Amorphous Copolyester Medical Fluid Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid connection systems in medical applications, such as three-way cocks and Y-connectors, often use plastics that can leach plasticizers like bisphenol-A, posing health risks due to potential carcinogenic effects.
Innovation Solution
The use of amorphous copolyester for the surfaces that come into contact with fluids in connection systems, combined with other materials like duroplastic and thermoplastic materials, to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful substances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional plastics with plasticizers are used to manufacture connection systems, then manufacturing cost and ease of processing are improved, but patient safety deteriorates due to plasticizer leaching into fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from conventional plastics containing plasticizers to amorphous copolyester without plasticizers. This parameter change eliminates the source of harmful plasticizer leaching while maintaining the material's structural and functional properties needed for manufacturing connection systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction where the inner surface contacting the fluid is made from amorphous copolyester while other portions of the connection system may use different materials. This allows optimization of each component for its specific function while ensuring patient safety at the fluid interface.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If amorphous copolyester is used for fluid-contact surfaces, then patient safety is improved by eliminating plasticizer leaching, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using amorphous copolyester specifically for the inner surface portions that contact the fluid, while other external or non-fluid-contact portions can be made from different materials. This localized application of the safe material minimizes the amount of specialized material needed and simplifies manufacturing compared to requiring the entire system to be made from amorphous copolyester.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a connecting system for components through which fluid flows for medicine and medical technology, in particular infusion or transfusion tubes, selector valves, multi-way distributors, injection equipment such as needles, accesses or the like, and combinations thereof, comprising a female tubular receptacle, which comprises an inner receiving section and an outer first fixing section, and/or a male tubular plug element for reception in the female receiving section and an outer second fixing section, which cooperates with the first fixing section for fixing the connecting system. The invention is characterized in that the surfaces of the connecting system that come in contact with the fluid are produced at least in some sections from amorphous copolyester. The invention further relates to the use of amorphous copolyester for producing a corresponding connecting system.