Breakaway Fluid Connector Assembly With Auto-Sealing Bellows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Peripheral intravenous catheters often unintentionally dislodge due to external forces, leading to patient blood loss, IV fluid loss, and medical delivery delays, posing risks of infection and discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A fluid connector assembly with medical connectors that automatically decouple and seal off their respective fluid paths using elastically compressible members, such as bellows, when subjected to unintentional forces, and a coupling mechanism that facilitates easy reconnection while minimizing microbial growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If medical connectors are made securely connected to prevent dislodgement, then connection reliability is improved, but the risk of unintended disconnection under external force increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector assembly transitions from a static connection to a dynamic system that can adapt its state. The bellows member enables the connectors to automatically decouple when subjected to external forces beyond a threshold, transforming the rigid connection into a responsive system that protects against unintended disconnection while maintaining reliable operation under normal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows member is pre-configured in a compressed state that stores elastic potential energy. This preliminary action prepares the system to automatically respond to external forces by decompressing and driving the connectors apart, eliminating the need for active sensing or control mechanisms during the disconnection event.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If automatic decoupling mechanism is implemented to prevent fluid loss, then patient safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows member serves multiple functions automatically: it acts as both the actuating mechanism for decoupling and the sealing element to prevent fluid loss. When external force is applied, the bellows decompresses to drive the connectors apart while simultaneously sealing the fluid path, eliminating the need for separate actuating and sealing systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes changes in the bellows member's physical state (compressed to decompressed) to trigger the decoupling action. This parameter change approach converts mechanical force into automatic connector separation and sealing, achieving complex functionality through a simple physical transformation.
3Reliability
If elastically compressible members are used for automatic sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows member integrates multiple sealing functions into a single component that works across different operational states. Rather than requiring separate sealing elements for connected and disconnected states, the bellows itself provides sealing in both configurations, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining sealing reliability.
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 effectively limits patient blood loss, IV fluid loss, and medical delivery delays, reducing the risk of infection and improving patient safety by providing an automatic sealing mechanism that prevents fluid leakage and facilitates easy reconnection.
Implementation Method 1
The decoupling may include automatic decoupling using bellows or other elastically compressible member that decompress and return to their original shape external forces are no longer acting upon them.
Implementation Method 2
each of which include one or more fluid paths, that respond to unintentional or unexpected external forces by decoupling from each other and sealing off their respective fluid paths
Data Source
AI summary
Fluid connector assemblies that seal off fluid paths in the respective connectors are disclosed. When connectors of a fluid connector assembly are connected to each other, respective compressible members in the connectors are displaced, allowing downstream fluid passage through the fluid connector assembly. The fluid connector assemblies may further include a coupling mechanism for providing a connection between the connectors and maintain a connection that provides a threshold retention force. When an external force greater than the threshold force is applied to the fluid connector assembly, the connectors may be decoupled while the coupling mechanism may remain intact.