Automated Blood Component Pooling System with Two-Way Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual process of pooling buffy coats is time-consuming, physically demanding, and inefficient, requiring significant user manipulation and resulting in inconsistent platelet recovery.
Innovation Solution
An automated blood component pooling system comprising a physical device with a two-way tubing pump, clamps, and a controller that minimizes user intervention by optimizing tubing layout and using a weight scale and air detector to automate the flow of wash media and blood components, reducing setup time to less than 3.5 minutes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual pooling process is used, then flexibility and simplicity are maintained, but time consumption and physical demand increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical manipulation of bags and hemostats with an automated mechanical system consisting of a robotic arm, automated hemostats, and a controller. The robotic arm automatically positions and manipulates bags, while electronic hemostats replace manual valve control, thereby eliminating the 15-minute setup time and physical strain associated with manual pooling while maintaining operational flexibility through programmable control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service automation where the pooling process executes autonomously once initialized. The controller automatically coordinates the robotic arm movements, hemostat operations, and media pumping without requiring continuous user intervention. The system manages its own operation including bag positioning, washing, pooling, and mixing, reducing time loss while maintaining operational simplicity through automated self-management.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual manipulation of bags is performed, then adaptability to different scenarios is maintained, but physical stress and inconsistency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through sensors that monitor bag positions, hemostat states, and fluid levels. The controller receives real-time feedback and automatically adjusts operations to maintain consistent platelet recovery. This feedback loop ensures that variations in bag positioning or fluid dynamics are compensated, achieving >95% consistent platelet recovery across different scenarios while maintaining adaptability through programmable response to sensor data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic, programmable control to adapt to different pooling scenarios. The robotic arm and hemostats can be reprogrammed for different bag configurations, volumes, and washing protocols. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to handle various scenarios (different numbers of source bags, different media volumes) while maintaining precise, consistent platelet recovery through automated control algorithms that adjust parameters in real-time.
3Extent of automation
If centrifuge-like devices are used for automation, then pooling automation is achieved, but space consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the pooling function into discrete, modular components: a robotic arm for bag manipulation, electronic hemostats for flow control, a pump for media transfer, and a controller for coordination. This segmentation allows each component to be compact and independently optimized, achieving high-level automation without requiring the large footprint of traditional centrifuge-like devices. The modular architecture enables space-efficient integration while maintaining full automation capability.
4Stability of the object's composition
If repeated manual mixing is performed, then wash media integration is achieved, but time consumption and physical effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mixing operations with automated mechanical mixing using the robotic arm to agitate bags and automated pumping to circulate media. This substitution maintains stable plasma-to-additive solution ratios through controlled, repeatable mixing actions while increasing productivity by eliminating the time-consuming manual manipulation. The automated system achieves consistent composition stability without the physical effort and time expenditure of repeated manual mixing.
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 system significantly reduces the time and physical effort required for pooling, achieving greater than 95% platelet recovery and ensuring a consistent plasma-to-additive solution ratio, enhancing efficiency and reducing the risk of transfusion-related complications.
Implementation Method 1
The device includes a two-way tubing pump
Implementation Method 2
using a weight scale and air detector to automate the flow
Implementation Method 3
using a weight scale and air detector to automate the flow
Implementation Method 4
The top bag (containing the wash media) is hung from a stand so that the bags are oriented vertically with the pooling bag at the bottom. Hemostats are manipulated so that half of the wash media from the top bag is rinsed through each bag one by one due to gravity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device for pooling a blood component stored in source containers includes a pump or pumps configured to pump a fluid in a first direction and a second direction and receive a pump line having a first end connected to the source containers. A pool clamp is configured to receive a pool line having a first end connected to a second end of the pump line and a second end connected to a pool container. A wash clamp is configured to receive a wash line having a first end connected to the second end of the pump line and a second end connected to a wash media container. A controller is configured to open the pool clamp, close the wash clamp and operate the pump in the first direction and to alternatively close the pool clamp, open the wash clamp and operate the pump in the second direction.