Bodily Fluid Sampling With Contamination Diversion and Volume Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bodily fluid sampling methods often result in contamination and inaccurate volume measurement, leading to false positive or false negative diagnostic results, which can lead to misdiagnosis or unnecessary treatments.
Innovation Solution
A bodily fluid collection and distribution device with a housing, inlet adapter, actuator, and volume indicator that allows controlled procurement and distribution of a predetermined volume of bodily fluid, diverting an initial contaminated volume to reduce contamination and ensuring accurate sample volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional bodily fluid sampling methods are used, then the sampling process is simple, but contamination occurs and volume measurement is inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional segments: a contamination diversion chamber that captures initial contaminated fluid, a sterile sampling chamber that collects clean fluid, and a controlled distribution mechanism. This segmentation allows the device to eliminate contamination while maintaining manageable complexity through modular functional zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs preliminary contamination diversion by capturing the initial contaminated fluid in a separate chamber before the sampling process begins. This preliminary action prevents contamination from affecting the subsequent sterile sampling and volume measurement operations.
2Productivity
If rapid fluid collection is performed, then productivity is improved, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the fluid collection process into a rapid contamination diversion phase and a controlled sterile sampling phase, the device enables high productivity during contamination capture while ensuring sample purity during the subsequent sampling phase through separate functional chambers.
Solution Approach 2:
The contamination diversion chamber acts as an intermediary that captures and isolates contaminated fluid, serving as a buffer between the external environment and the sterile sampling chamber. This intermediary enables rapid initial fluid capture while protecting the subsequent sampling process from contamination.
3Measurement precision
If volume-sensitive testing is performed, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but incorrect volume leads to false results
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates feedback mechanisms including visual indicators that display the current fluid volume in the sampling chamber and tactile feedback through spring resistance that prevents overfilling. This feedback ensures precise volume measurement, which is critical for volume-sensitive diagnostic tests to avoid false results.
Solution Approach 2:
The device controls the fluid volume parameter through a spring-loaded plunger mechanism that maintains constant pressure during collection, automatically stopping fluid intake when the predetermined volume is reached. This parameter control ensures accurate volume delivery for diagnostic testing.
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 device ensures reduced contamination and accurate volume measurement, improving the reliability of diagnostic tests by preventing false results and ensuring appropriate sample volumes for testing.
Implementation Method 1
The increase in volume is operable to draw bodily fluid into the fluid reservoir via the inlet adapter
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a housing that defines a fluid reservoir and includes a port that is in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir. An inlet adapter is removably coupleable to the housing. A user can engage an actuator to move a plunger from a first position in which the fluid reservoir has a first volume, to a second position in which the fluid reservoir has a second volume greater than the first volume, which draws bodily fluid into the fluid reservoir via the inlet adapter. The actuator modulates a plunger rate of motion below a threshold as the plunger is moved. When a predetermined volume of bodily fluid is transferred into the fluid reservoir, a volume indicator transitions from a first state to a second state and the inlet adapter can then be removed to transfer the predetermined volume into a sample bottle external to the housing via the port.