Flexural Adhesive Spreader for Uniform Wound Closure Application
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wound closure systems lack an efficient method to uniformly apply and spread topical skin adhesives over wounds, particularly on contoured body parts, while ensuring consistent adhesion without dislodging the closure device.
Innovation Solution
A wound closure system comprising a wound closure device with a textile mesh, pressure-sensitive adhesive, and a monolithic adhesive spreader with a flexural body portion that elastically deforms to apply a consistent normal force, spreading the adhesive uniformly over the wound and surrounding skin, accommodating various viscosities and surface contours.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid spreading tool is used to apply topical skin adhesive, then the adhesive can be applied with sufficient force, but it cannot accommodate contoured body surfaces and cannot consistently control the applied force
Solution Approach 1:
The spreading tool employs a flexible, resilient body that can conform to contoured body surfaces such as joints. This flexibility allows the tool to adapt to various body geometries while maintaining consistent adhesive application through elastic recovery, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and spreading uniformity.
2Manufacturing precision
If excessive force is applied during adhesive spreading, then the adhesive spreads uniformly, but the wound closure device may be dislodged from the skin
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient body of the spreading tool acts as a cushion that absorbs and distributes applied force. This beforehand cushioning prevents excessive point forces from dislodging the wound closure device while still providing sufficient force to spread the adhesive uniformly across the application surface.
3Device complexity
If manual spreading without force control is used, then the device structure is simple, but the applied normal force varies and cannot ensure consistent adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient body automatically regulates the normal force applied during spreading through its elastic properties. As the user applies force to spread the adhesive, the resilient material compresses and provides a self-regulating counterforce, ensuring consistent adhesive application without requiring complex force control mechanisms.
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 system effectively spreads topical skin adhesive uniformly, forming a stable barrier for wound healing, while maintaining adhesion and minimizing the risk of dislodgment, suitable for use on joints and other contoured body parts.
Implementation Method 1
the flexural body portion is configured to elastically deform so that the distal body portion angularly deflects relative to the proximal body portion to thereby limit to a predetermined range a resultant normal force exerted by the spreading tip on the topical skin adhesive
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a proximal body portion configured to be gripped by a user, a distal body portion that terminates at a spreading tip configured to spread a topical skin adhesive along an application surface, and a flexural body portion that interconnects the proximal and distal body portions to define a monolithic body. In response to an input force applied by a user to the proximal body portion when the spreading tip is positioned against the application surface, the flexural body portion is configured to buckle non-uniformly along a lateral width of the apparatus. Additionally, or alternatively, the flexural body portion is configured to elastically deform so that the distal body portion angularly deflects relative to the proximal body portion to thereby limit to a predetermined range a resultant normal force exerted by the spreading tip on the topical skin adhesive along the application surface.