Coupling Device Sealing Mechanism for Medical Fluid Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices fail to prevent involuntary displacement of fluid transfer elements during patient treatments, leading to potential pain, treatment complications, and risk of infection, especially when tubes are accidentally pulled or displaced.
Innovation Solution
A coupling device with a housing system that includes sealing elements and a displaceable arrangement, allowing for sealed fluid transfer and leak-free interruption upon disconnection, designed to mitigate tube displacement and provide safety by acting as a 'weak link' in medical tubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the tube is made strong and fixed to prevent displacement, then the reliability of fluid transfer is improved, but the risk of vessel damage and severe injury increases when accidental pulling occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by designing a controlled weakness in the tube at the coupling device location. This predetermined weak point acts as a safety mechanism that will fail first under excessive force, cushioning the blow and preventing the more severe consequence of vessel damage, while still providing sufficient strength for normal fluid transfer operations
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device serves as an intermediary element between the tube and the external environment. It introduces a controlled failure point that mediates between the need for strong fluid transfer and the need to prevent severe injury, allowing the system to fail safely at the coupling device rather than at the vulnerable insertion point
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the tube is made easily detachable to prevent pulling forces, then the risk of vessel damage is reduced, but fluid leakage and loss of control increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by creating a tube system with differentiated mechanical properties - the coupling device is designed to be dynamically detachable under excessive force while the rest of the tube maintains sufficient strength to control fluid flow. This dynamic behavior allows the system to transition from a connected state (preventing leakage) to a detached state (preventing vessel damage) based on the applied forces
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a disconnect device with valves is used to prevent leakage, then fluid loss is reduced, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies taking out by removing the complex valve mechanisms from the disconnect device design. Instead of using active valve components to control fluid flow during disconnection, the invention extracts the sealing function to passive sealing elements that automatically close passageways through their mechanical design, significantly simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining leak prevention capabilities
4Reliability
If the sealing elements are made robust to ensure leak-free operation, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the difficulty of cleaning and manufacturing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible shells and thin films by using flexible sealing elements that can be easily manufactured and cleaned. These flexible membranes provide reliable sealing through their elastic properties while maintaining simple geometries that are easy to manufacture and clean, avoiding the complexity of rigid sealing mechanisms
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 coupling device ensures safe and leak-free fluid transfer, reduces the risk of infection and treatment complications by preventing fluid leakage and tube displacement, and allows for quick reconnection, while being easy to clean, manufacture, and assemble for single-use applications.
Implementation Method 1
the first and second sealing elements are configured to abut each other and sealingly separate the tube portion and the channel
Implementation Method 2
the tube portion projects through the first and second sealing elements for connection with the channel for enabling a transfer of fluid through the coupling device
Implementation Method 3
the second housing is displaceably arranged within the first housing along the principal axis between a first position at the front end portion of the first housing and a second position at the back end portion of the first housing
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
A coupling device (100) for transferring a fluid is provided. The coupling device comprises a first housing (110), a tube portion (140) projecting into the first housing, and a second housing (200) displaceably arranged within the first housing. The coupling device further comprises a third housing (300) releasably connectable to the second housing and displaceably arranged within the first housing when connected to the second housing. In a first position of the second housing, the first and second channels constitute a passage which is sealed by the first and second sealing elements when the second housing and the third housing are connected. In a second position, the tube portion projects through the first and second sealing elements and into the sealed passage for enabling a transfer of fluid through the coupling device.