Bidirectional Firesafe Coupling with Thermal Valve Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The risk of fires is significant when using medical gas delivery equipment, such as oxygen, due to the potential for ignition and rapid spread of flames within flexible tubing, especially in domestic environments where supervision is lacking, and existing safety valves can be incorrectly installed, reducing their effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A bidirectional firesafe medical gas coupling with a valve assembly and biasing mechanism that automatically closes in response to heat, preventing gas flow and acting as a firebreak, which can be easily installed and oriented correctly within flexible tubing systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a unidirectional safety valve is installed in a gas delivery line, then it can arrest a fire migrating towards the gas source, but it must be installed in a specific orientation and its effectiveness is reduced to zero if incorrectly installed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by designing the valve assembly with asymmetric internal components (valve body, seal, and actuator positioned at specific locations) that only function correctly when installed in the proper orientation. The asymmetric design ensures that gravity and internal pressure work together to maintain the valve in the correct position, providing reliable fire arrest when properly installed while making incorrect installation evident through improper valve behavior
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device combines multiple functions into a single component: it serves as both a connection point for flexible tubing and a fire safety valve. The valve assembly integrates the fire arrest function directly into the coupling body, eliminating the need for separate installation steps and reducing the risk of incorrect installation while maintaining reliable fire protection
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a firebreak device is provided in the gas supply line, then fire spread is prevented and gas supply to fire is cut off, but the device complexity increases with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the coupling function and fire safety valve function into a single integrated device. The valve assembly is incorporated directly into the coupling body, with the valve seat, seal, and actuator forming an integrated unit that eliminates the need for separate fire safety components, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective firebreak functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The valve assembly is nested within the coupling body, with the valve components (valve body, seal, actuator) contained within the external housing of the coupling. This nested arrangement allows the fire safety function to be embedded within the existing coupling structure, adding minimal external complexity while providing comprehensive fire protection
3Reliability
If oxygen is delivered continuously at a rate determined by patient needs, then therapeutic effectiveness is maintained, but oxygen-enriched atmosphere builds up around the patient preparing for catastrophic conflagration upon ignition
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly is designed to preemptively counteract the fire hazard by automatically closing when exposed to heat or flame. The heat-sensitive actuator detects thermal conditions indicative of fire and triggers valve closure before the fire can spread to the gas source, thereby preliminarily neutralizing the oxygen enrichment hazard while maintaining normal therapeutic delivery under safe conditions
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 coupling effectively prevents the spread of fire by cutting off the gas supply and reducing the risk of catastrophic conflagrations, ensuring the device operates correctly regardless of orientation and remains accessible for easy replacement and inspection.
Implementation Method 1
a heat activatable stop located in the region of each opening, operable to hold the valve assembly in the open position against the biasing assembly, and adapted to release the valve assembly to allow the biasing assembly to move the valve assembly to the closed position at an activation temperature
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed coupling can include an elongate body having an opening at each end, the openings linked by a conduit; a valve assembly located within the elongate body. The valve assembly is movable between an open position, in which gas can pass between the openings along the conduit, and a closed position in which gas flow between the openings is prevented; a biasing assembly arranged within the elongate body to move the valve assembly into the closed position; and a heat activatable stop located in the region of each opening, operable to hold the valve assembly in the open position against the biasing assembly, and adapted to release the valve assembly to allow the biasing assembly to move the valve assembly to the closed position at an activation temperature.