Blood Cassette Hydrophobic Filter Front Support Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices for blood treatment lack effective mechanisms to prevent contamination and ensure the integrity of hydrophobic filter membranes under varying pressure conditions, leading to potential mechanical stress and delamination issues.
Innovation Solution
A medical device with a fluid system and a hydrophobic filter device featuring a front support structure that is welded to the filter membrane, providing mechanical support and preventing delamination, while allowing for efficient gas passage and liquid separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the filter membrane is welded to the device body, then the filter membrane is secured in position, but the filter membrane is susceptible to delamination under pressure differential
Solution Approach 1:
A front support structure is introduced that contacts and supports the front surface of the filter membrane, distributing the pressure differential across multiple contact points. This prevents the filter membrane from delaminating at the welded seam while maintaining its filtering function. The support structure acts as a rigid framework that compensates for the flexibility of the thin filter membrane.
2Manufacturing precision
If the filter membrane is made thinner for better filtration, then filtration efficiency improves, but mechanical strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The front support structure provides mechanical reinforcement to the thin filter membrane, allowing it to maintain its thin design for high filtration efficiency while the support structure bears the mechanical loads. This separation of functions enables the filter membrane to be optimized for filtration without compromising structural integrity.
3Productivity
If pressure differential across the filter membrane is increased for better fluid treatment, then treatment efficiency improves, but the risk of delamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The front support structure distributes the increased pressure differential across its rigid framework, preventing concentration of stress at the welded seam of the filter membrane. This allows higher pressure differentials to be applied for improved fluid treatment efficiency without increasing the risk of delamination.
4Strength
If a support structure is added to reinforce the filter membrane, then mechanical strength improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The front support structure serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical reinforcement to prevent delamination, supports the thin filter membrane, and distributes pressure differentials. By combining multiple functions into a single component, the increase in device complexity is minimized while achieving the desired mechanical strength.
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
The solution enhances the mechanical resilience and integrity of the filter membrane, enabling it to withstand higher pressures without delamination, ensuring effective fluid treatment and preventing contamination of the medical device.
Implementation Method 1
hydrophobic filter device (9, 100)... filter membrane (9)... a second, gaseous fluid, in particular air, can be supplied to the fluid system through the filter surface
Implementation Method 2
front support structure that is in contact with the welded section... enhances the mechanical resilience and integrity of the filter membrane, enabling it to withstand higher pressures without delamination
Implementation Method 3
The filter membrane is welded to the housing, for example, to the optional fluid intake chamber, or to a wall thereof, either directly or indirectly via its back side. This creates a weld section, a weld seam section, or a welded joint.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a medical device, in particular a blood cassette (200), comprising a device body (201), at least one fluid-holding chamber (1) for holding at least one first medical fluid (5), in particular blood, and at least one hydrophobic filter device (100) having a filter surface, through which at least one second, gaseous fluid (19), in particular air, can be fed to the fluid-holding chamber (1), wherein the filter device (100) has at least one filter membrane (9); wherein the filter membrane (9) has a back side (9a) and a front side (9b); wherein the filter membrane (9) is welded by means of the back side (9a) thereof to the fluid-holding chamber (1), to of a wall thereof, or to another section of the cassette body (201) along a weld section (203); wherein the filter device (100) has a front supporting structure (27) on the front side (9b), which front supporting structure is arranged to support the filter membrane (9); wherein the front supporting structure (27) is arranged to be in contact with the weld seam section (203) by means of a first contact section (27a) of the front supporting structure (27).