Disinfecting Cap with Dual Chambers for Hub Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current disinfecting methods for needleless hub connectors are not consistently effective due to lack of compliance, difficulty in engagement, and contamination risks, as existing caps require two hands to use and are easily lost or contaminated.
Innovation Solution
A device with two disinfecting chambers that encircle the hub, using a resilient member to bias the chambers into a closed position for complete disinfection and easily open with one hand for syringe connection, ensuring 100% compliance and thorough disinfection of both injection membrane and female luer threads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional separate disinfecting caps are used, then disinfection coverage is provided, but compliance is poor and contamination risk remains due to two-handed operation requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate disinfecting caps into a single integrated device with two chambers that wrap around the hub. This merging eliminates the need for separate cap applications and ensures both sides of the hub are disinfected simultaneously, improving compliance while maintaining ease of use through a single attachment action.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is segmented into two opposing disinfecting chambers that can be independently filled with different disinfecting agents. This segmentation allows each chamber to target specific areas of the hub while working together to provide complete coverage, ensuring thorough disinfection without complicating the operation.
2Reliability
If alcohol scrubbing is performed for 10-60 seconds, then disinfection effectiveness improves, but time consumption increases and procedure is often omitted
Solution Approach 1:
The disinfecting agents are pre-loaded into the two chambers during manufacturing or preparation. This preliminary action eliminates the need for medical professionals to manually apply alcohol for extended periods, as the pre-loaded chambers provide immediate disinfection upon attachment, significantly reducing the time required while maintaining effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs disinfection automatically once attached to the hub. The disinfecting agents are released through sealing members that contact the hub surface, allowing the system to disinfect itself without requiring prolonged manual scrubbing by the medical professional, thus saving time while ensuring consistent application.
3Area of stationary object
If small disinfecting caps are used, then hub coverage is provided, but caps are easily lost or contaminated after use
Solution Approach 1:
By merging two caps into one integrated device that wraps around the hub, the invention creates a larger, more stable structure that is less prone to being lost or accidentally contaminated. The dual-chamber design ensures broader coverage of the hub surface while the unified structure improves handling stability compared to separate small caps.
4Ease of operation
If threads on hub are exposed, then syringe connection is enabled, but infection risk increases from dirty or bloody male luer contact
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary disinfection of the hub threads and surrounding areas before the syringe connection is made. The sealing members ensure that disinfecting agents are applied to the threads in advance, creating a protective barrier against contamination from the male luer, thus enabling safe connection without increasing infection risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The disinfecting agents in the chambers act as intermediaries between the potentially contaminated syringe and the hub. By maintaining a layer of disinfectant on the hub threads and surrounding surfaces, the agents mediate the interaction, reducing direct contamination risk while allowing the connection procedure to proceed.
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 complete and consistent disinfection of needleless hub connectors, preventing contamination and improving compliance with antiseptic techniques by allowing one-handed operation and maintaining the disinfecting agent in contact with the hub until use.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient member connected to the two disinfecting chambers, wherein the resilient member biases the disinfecting chambers together to a closed position
Data Source
AI summary
A device for disinfecting a portion of a medical implement includes two disinfecting chambers, wherein each disinfecting chamber includes a wall forming a medial and bottom openings, which are in communication with each other, wherein one disinfecting chamber is opposed to the other. Each disinfecting chamber houses a disinfecting member that is exposed through the medial opening to come into communication with a medical implement when the disinfecting chambers are closed. The device further includes a resilient member connected to the two disinfecting chambers, which biases the disinfecting chambers together to a closed position and permits displacement of the disinfecting chambers to an open position, such that the medial opening of one disinfecting chamber communicates with the medial opening of the other disinfecting chamber and the bottom opening of one chamber communicates with the bottom opening of the other chamber when in the closed position.