Elastomeric Doors for Peritoneal Dialysis Fluid Line Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dialysis machine housings face challenges in securely storing and protecting fluid lines, which are prone to damage and difficult to clean, and existing solutions are cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A peritoneal dialysis system with elastomeric doors that securely cover and insulate fluid lines, using magnets and elastomeric materials for easy access and thermal protection, and include removable inserts for damage replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fluid lines are stored on the housing, then they are easily accessible, but they are prone to damage and difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into separable components with removable doors that can be detached from the main housing body. This segmentation allows the doors to be removed for cleaning while the fluid lines remain protected within the housing structure, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The doors are extracted as separate removable components from the housing. This extraction enables the doors to be taken out for cleaning purposes while the fluid lines remain secured within the housing, maintaining both accessibility and protection.
2Reliability
If doors are added to protect fluid lines, then fluid lines are secured, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The doors are constructed from flexible elastomeric material that can be molded into protective coverings for the fluid lines. This flexible material provides effective protection while requiring minimal structural support, thereby reducing the overall device complexity compared to rigid protective structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The doors utilize elastomeric composite material that combines flexibility, protection, and ease of cleaning in a single component. This composite material approach provides comprehensive fluid line protection without requiring multiple separate protective elements, thus minimizing device complexity.
3Reliability
If rigid doors are used to secure fluid lines, then protection is provided, but cleaning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The doors are made from flexible elastomeric material that can be easily cleaned and maintained. This flexible material allows for simple cleaning procedures compared to rigid structures, while still providing secure protection for the fluid lines through its elastic properties and conformal fit.
4Reliability
If multiple attachment methods are used for doors, then secure attachment is achieved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The door attachment system replaces complex mechanical fastening mechanisms with magnetic attachment. This substitution allows for secure door attachment through magnetic force while enabling easy operation through simple magnetic attraction and release, eliminating the need for multiple mechanical attachment methods.
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
Provides secure, tool-free door attachment, thermal insulation, and easy cleaning of fluid lines, enhancing user safety and machine efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
elastomeric doors that securely cover and insulate fluid lines
Implementation Method 2
using magnets and elastomeric materials for easy access
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein is a peritoneal dialysis (“PD”) system comprising a housing and one or more doors comprising elastomeric properties. Each of the one or more doors comprises one or more features configured to couple to one or more features of the housing. Further, each door includes one or more inserts molded between two layers of elastomeric material where the features are coupled to. The doors are configured to cover and thermally insulate one or more PD fluid lines when in a closed configuration. The doors are also configured to transition to an open configuration to provide access to one or more PD fluid lines for treatment.