Fluid Channel Sealing Element That Stays Open After Breaking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid channel sealing devices, such as frangible seals, often fail to ensure the patency of tubes after breaking, as the broken pieces may not remain effectively separated, leading to potential blockages.
Innovation Solution
A system employing a reconfigurable blocking element with a first and second part connected by a web of material, which separates partly when a force is applied crosswise, maintaining a single-piece configuration to ensure fluid flow and prevent re-blocking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a frangible seal is broken to allow fluid flow, then fluid can pass through the tube, but the broken pieces may fail to remain separated causing potential blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking element is divided into a first part and a second part connected by a web of material. The web is configured to break under applied force, separating the first part from the second part. This segmentation ensures that when the blocking element fails, the parts remain separated to maintain tube patency and prevent blockages.
Solution Approach 2:
A web of material acts as an intermediary connecting the first part and second part of the blocking element. This web is designed to break at a predetermined location, serving as a controlled failure point that allows separation while ensuring the broken pieces remain separated to maintain fluid flow.
2Reliability
If the tube is bent to reconfigure the blocking element, then fluid flow is enabled, but the tube may relax and revert to its original shape causing re-blocking
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking element is pre-configured with a web of material that breaks at a predetermined location when force is applied. This preliminary design ensures that once broken, the first and second parts remain separated even when the tube relaxes, maintaining patency without requiring continuous external force.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking element undergoes a parameter change from a connected state to a separated state when the web breaks. This irreversible parameter change ensures that the tube remains patent even when the tube shape reverts, as the blocking element parts cannot return to their original connected configuration.
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 solution reliably maintains the patency of the tube by ensuring the blocking element remains in a reconfigured state that allows fluid flow, even when the tube tends to relax and revert to its original shape.
Implementation Method 1
A tube of resilient plastic, commonly used in medical applications, would tend to return to its original shape thereby potentially causing the first and second parts to return to a blocking or partly blocking configuration.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~3
Figure 4A~4D
AI summary
Fluid channel sealing devices, frangible seals, fluid circuits, associated controllers and methods of using the same are provided for controlling fluid distribution using a reconfigurable blocking element having first and second portions to establish a first configuration free of any open channels such that fluid is prevented from flowing through the channel and a second configuration where the first and second portions are separated to establish an open channel and allow fluid to pass.