Expandable Fluid Collection Canister with Absorptive Lamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bodily fluid collection canisters fail to efficiently expand to accommodate high volumes of exudate, leading to frequent replacements and resource inefficiencies, while also being bulky and costly for storage and disposal.
Innovation Solution
A canister design featuring a container with alternating layers of absorptive and wicking materials that expand volumetrically as they absorb bodily fluids, enhancing fluid distribution and storage capacity, even when oriented vertically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If canisters are sized to accommodate high volumes of exudate, then the need for frequent replacement is reduced, but the canisters become bulky and consume more storage space
Solution Approach 1:
The canister employs a collapsible flexible membrane that dynamically changes volume in response to fluid accumulation. The membrane transitions from a compact state when empty to an expanded state as fluid is collected, allowing the canister to accommodate variable fluid volumes without requiring maximum storage capacity at all times. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between reducing replacement frequency and minimizing storage space.
Solution Approach 2:
The canister utilizes a collapsible flexible membrane as its containment structure. This flexible shell allows the canister to collapse inward as fluid is removed during disposal and expand outward as fluid accumulates during use. The thin film structure provides the necessary flexibility while maintaining structural integrity, enabling the canister to adapt its volume dynamically without requiring excessive storage space when empty.
2Volume of stationary object
If canisters are made collapsible to reduce storage space, then storage efficiency improves, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collapsible canister employs a flexible membrane made from a single layer of elastomeric material, avoiding complex multi-component structures. The simplicity of using a uniform elastomeric layer throughout the membrane reduces manufacturing complexity while achieving the desired collapsible functionality. The material's inherent elasticity provides the structural mechanism for volume change without requiring additional mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible membrane is constructed as a composite structure with multiple functional layers integrated into a single elastomeric component. The composite includes an outer layer for fluid barrier properties, an intermediate layer with absorbent particles for fluid management, and an inner layer for structural support. This integrated composite approach achieves complex functionality through material composition rather than mechanical complexity.
3Quantity of substance
If absorptive layers expand to fill the canister, then fluid distribution improves, but the canister may become overfilled and difficult to dispose of
Solution Approach 1:
The collapsible flexible membrane enables the canister to dynamically adjust its volume during disposal. As the absorbent layers are compressed during removal from the patient, the membrane collapses inward, reducing the canister's external dimensions. This dynamic volume reduction makes it easier to handle and dispose of fully saturated canisters while maintaining maximum fluid storage capacity during the treatment period.
Solution Approach 2:
The canister system changes the physical state of the absorbent layers from an expanded, fluid-filled state during treatment to a compressed, compact state during disposal. The elastomeric membrane facilitates this parameter change by allowing the layers to expand when fluid is present and compress when fluid is removed. This parameter transformation enables the system to optimize for both fluid storage capacity and disposal ease at different operational stages.
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 design allows for complete filling and efficient storage of bodily fluids, reducing the need for frequent replacements and minimizing resource consumption, while maintaining compactness for storage and disposal.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of layers of absorptive material within the canister adapted to attract and retain bodily fluid
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of layers of wicking material within the canister adapted to distribute bodily fluid along the plurality of layers of absorptive material
Data Source
AI summary
A bodily fluid collection system includes a reduced pressure treatment unit for providing reduced pressure to a fluid collection system through a canister having a container with an inlet adapted to be fluidly coupled to the fluid collection system, an outlet adapted to be connected to a source of reduced pressure, and an absorptive lamination disposed within the container. The absorptive lamination may be formed from a plurality of absorptive layers and wicking layers interleaved between the absorptive layers that collectively manifold bodily fluids from a tissue site into and throughout the absorptive lamination to trap and collect the bodily fluids. The container expands as the absorptive lamination swells with the bodily fluid being collected.