Finger-Type Peristaltic Pump with Hinged Housing
Solution Overview
Problem
Commercially available finger-type peristaltic pumps are prone to operational failures due to a hinged door that requires two people to manage, expose the conduit to contamination, and are difficult for chronically ill or geriatric patients to use independently, as they necessitate complex manual dexterity and experience for conduit insertion and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A finger-type peristaltic pump design featuring a hinged housing that can be swung open for easy conduit insertion and attachment, with a snapping mechanism for secure closure, and an antifree-flow mechanism to prevent unintentional fluid flow when the housing is open, allowing for single-handed operation and reduced contamination risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a hinged door is used to close the pump body, then the conduit can be protected from contamination, but the door requires two people to manage and is difficult for chronically ill or geriatric patients to use independently
Solution Approach 1:
The door is extracted from the pump body as a separate, removable component. This allows the door to be easily detached and reattached by a single user without requiring complex manual dexterity or assistance from another person, while still providing protection against contamination when closed.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump is divided into separable components: the pump body, the removable door, and the conduit. This segmentation allows each component to be independently handled, making it easier for patients with limited mobility to operate the device without requiring two people to manage the door.
2Ease of operation
If the hinged door is opened for conduit insertion, then the conduit can be introduced into the pump, but the conduit becomes exposed and vulnerable to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit is pre-sterilized and packaged in a sterile state before use. The door is designed to remain closed throughout the entire usage period, and conduit replacement is performed by completely removing and reattaching the pre-sterilized door assembly, thereby minimizing exposure time and contamination risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The door is designed as a disposable component that can be easily replaced. Each door is pre-sterilized and used for a single patient or short duration, then discarded. This eliminates the need for repeated sterilization cycles and ensures that the conduit insertion area remains protected from contamination throughout its service life.
3Reliability
If the door is made secure with a snapping mechanism, then the conduit is protected from falling out, but the mechanism adds complexity to the device structure
Solution Approach 1:
The snapping mechanism is extracted as a simple, standalone feature integrated into the door assembly rather than being part of the main pump body. This keeps the overall device structure simple while providing reliable conduit retention through the easy-to-implement snap-fit connection.
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 enhances user safety by preventing contamination and simplifying operation, allowing single-person use and reducing the risk of conduit exposure, while maintaining efficient fluid flow management.
Implementation Method 1
a series of valves is aligned along an elastic conduit. Each valve comprises a 'finger' that can alternate between two positions. In one position, the finger is extended from the valve so as to contact the conduit and to at least partially occlude the conduit at the point of contact
Implementation Method 2
the housing is hinged at one end to the body of the pump. The housing is swung out from the body in order to introduce a segment of an elastic conduit into the housing. The housing is then swung back towards the body so as to position the conduit segment adjacent to the fingers of valves of the pump
Implementation Method 3
The housing may be maintained in this closed position by a snapping mechanism, or by a latch
Implementation Method 4
The housing preferably includes an antifree-flow mechanism to prevent the flow of fluid in the segment of the conduit in the housing when the conduit is not adjacent to the fingers
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a finger-type peristaltic pump (2) having a body (4) and a housing (6). The body contains two or more finger-type valves (16) and a processor (22) configured to operate the valves according to a predetermined temporo-spatial pattern. The housing has a passageway (18) configured to receive a conduit. The housing has a first position in which a conduit in the passageway is positioned adjacent to the valve fingers, and a second position in which a conduit in the passageway is not adjacent to the valve fingers. The invention also provides a housing for use in the pump of the invention.