Enteral Feeding Pump Eccentric Valve Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Enteral feeding pump systems face challenges in maintaining cleanliness and preventing contamination, as components in contact with liquids must be disposable, and existing systems lack efficient mechanisms for selectively controlling fluid flow from multiple sources.
Innovation Solution
The enteral feeding pump system incorporates a disposable fluid delivery set with two separate source containers connected by tubing to a tubing adapter, featuring a peristaltic tube section and a pinching mechanism actuated by an inflatable bladder or bellows linked to a micro air pump, and a flow selector valve assembly with an eccentric bearing controlled by a motor, allowing selective closure or opening of fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If disposable components are used to maintain cleanliness and prevent contamination, then hygiene reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides components into disposable (tubing set, connectors) and reusable (pump mechanism, motor) segments. The disposable tubing set includes formula container, water container, and tubing assembled as a single replaceable unit, eliminating the need to sterilize multiple components while maintaining hygiene reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable tubing sets that are discarded after single use, replacing expensive sterilization and cleaning processes with inexpensive single-use components. This maintains hygiene reliability while reducing the complexity of cleaning protocols and sterilization equipment.
2Productivity
If a single pump system pumps both formula and water separately, then pumping capability is provided, but the system lacks efficiency in fluid management
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic flow control valves that can be adjusted during operation to vary the ratio of formula to water mixing. The valves allow real-time modification of fluid flow rates, enabling the pump to adapt to different feeding requirements without changing the basic pumping mechanism, thus improving fluid management efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
A single pump mechanism performs multiple functions: pumping formula, pumping water, and mixing them in variable ratios. The dual-channel valve system allows one pump to selectively direct fluid flow to different outlets or mix streams, providing multi-functionality that improves productivity without requiring separate pumping systems.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If separate tubing sets are used for formula and water, then contamination prevention is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate formula and water tubing into a single pre-assembled disposable tubing set with integrated connectors and flow control valves. This merging maintains contamination prevention through separate fluid paths while reducing system complexity by eliminating multiple loose connectors and simplifying the assembly structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Flow control valves act as intermediaries between the separate formula and water lines, allowing controlled mixing while maintaining physical separation of the fluid sources. These valves prevent direct contamination between streams while enabling the desired fluid combination, thus maintaining contamination prevention without requiring completely separate delivery paths.
4Productivity
If manual control of fluid flow is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but productivity and precision of fluid delivery are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates flow sensors and control algorithms that monitor actual fluid delivery and adjust valve positions in real-time to maintain precise delivery rates. This feedback mechanism compensates for variations in fluid viscosity, temperature, and pump performance, achieving high productivity and precision without requiring overly complex manual control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical flow control is replaced with electronically controlled valves driven by microprocessors. This substitution provides precise digital control of fluid flow rates, enabling accurate dosage delivery and improving productivity while keeping the control mechanism complexity manageable through integrated circuitry and software control.
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
This design ensures cleanliness by using disposable components and provides efficient, controlled fluid flow management, facilitating easy installation and operation while preventing contamination.
Implementation Method 1
The enteral feeding pump includes a rotor that engages the peristaltic tube section and, when rotated, causes liquid to flow in a direction of rotation
Implementation Method 2
The pinching mechanism is actuated by an inflatable bladder linked to a micro air pump. Alternatively, the pinching mechanism is actuated by an inflatable bellows linked to a micro air pump
Implementation Method 3
The tubing from the two fluid source containers passes through an adapter designed to install onto an eccentric, rotating bearing which selectively closes or opens a flow of fluid from either container into a patient
Data Source
AI summary
Enteral feeding pump systems valves assemblies therefor and related fluid flow control methods. The system includes a disposable fluid delivery set with an integral peristaltic tube section and an enteral feeding pump. The system may also include a pinching mechanism for regulating the flow of nutrient formula or water out of the fluid delivery set. Also disclosed is a flow selector valve assembly for an enteral feeding pump system, the valve assembly including a tube adapter having two input flexible tubing channels and one output tubing channel and being configured to position the flexible tubing channels in relation with a receiver. The receiver has an eccentric bearing that is moveable between a first position in which neither of the input flexible tubing channels is compressed, and a second position in which the eccentric bearing compresses one of the input flexible tubing channels therein to prevent flow therethrough.