Bubble-Free Blood Transfer Coupling With Dry Disconnect Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dry disconnect devices for extracorporeal medical procedures are complex, prone to leakage, and susceptible to air bubble introduction, lacking safety features like locks and status indicators, which increases the risk of medical complications during blood transfer.
Innovation Solution
A dry disconnect device with interlocking housings and valves that form a continuous, air-tight fluid pathway, incorporating a male valve transition member, gasket, and position sensor to ensure secure connection and prevent air bubbles, featuring a locking mechanism and status indicator for safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing dry disconnect devices are used to connect and disconnect fluid transfer tubes, then the ability to transfer blood is provided, but the devices are susceptible to leakage and creating hazardous air bubbles
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary actions by automatically closing the female valve before the male valve opens during the connection process. This ensures the fluid pathway is sealed before any potential air entry point is created, preventing air bubbles from entering the system during the disconnect operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary sealing elements including a gasket between the housings and valve seals at the fluid pathway interfaces. These intermediary sealing components create multiple barriers against leakage and air bubble introduction, enhancing the overall reliability of the connection.
2Ease of operation
If existing dry disconnect devices are used, then fluid transfer is enabled, but the devices are complicated to use and lack safety features
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs self-service through automatic valve operation and self-locking mechanisms. When the housings are connected, the male valve transition member automatically opens the male valve and closes the female valve, and the locking mechanism automatically engages to secure the connection. This eliminates the need for complex manual operations while maintaining high safety standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates feedback through a status indicator that provides visual confirmation of the connection status and valve positions. This allows users to easily verify that the device is properly connected and sealed, enhancing both ease of operation and safety without adding operational complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If existing devices are used for blood transfer, then the initial connection is established, but subsequent connecting and disconnecting is not allowed
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates dynamic elements including movable male and female valves that can transition between open and closed states, and a locking mechanism that can be engaged and disengaged. This dynamic design allows the device to maintain structural integrity while enabling multiple connection and disconnect cycles, improving adaptability without excessive complexity.
4Reliability
If standard connection methods are used, then fluid transfer is possible, but thrombus formation risk increases due to device size and shape
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates curved and rounded surfaces in the housing design and fluid pathway geometry. These curved surfaces promote laminar blood flow and eliminate sharp corners where blood stasis could occur, thereby reducing thrombus formation risk. The streamlined design also reduces the overall device volume while maintaining structural integrity.
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 device ensures safe and leak-proof blood transfer by maintaining a continuous fluid pathway and providing a secure locking mechanism, reducing the risk of thrombus formation and medical complications.
Implementation Method 1
a female valve disposed within the first housing and having an extended position including the female valve sealing the fluid pathway and a retracted position including the female valve outside of the fluid pathway; a male valve disposed within the second housing and having an extended position including the male valve outside of the fluid pathway and a retracted position when the female valve is in the extended position, the retracted position including the male valve sealing the fluid pathway
Implementation Method 2
a male valve transition member in communication with the male valve for transitioning the male valve from the retracted position to the extended position when the first housing is locked to the second housing
Data Source
AI summary
A dry disconnect device including a first portion defining an outlet and an outlet portion of a fluid pathway and a female valve disposed within the first portion having an extended position, including the female valve being configured to seal the outlet portion, and a retracted position. A second portion defining an inlet and an inlet portion of the fluid pathway is lockingly engageable with the first portion. A male valve is disposed within the second portion including a male valve transition member configured to translate the male valve from an extended position to a retracted position including the male valve being configured to seal the inlet portion. The extended position of the male valve causes the female valve to transition from the extended position to the retracted position and causes the outlet portion and the inlet portion of the fluid pathway to be in fluid communication with each other.