Elastic Protective Cover Sealing Joints on Biological Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Biological information measurement devices, such as those measuring blood glucose levels, face an infection risk due to blood adhering to the joints between the upper and lower parts of the device, which are difficult to clean, leading to potential contamination.
Innovation Solution
A protective cover with an upper, lower, and lateral side, integrally formed from an elastic material, that encases the device, including a display window, sensor insertion opening with a tubular protuberance, and operating buttons, effectively sealing the joints and preventing blood from reaching them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the body case is divided into upper and lower parts, then the device structure becomes modular and easier to manufacture, but the joints between parts become difficult to clean and prone to blood adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a flexible cover made of elastic material that conformally covers the entire device including the joints between upper and lower parts. This flexible shell approach seals the joints without requiring complex structural modifications, preventing blood adhesion while maintaining ease of manufacture through simple covering rather than complex integration.
2Strength
If a cover is added to protect the device from falling damage, then the device gains mechanical protection, but the cover cannot prevent blood adhesion to joints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enhances the protective cover with elastic material that conformally fits the device contours, including joints between parts. This flexible shell not only provides mechanical protection from falling damage but also seals the joints to prevent blood adhesion, eliminating the previous limitation of rigid covers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from rigid to elastic, allowing the cover to dynamically conform to the device shape and seal joints effectively. This parameter change enables the cover to perform both mechanical protection and infection prevention functions simultaneously.
3Device complexity
If the joints between upper and lower parts are exposed, then the device structure remains simple, but blood can adhere to the joints creating infection risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible cover that conformally encapsulates the device including the joints between upper and lower parts. This approach maintains structural simplicity while effectively sealing the joints to prevent blood adhesion, avoiding the need for complex integrated sealing mechanisms.
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 protective cover significantly reduces the risk of infection by sealing the joints and making it easier to clean the device, while also providing protection against accidental blood splatters and static electricity.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member
Data Source
AI summary
The cover body is an elastic member integrally formed of the upper side, the lower side, and the lateral side. The upper side preferably includes a display viewable window at a first end, and the lateral side preferably includes a sensor insertion opening at a second end opposite the first end with the display being viewable window on the upper side. The sensor insertion opening preferably includes a tubular protuberance configured to cover an outer circumference of the sensor insertion opening and protrudes outwardly from the sensor insertion opening.