Drainage Bag With Buoyant Float For Thermal Control Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermal control systems face challenges in draining liquids without spilling, as the process is often difficult to manage and can result in liquid being spilled onto surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A drainage bag with a flexible top and bottom layer, a buoyant float, and an expandable interior space that automatically adjusts to accommodate the liquid volume, preventing spillage and allowing for easy handling and disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a valve on the thermal control unit is opened to allow liquid to drain out due to gravity, then the liquid can be drained from the thermal control unit, but the liquid may spill onto the floor and/or other surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
A drainage bag is introduced as an intermediary device between the thermal control unit and the environment. The bag receives liquid from the thermal control unit through a collection opening, preventing direct spillage onto surfaces. The bag acts as a buffer that contains the liquid during the drainage process.
Solution Approach 2:
The drainage bag utilizes vertical expansion to accommodate liquid volume. The flexible top layer rises vertically as liquid is added, transforming the drainage problem from a horizontal spillage issue into a vertical containment solution. This dimensional change allows the bag to expand its capacity without increasing its footprint on the floor.
2Reliability
If the drainage bag is made with a rigid structure to maintain shape, then the bag can hold liquid securely, but the bag cannot be compactly stored and is more difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage bag employs a flexible rather than rigid structure. The flexible top layer can dynamically change its shape and volume - remaining compact when empty for easy storage and handling, then expanding to accommodate liquid volume during drainage. This dynamic flexibility resolves the contradiction between structural stability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The bag utilizes a flexible top layer made of flexible plastic material that can bend and deform. This flexible shell structure provides sufficient containment for liquid while allowing the bag to be collapsed and compacted for storage when not in use, eliminating the need for rigid structural support.
3Quantity of substance
If the opening in the top layer is kept open for drainage, then liquid can flow into the bag, but the liquid may spill out of the opening when the bag is moved or handled
Solution Approach 1:
The float mechanism provides self-regulating control of the opening. As liquid level rises in the bag, the float automatically rises and occludes the opening, stopping further liquid intake. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual control and prevents overfilling and spillage during handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The float provides continuous feedback about the liquid level in the bag. When the liquid reaches a certain level, the float responds by moving upward and closing the opening, creating a negative feedback loop that automatically prevents overfilling. This feedback mechanism ensures the opening remains open only when needed for drainage and automatically closes when sufficient liquid is collected.
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 drainage bag effectively prevents spillage during the draining process, allowing for efficient and mess-free disposal of liquids from thermal control units, ensuring safety and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
the float is adapted to lift a region of the top layer adjacent the opening as liquid from the thermal control unit is drained into the interior space
Data Source
AI summary
A drainage bag is provided for a thermal control unit adapted to deliver temperature-controlled liquid to a patient in order to control the patient's temperature. The drainage bag is used to hold and transport the liquid when the liquid inside the thermal control unit is changed. The drainage bag includes a bottom layer, a top layer sealed thereto, and a float secured to the top layer that is positioned adjacent an opening in the top layer. As the liquid from the thermal control unit drains into the opening in the top layer, the liquid lifts the float and the float lifts the top layer of the bag. The bag thereby expands its volume to accommodate the liquid from the thermal control unit. The bag may further be designed to be carried without sealing the opening and without spilling the liquid. A method for using the bag is also disclosed.