Breathing Circuit Elbow Connector With Integrated Gas Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical tubes and connectors for breathing circuits lack efficient mechanisms for monitoring and controlling the temperature, humidity, and flow rate of gases, which can lead to potential tissue damage and infection risks.
Innovation Solution
The development of a medical tube assembly with integrated heater wires, sensor wires, and connectors that include electrical ports and sensor ports for real-time monitoring and control of gas parameters, ensuring precise regulation of temperature, humidity, and flow rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If medical tubes are used to transport humidified gases in breathing circuits, then gas delivery to patients is enabled, but real-time monitoring and control of temperature, humidity, and flow rate are insufficient, leading to potential tissue damage and infection risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates heater wires, sensor wires, and electrical ports directly into the medical tube assembly, combining multiple monitoring and control functions into a single integrated device. This merging approach enables real-time temperature, humidity, and flow rate monitoring while maintaining patient safety, without requiring separate complex external systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates sensor wires that provide real-time feedback on gas parameters (temperature, humidity, flow rate) to the control system. This feedback mechanism allows continuous monitoring and adjustment of gas conditions delivered to patients, enabling dynamic control to prevent tissue damage and infection risks while maintaining reliable gas delivery.
2Measurement precision
If integrated heater wires and sensor wires are added to the medical tube assembly, then real-time monitoring and control of gas parameters is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines heater wires, sensor wires, and electrical ports within the tube wall structure, merging multiple functional elements into a single integrated assembly. This approach enables precise measurement of gas parameters (temperature, humidity, flow rate) while consolidating the structural complexity into one cohesive device rather than multiple separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The medical tube assembly is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a gas transport conduit and as an integrated monitoring and control system. The tube structure itself incorporates heater wires for temperature control, sensor wires for parameter detection, and electrical ports for connectivity, making the single device perform multiple functions simultaneously.
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
Enhances patient safety by providing real-time monitoring and control of gas conditions, reducing the risk of infection and tissue damage through improved management of respiratory humidification systems.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one wire may comprise at least one heater wire
Implementation Method 2
The at least one wire may comprise a pair of sensor wires
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
Disclosed is a connector for a medical tube, the connector having a first portion having a first opening, a second portion having a second opening, a lumen formed by the first portion and the second portion, the lumen providing a gases flow path between the first opening and the second opening, the first portion of the connector comprises at least one sensor port, the sensor port extending, through a wall of the first portion of the connector into the lumen, the second portion of the connector body may have at least one electrical port, the electrical port configured to provide for electrical connection with at least one wire of the medical tube, and the electrical port is located on the top of the second portion of the connector the first portion is angled with respect to the second portion to form an elbow.