Drip Chamber Securing Elements for Infusion Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing infusion devices with drip chambers face issues of detachment during patient movement, leading to potential contamination and handling difficulties due to the use of piercing spikes or alternative connection methods that compromise security or ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A drip chamber design featuring multiple securing elements along the circumference with grooves that securely engage with a peripheral shoulder on the infusion container, allowing for easy and reliable connection without the need for manual adjustment, and a piercing spike that pierces first before connection, ensuring stability and ease of handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a piercing spike is used to connect the drip chamber to the infusion container, then rapid connection is possible, but the connection becomes unreliable during patient movement
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into two functional segments: the piercing spike for rapid penetration and the securing element with groove for stable engagement. The securing element is positioned at a higher location than the piercing spike, allowing the piercing action to occur first followed by automatic engagement of the groove with the peripheral shoulder, thus combining rapid connection with reliable stabilization during movement
Solution Approach 2:
The groove in the securing element acts as an intermediary feature that mediates between the piercing spike and the peripheral shoulder of the infusion container. This groove-peripheral shoulder engagement provides a mechanical interlock that prevents detachment during patient movement while maintaining the rapid connection capability of the piercing spike
2Reliability
If a fixing clamp with hooks is used to secure the drip chamber, then detachment is prevented, but lateral movements cause strain on the piercing spike and handling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The complex hook mechanism of the fixing clamp is extracted and replaced with a simpler groove-based securing element. The groove in the securing element engages with the peripheral shoulder to prevent lateral movements and strain on the piercing spike, while the simpler design enables easier handling during connection
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using hooks that must be radially pushed outwards for insertion, the securing element uses a groove that passively engages with the peripheral shoulder. This inverted approach eliminates the need for complex manual adjustment and radial pushing, significantly improving handling ease while maintaining connection security
Data Source
AI summary
The application relates to a drip chamber for an infusion device, to an infusion device with a drip chamber, and to an arrangement composed of an infusion container and of such an infusion device. The drip chamber has a securing part for securing the drip chamber releasably to the infusion container. The securing part of the drip chamber has securing elements which are arranged along the circumference of a circle and which, on the inner sides facing each other, have grooves extending along the circumference of a circle. The securing elements can be spread from a position in which they engage firmly around the connector part of the infusion container to a position in which they release the connector part of the infusion device. The securing elements secure the piercing spike of the drip chamber against slipping out of the piercing part of the connector part of the infusion container.