Elastomeric Safety Valve for Spill-Free Infusion Pump Disconnect
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional infusion pumps lack valves or fluid retention capabilities, leading to potential spillage and exposure of residual medication during connection/disconnection of infusion lines, posing hazards to handling personnel and increasing waste and costs.
Innovation Solution
A safety valve integrated with an infusion pump that provides a single point of fluidic disconnect and unidirectional flow, using resilient, deformable surfaces to seal residual medication within the pump, preventing spillage and leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional infusion pumps without valves are used, then the device structure remains simple, but residual medication spills and leaks during connection/disconnection of infusion lines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an elastomeric diaphragm as a flexible membrane to create a valve mechanism. The diaphragm forms a barrier that can be deformed to control fluid flow and retain residual medication in the chamber, preventing spills during connection and disconnection operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric diaphragm valve operates automatically based on pressure differential. When the chamber is pressurized during infusion, the diaphragm opens to allow fluid flow; when pressure equalizes or reverses during disconnection, the diaphragm automatically closes to seal residual medication, eliminating the need for manual valve operation.
2Ease of operation
If luer connectors are used for tubing interconnection, then connection efficiency is improved, but residual medication remains in tubing and connectors prone to spillage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fluid retention function from the conventional open luer connector system by introducing a sealed chamber with an elastomeric diaphragm valve. This isolated chamber captures and holds residual medication, separating it from the external environment where spillage could occur during connector manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the fluid path into a sealed chamber portion and an external connector portion. The chamber acts as an isolated compartment that can be sealed off from the tubing and connector system, allowing the residual medication to be contained separately from the connection interface.
3Quantity of substance
If residual medication is contained in tubing and connectors, then complete medicinal path coverage is achieved, but handling personnel face exposure risks through surface irritation and transdermal absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric diaphragm forms a flexible seal that encapsulates residual medication within the chamber. This membrane-based sealing mechanism prevents medication from contacting external surfaces, tubing, and connectors, thereby eliminating exposure pathways for handling personnel while maintaining complete containment of the medicinal path.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional infusion pumps without valving are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but medication waste increases due to spillage and leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric diaphragm provides an effective sealing mechanism using a flexible membrane that can be integrated into the pump chamber. This approach prevents medication spillage and waste while maintaining manufacturing simplicity, as the diaphragm can be molded as a single piece and requires minimal additional components compared to rigid valve 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
Effectively encapsulates residual medication, reducing exposure risks and waste, while ensuring safe handling and disposal of infusion lines.
Implementation Method 1
The safety valve includes a resilient, deformable, or hinged surface for isolating and sealing the medicinal flow
Data Source
AI summary
A medicinal infusion system includes a safety valve for isolating residual medication by providing a single point of fluidic disconnect to encapsulate a residual fluid volume prone to spillage. The safety valve couples a medicinal repository such as an infusion pump to a medicinal supply, typically from a syringe or tubing. The safety valve includes a resilient, deformable, or hinged surface for isolating and sealing the medicinal flow to eliminate and/or isolate any residual volume in tubing and connectors. The isolating surface accommodates an inserted fitting or coupling for allowing the medicinal flow to fill the infusion pump. Upon disconnection, fluids on either side of the safety valve are therefore isolated on the respective fill or source sides, and residual volume prone to spillage is eliminated.