Collapsible Bag in Rigid Housing for Therapeutic Fluid Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pump systems for therapeutic fluids face challenges with high manufacturing costs due to expensive rigid vials and permeation issues with flexible bags, which affect the shelf life and handling of therapeutic fluids.
Innovation Solution
A container system comprising a collapsible bag within a rigid housing, which combines the low permeation and ease of handling of rigid containers with the cost-effectiveness of flexible containers, using an elastomeric bag to maintain neutral or positive pressure during dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid vials are used as reservoirs, then mechanical protection and low permeation are improved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing a flexible bag inside a rigid housing. The flexible bag (inner element) provides conformability and cost-effectiveness, while the rigid housing (outer element) provides mechanical protection and permeation resistance. This nested configuration allows the system to benefit from both rigid and flexible reservoir characteristics simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between reliability and manufacturing cost.
2Ease of manufacture
If flexible bags are used as reservoirs, then manufacturing cost decreases, but mechanical protection and permeation resistance worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible bag is nested within the rigid housing, allowing the system to achieve low manufacturing cost through the flexible bag while the rigid housing provides the necessary mechanical protection and permeation resistance. The rigid housing acts as a protective shell that compensates for the weaknesses of the flexible bag.
3Ease of manufacture
If conformable reservoirs are used, then pump system cost decreases, but handling and filling difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid housing provides a stable, handleable outer structure that is easier to manipulate and fill compared to standalone flexible bags. The flexible bag remains nested inside, maintaining the cost advantages, while the rigid housing exterior improves handling and filling operations.
4Ease of manufacture
If conformable reservoirs are used, then pump system cost decreases, but permeation loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible bag is nested within a rigid housing that provides superior permeation resistance. The rigid housing material acts as a barrier to permeation, protecting the therapeutic fluid while the nested flexible bag maintains the cost-effective pump system design.
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
This solution reduces permeation issues and allows for cost-effective pump systems with easier handling and filling, enabling efficient and precise delivery of therapeutic fluids while minimizing the need for expensive drive mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
conformable reservoirs tend to suffer from drawbacks associated with the ability of molecules to cross the material of the reservoir. Such drawbacks include permeation loss of one or more component of the therapeutic fluid
Implementation Method 2
The bag may be elastomeric and have an unstressed internal volume of near zero so that when filled the bag maintains a positive pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A container for housing a fluid therapeutic composition includes a rigid housing, a collapsible bag and a seal. The housing has an opening and an interior surface. The interior surface forms a cavity having a volume. The bag is disposed in the housing and is expandable to contact the interior surface of the housing and occupy the entire volume of the cavity when filled with the fluid therapeutic composition. The bag has an opening that is fixed in proximity to the opening of the housing. The seal is configured to prevent air from entering the bag via the bag opening and to prevent air from entering the cavity of the housing via the housing opening.