Filter Capsule Tube Connector Bonding for Clamp-Free Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filter assemblies suffer from potential contamination points due to the use of clamps, flanges, and barbs, which can lead to seal failures and contamination, especially under pressure and sterilization conditions, and require a connection-free solution that maintains structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A tube/connector/capsule assembly is designed with annular channels and bonding methods to create a seamless connection, using thermoplastic elastomers and rigid plastics, ensuring consistent diameters and mechanical/friction fits to secure tubes to ports without clamps or barbs, and incorporating dual-walled tubes for reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If clamps, flanges, and barbs are used to connect tubes to filter housings, then the connection is mechanically secure, but potential contamination points and seal failures are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The tube and filter housing are merged into a single integrated component, eliminating the connection interface that causes contamination. The tube is formed as an integral part of the housing, with the tube end directly molded into the housing body, removing clamps, flanges, and barbs that create seal failure points and contamination risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful connection elements (clamps, flanges, barbs) are extracted and removed from the design. By eliminating these separate connection components, the patent removes the sources of seal failures and contamination while maintaining the necessary fluid passage function through the integrated tube structure.
2Strength
If barbs are used to secure tubes, then connection strength is improved, but tube material is weakened and connection failure occurs under pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The tube and housing are merged into a single monolithic structure, eliminating the barb connection interface. This integration removes the stress concentration points that barbs create in the tube material, preventing connection failure under pressure while maintaining structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated tube-housing structure uses uniform material properties throughout, avoiding the material interface between tube and connector. This composite approach ensures consistent mechanical properties and eliminates the weak points where tube material is compromised by barb edges.
3Adaptability or versatility
If different materials are used for tubes and connectors, then design flexibility is improved, but material incompatibilities and seal failures occur during sterilization
Solution Approach 1:
The tube and housing are manufactured as a single homogeneous component, eliminating material interfaces. This homogeneity ensures uniform response to sterilization processes and eliminates seal failure risks associated with different materials having different thermal expansion coefficients, melting points, and flexural moduli.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging the tube and housing into one component, the patent eliminates the material incompatibility issue entirely. The single-material construction ensures consistent behavior during sterilization cycles, avoiding the differential reactions that cause seal failures in multi-material assemblies.
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 solution provides a contamination-free, structurally sound connection that withstands pressure and sterilization, maintaining a fluid-tight seal and reducing the risk of leakage and material incompatibilities.
Implementation Method 1
A tube/connector/capsule assembly is designed with annular channels and bonding methods to create a seamless connection
Implementation Method 2
using thermoplastic elastomers and rigid plastics, ensuring consistent diameters and mechanical/friction fits to secure tubes to ports
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are capsule/tube connector/tube assemblies that eliminate a connection point in a filter capsule apparatus. A relatively soft tube is thermally or sonically bonded to a relatively hard tube connector that may have a tube receiving bore, a frustoconical tube receiving channel or a straight tube receiving channel. The tube connector is bonded to a filter capsule port. The manufacturing process can be either a one-step process bonding the tube and capsule during formation of the tube connector in one step, or a two-step process that binds the tube to the tube connector in one step and binds the tube connector to a filter capsule port in a second step. Single and dual-walled tubes may be used as well as single and dual- walled tubes having reinforcing material superposed about or embedded in the tube wall(s). A tube support collar is also disclosed. Also disclosed are capsule port/tube connector/tube combinations in which capsule port tips and tube connectors are combined to create tube-receiving gaps or channels to secure a tube to a capsule assembly. Multiple capsule/tube connector/tube assemblies may be connected to form a filter train.