Fluid Collection Chamber With One-Hand Sealing and Leak Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fluid collection devices, particularly for saliva, require complex assembly and use of both hands to prevent spillage or leakage, and often rely on sponges that need squeezing, making them inconvenient for self-collection and handling.
Innovation Solution
A fluid collection device with a removable collecting chamber and a cover that can be sealed using a single hand, allowing easy deposition and sealing of bodily fluids, preventing leakage and spillage by ensuring fluid communication and airtight closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a sponge-based fluid collection mechanism is used, then fluid absorption capability is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to requiring squeezing actions and both hands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the sponge component entirely from the fluid collection device, replacing it with a direct fluid communication pathway between the collection chamber and storage container. This extraction eliminates the need for squeezing actions and complex assembly, allowing single-handed operation while maintaining fluid collection capability through gravity-driven flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is divided into distinct functional segments: a collection chamber for receiving fluid, a fluid communication pathway for transport, and a storage container for containment. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently without requiring manual manipulation of absorbent materials, simplifying operation to basic assembly and sealing actions.
2Reliability
If a complex assembly structure is used to prevent leakage, then reliability is improved, but ease of manufacture and device complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing function with the existing structural components rather than adding separate complex sealing mechanisms. The cover and container structures are designed to mate together with inherent sealing capability, eliminating the need for additional sealing components and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliable leak prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing interfaces are pre-configured in the molded structures of the cover and container. The gasket or sealing surfaces are integrated into the basic device architecture during manufacturing, so that when components are assembled, the sealing function is automatically activated without requiring additional adjustment or complex mechanisms.
3Reliability
If additional assembly steps are required for secure containment, then reliability is improved, but productivity and ease of operation worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The device is pre-assembled with the collection chamber, fluid communication pathway, and storage container integrated into a unified structure. The sealing interfaces and alignment features are built-in during manufacturing, allowing users to simply attach the cover and achieve secure containment in a single action, eliminating multiple assembly steps and improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates self-aligning features and integrated sealing mechanisms that automatically ensure proper configuration when components are assembled. The structure guides the user through the assembly process and ensures reliable containment without requiring additional manipulation steps or user expertise, enabling quick single-handed operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid container including a container having a proximal end, a distal end, and an opening at the proximal end, a collecting chamber coupled to the proximal end of the container. The collecting chamber has a proximal end with an upper opening and a distal end with a lower opening, the upper opening having a diameter larger than a diameter of the lower opening. The fluid container further includes a cover with a base coupled to the proximal end of the collecting chamber and a stopper extending distally from a bottom of the base, the cover having an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the cover seals the proximal end of the collecting chamber, and the stopper extends through the collecting chamber and in the open position, the cover exposes the upper opening, and the stopper is removed from the area proximate the lower opening.