Flexible Pouch With Port For Manual Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical procedures often require mixing of components, such as powder and liquid, which can be challenging for caregivers due to the lack of available mechanical mixing devices and difficulties in dispensing the prepared substance, especially since the resulting mixture can quickly harden or change state.
Innovation Solution
A pouch with a C-like shape and a port body that allows for manual mixing of components by hand, facilitating the mixing and dispensing of compositions through a flexible pouch body and fluidly connected port assembly, enabling easy handling and uniform mixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual mixing is used instead of mechanical mixing devices, then ease of operation is improved, but mixing efficiency and uniformity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The pouch is divided into distinct functional zones: a mixing chamber for combining components, a port body for dispensing, and flexible walls for manual manipulation. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function efficiently, enabling effective manual mixing while maintaining clear separation of operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible pouch body acts as an intermediary tool between the user's hands and the components being mixed. By manipulating the pouch walls, users can indirectly apply mixing forces to the components without direct contact, improving ease of operation while maintaining mixing effectiveness.
2Reliability
If components are mixed shortly before use to prevent hardening, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Components can be pre-loaded into the pouch during manufacturing or preparation, sealed, and stored ready for use. When needed, the pre-prepared pouch is simply activated by adding the liquid component and mixing, eliminating preparation time and ensuring the mixture is used immediately before hardening occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The pouch design enables rapid mixing through direct hand manipulation of the flexible walls, allowing the mixing process to be completed quickly. The integrated port body allows immediate dispensing after mixing, rushing through the entire process from mixing to application before the substance hardens.
3Device complexity
If a pouch without a port structure is used, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of dispensing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The port body is integrated directly into the pouch structure, merging the sealing function with the dispensing function. This integration allows the pouch to maintain simplicity while providing controlled dispensing through the port, eliminating the need for separate dispensing mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The port body serves multiple functions: it seals the pouch during mixing, provides a controlled opening for dispensing, and can be capped when not in use. This multi-functionality maintains device simplicity while enabling easy and controlled dispensing operations.
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 pouch enables efficient, manual mixing and dispensing of medical substances, ensuring thorough mixing and convenient handling, even in situations where mechanical devices are not available, by allowing users to knead the pouch walls and direct the mixed composition through the port body.
Implementation Method 1
various components, such as a powder component and a liquid component, can be mixed by a user's hand(s) in pressing the walls in a kneading fashion
Implementation Method 2
the resultant composition being dispensed through the port body
Data Source
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AI summary
A pouch (10) for mixing and dispensing a composition including a pouch body (12) and a port body (70). The pouch body includes opposing, first and second major flexible walls (30, 32) sealed to one another along respective peripheries thereof to define an internal chamber (18) and a pouch perimeter (36). The pouch body has a C-like shape. The port body projects from the first wall and is fluidly open to the internal chamber. With this configuration, various components, such as a powder component (100) and a liquid component (104), can be mixed by a user's hand(s) in pressing the walls in a kneading fashion, with the resultant composition being dispensed through the port body (70). In some embodiments, the pouch (10) is provided to a user with a powder component pre-loaded in the internal chamber (18).