Autoconnect System for Dialysis Tubing with Automated Cap Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dialysis patients face difficulties in connecting dialysis solution bags to treatment machines due to the required force and dexterity, leading to potential contamination and infection risks.
Innovation Solution
An autoconnect system that automatically connects tubing from multiple containers to a dialysis machine using a shuttle and rotating fingers to pierce sterile sealing membranes, maintaining sterility and reducing manual effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual connection of tubing to dialysis machine is used, then patient can perform treatment, but connection requires significant force and dexterity leading to contamination risk
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the connection operation automatically without requiring patient intervention. The autoconnect mechanism independently completes the entire connection sequence including membrane piercing, tubing advancement, and seal formation, eliminating the need for patient dexterity and strength while preventing contamination through automated sterile technique
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical connection process is replaced with an automated mechanical system featuring a motor-driven shuttle and rotating fingers. This substitution eliminates the need for patient-applied force and dexterity while maintaining reliable connection through precisely controlled mechanical actions that preserve sterility
2Ease of operation
If automatic connection system is implemented, then connection ease is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic connection system is divided into distinct functional modules: a shuttle mechanism for horizontal movement, rotating fingers for cap removal, a spike assembly for membrane piercing, and a controller for coordination. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function reliably while simplifying the overall design and maintenance of the complex system
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions including pre-removal of caps from tubing and cassette ports, pre-positioning of the shuttle and tubing, and pre-alignment of spikes with sealing membranes before the actual connection. These preliminary steps are automatically executed to ensure the main connection operation can proceed smoothly with minimal complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
A system (20) for automatically connecting tubing for operation with a medical fluid machine (1) is described. The system comprises: at least one fluid container (40) including a tube (43, 56) having a cap (44) on an end of the tube; a shuttle (24) configured to receive the tube (43, 56); a driving mechanism (23) configured to translate the shuttle; a cap removal device (27) configured to remove the cap (44) from the end of the tube (43, 56); and a control unit (140). The control unit is programmed to cause (i) the driving mechanism (23) to translate the shuttle (24) holding the tube in a first direction towards the cap removal device (27) so that the cap removal device can engage the tube cap (44), (ii) the driving mechanism (23) to translate in a second direction away from the cap removal device (27) so that the cap removal device removes the cap from the end of the tube, and (iii) the driving mechanism (23) to translate the shuttle (24) in the first direction with the cap removed from the tube so that the tube can be mated with a fluid delivery component (33) operable with the medical fluid machine (1). Also described is a method for automatically connecting tubing for operation with a medical fluid machine (1).