Fluid Drainage Container With Piston And Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing closed wound drainage systems are costly and inefficient, with variable vacuum levels and difficulty in adjusting to different fluid volumes, leading to inconsistent fluid drainage rates and potential infection risks due to fluid buildup.
Innovation Solution
A fluid drainage device with a cylindrical bore, piston, and energy storage device, where the piston moves between positions to increase the fluid-receiving volume and reduce pressure, allowing for consistent fluid drainage, featuring a compression spring for energy storage and a multiport valve for efficient fluid management, and a connector system for adaptable tube sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a partial vacuum is used to promote fluid drainage, then fluid drainage is achieved, but the manufacturing cost is high and the vacuum level varies throughout the working cycle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable container system that is pre-charged with a vacuum pump, eliminating the need for complex, reusable vacuum generation mechanisms. The container is designed to be used once and then discarded, reducing manufacturing costs and eliminating the need for sophisticated vacuum maintenance systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum is pre-established in the container before use, allowing the drainage process to begin immediately without requiring complex real-time vacuum generation. The pre-charged container eliminates the need for continuous vacuum maintenance during the drainage operation.
2Productivity
If the vacuum level is higher at the start and lower at the end of the working cycle, then fluid drainage is promoted initially, but the drainage rate becomes inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The container is pre-charged with a controlled vacuum level before use, ensuring that the vacuum is consistent throughout the drainage operation. This preliminary action eliminates the vacuum decay problem that occurs in systems where vacuum is generated continuously during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable nature of the container allows for a fixed, controlled vacuum level to be set during manufacturing, which remains constant throughout the drainage process. There is no need to maintain or adjust vacuum levels during use, ensuring consistent drainage performance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed volume container is used, then the device is simple, but it cannot be adjusted to suit different patient needs
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into multiple compartments or sections that can be selectively activated or combined to achieve different total volumes. This segmentation allows the same basic container design to serve multiple volume requirements without requiring entirely different container types.
Solution Approach 2:
The container system is designed to accommodate multiple volume requirements through a universal design that can be configured for different drainage needs. The same basic container structure can be adapted to handle varying fluid volumes by adjusting the active volume within the container.
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 provides a cost-effective, efficient, and consistent fluid drainage solution with reduced frictional forces and adaptable tube connections, minimizing the risk of infection by ensuring effective fluid removal from closed wounds.
Implementation Method 1
an energy storage device engaged with the piston rod... whereby energy is stored in the energy storage device
Implementation Method 2
reducing the pressure in the fluid-receiving volume and allowing fluid to flow from a suitable conduit through the inlet and into the fluid-receiving volume
Implementation Method 3
a piston in sealing contact with the bore which partly bounds the fluid-receiving volume inside the bore
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid drainage device, for use in a closed wound drainage system, which includes a fluid-receiving volume having a bore, a piston in sealing contact with the bore, a prop extending from the piston and which is connected to an energy storage device, wherein the piston can be user-actuated between a first position, whereby energy is stored in the energy storage device, to a second position, whereby energy is released from the energy storage device, to increase the size and reduce the pressure of the volume, allowing fluid to flow from a conduit into the volume.