Angled Filter Adaptor for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid filters used in medical applications, such as negative pressure wound therapy, face challenges with fluid flow resistance and pressure buildup due to their design, which can lead to discomfort and complications for patients, particularly when the filter's increased diameter makes it unwieldy and prone to causing skin pressure damage or entanglement.
Innovation Solution
The development of low-profile filter devices with a filter adaptor that includes a body with an internal passageway and a filter oriented in a direction different from the fluid flow, allowing for increased filter surface area without increasing the external diameter, using materials like gas-permeable or gelling absorbent materials, and incorporating indicators for blockage or dressing change detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the filter diameter is increased to improve fluid flow rate, then the filtering capacity is improved, but the device becomes unwieldy and causes skin pressure damage or entanglement
Solution Approach 1:
The filter is reoriented from a conventional perpendicular orientation to an angled orientation (15-45 degrees) relative to the tubing axis. This dimensional change in filter orientation allows the filter surface area to be increased without proportionally increasing the external diameter of the filter adaptor, thereby maintaining low profile while improving fluid flow rate
Solution Approach 2:
The filter is nested within the filter adaptor body in a compact configuration. The filter adaptor houses the filter in a space-efficient manner that maximizes filter surface area within a constrained external diameter, preventing the device from becoming unwieldy while maintaining adequate filtering capacity
2Productivity
If the filter diameter is increased to improve fluid flow rate, then the filtering capacity is improved, but the device complexity and risk of entanglement increase
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the filter orientation angle from perpendicular to angled (15-45 degrees), the design achieves improved fluid flow rate without requiring a proportional increase in external diameter, thus maintaining simpler device profile and reducing entanglement risk
Solution Approach 2:
The filter adaptor incorporates specific geometric parameters including an angled filter orientation (15-45 degrees), controlled external diameter (3-15 mm), and defined filter surface area. These parameter optimizations enable improved fluid flow rate while maintaining compact, low-profile device characteristics
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a compact filter design is used to reduce profile, then patient comfort is improved, but fluid flow resistance increases causing pressure buildup
Solution Approach 1:
The angled orientation of the filter (15-45 degrees relative to tubing axis) optimizes the flow path through the filter media, reducing turbulence and pressure drop while maintaining a compact external diameter that ensures patient comfort
Solution Approach 2:
The filter adaptor is designed with optimized parameters including external diameter (3-15 mm), filter surface area, and orientation angle (15-45 degrees). These parameter combinations achieve the optimal balance between maintaining low profile for patient comfort and minimizing pressure drop to ensure adequate fluid flow rate
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
These compact filter devices effectively filter large volumes of fluid with reduced pressure drop and minimize patient discomfort by maintaining a low profile, preventing skin damage and entanglement, while also providing indicators for monitoring fluid flow and dressing changes.
Implementation Method 1
the filter comprises gas permeable material
Implementation Method 2
the filter comprises liquid impermeable material
Implementation Method 3
the filter comprises a gelling absorbent material that, when in a dry state, is permeable to gas and that, when contacted by an aqueous fluid, converts to a gel
Implementation Method 4
when in a dry state, is permeable to gas and that, when contacted by an aqueous fluid, converts to a gel
Data Source
AI summary
A filter adaptor includes a body that defines an internal passageway disposed between an inlet and an outlet, the passageway configured to permit passage of a fluid in a first direction defined by the inlet and the outlet; and a filter disposed within the passageway and oriented to define a volumetric direction that is different than the first direction. Another filter adaptor includes a body that defines an internal passageway disposed between an inlet and an outlet, and a filter disposed within the passageway, wherein the filter comprises a gelling absorbent material that, when in a dry state, is permeable to gas and that, when contacted by an aqueous fluid, converts to a gel. Such filter adaptors may be used for negative pressure wound therapy, dressing, or as syringe filters.