Bag Holder Mounting on Bottle Holder for Injection Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current injection systems face challenges in efficiently delivering contrast agents with high viscosity, requiring high pressure and leading to patient discomfort, and are not compatible with soft bags, which offer cost and storage benefits.

Innovation Solution

The injection system incorporates a bag holder that can mount on a bottle holder, allowing for the use of both rigid bottles and soft bags, with a heating device to maintain the contrast agent at body temperature, reducing viscosity and improving delivery efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high pressure is applied to inject contrast agent, then injection efficiency is improved, but patient comfort deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinjection efficiencyVSAvoidpatient comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies thermal energy to heat the contrast agent, changing its temperature parameter from room temperature to body temperature (37°C). This parameter change reduces the viscosity of the contrast agent, allowing it to be injected at lower pressures while maintaining efficient flow rates, thereby improving patient comfort without sacrificing injection efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If contrast agent is pre-warmed, then viscosity is reduced and injection efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinjection efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the heating function with the existing injection system by integrating a heating device into the supply station. The heating device is positioned within the chamber formed by the bottle holder and protective cover, combining thermal conditioning with the fluid delivery system. This integration allows pre-warming of the contrast agent without requiring separate dedicated equipment, thus improving injection efficiency while minimizing increases in device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The heating device is designed to warm the contrast agent before injection occurs. By performing the heating action in advance during the supply phase, the system ensures that the contrast agent reaches optimal temperature and reduced viscosity before the actual injection process begins, thereby improving injection efficiency without adding complexity to the injection mechanism itself

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If soft bags are used instead of rigid bottles, then cost and storage efficiency are improved, but compatibility with traditional injection systems deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecost efficiencyVSAvoidsystem compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the supply station with a universal holder structure that can accommodate both rigid bottles and soft bags. The holder is configured to securely position various container types within the chamber, and the protective cover can be adjusted or removed to accommodate the different shapes and flexibility of bags versus bottles. This universal design enables the injection system to use cost-effective soft bags while maintaining compatibility with traditional injection mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

This solution enables efficient and comfortable injection of contrast agents by reducing viscosity and allowing the use of cost-effective soft bags, while maintaining compatibility with traditional systems.

Implementation Method 1

the viscosity of most contrast agents may be reduced by increasing their temperature. Therefore, the contrast agent is generally pre-warmed before being injected

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

the viscosity of the contrast agent may adversely affect its correct injection in the patient... the viscosity of most contrast agents may be reduced by increasing their temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectViscosity reduction through temperature increase:

Implementation Method 3

The bottle holder and the protective cover define a (closed) chamber, which may also provide for a thermal insulation of the bottle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP3397307B1Bag holder for an injection system
Publication Date: 2020.02.05 BRACCO INJENEERING
  • EP3397307B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3397307B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3397307B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A solution for injecting one or more fluids into a patient is proposed. A corresponding injection system (200;700) comprises one or more supply stations (105a; 105b) each one for supplying one of the fluids to be injected, wherein at least one of the supply stations (105a; 105b) comprises a bottle holder (115a; 115b) for holding a bottle (110a; 110b) containing the fluid to be injected, the bottle holder (115a; 115b) comprising a first connector (415;1135), and a cover (120a; 120b) for covering the bottle (110a; 110b) when held on the bottle holder (115a; 115b), the cover (120a; 120b) comprising a second connector (420) for mating with the first connector (415;1135) to mount the cover (120a; 120b) on the bottle holder (115a; 115b); said at least one supply station (105a; 105b) further comprises a bag holder (205a;205b) for holding a bag (605) containing the fluid to be injected, the bag holder (205a;205b) comprising a further second connector (425) for mating with the first connector (415;1135) to mount the bag holder (205a;205b) on the bottle holder (115a; 115b) and a further first connector (430) for mating with the second connector (420) to mount the cover (120a; 120b) on the bag holder (205a;205b).