can be integrated into the valve body without adding significant complexity. These thin reinforcing elements provide tear resistance while maintaining a relatively simple overall valve structure, avoiding the need for complex multi-layer or multi-component designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Ease of operation

If the aperture is made larger to facilitate instrument passage, then ease of operation is improved, but fluid leakage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstrument passage easeVSAvoidfluid containment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a localized reinforced aperture structure where the ribs or ridges provide fluid containment along the edges, while the central area remains sufficiently large for instrument passage. This local quality approach allows the aperture to be optimally sized for operation while maintaining sealing effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250288188A1Devices, systems, and methods for providing sealable access to a working channel

Publication Date: 2025.09.18 BOSTON SCI MEDICAL DEVICE LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of medical devices. In particular, the present disclosure relates to valve configurations providing scalable access for medical instruments to a working channel, such as a working channel for an endoscope.