Rotatable Gastrostomy Connector With Locking Arms Against Disengagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors for enteral feeding solution supply tubes and gastrostomy devices often disengage accidentally, disrupting the flow of nutritional fluids to patients.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable connector with pivoting arms and a catch mechanism that securely engages with the gastrostomy device's circular port, featuring a flexible bridge and a locking member to prevent inadvertent decoupling, along with a non-return valve located within the connector to prevent back-flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional connector is used to connect the feeding tube to the gastrostomy device, then the device is simple in structure, but the connector may become accidentally disengaged during feeding
Solution Approach 1:
The connector employs pivoting arms that can rotate between engaged and disengaged positions relative to the circular port. The arms pivot about flexible bridges, allowing dynamic movement while maintaining secure engagement during feeding. This dynamic mechanism ensures the connector remains reliably connected while allowing controlled movement for engagement and disengagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is divided into multiple functional segments: a fluid conduit, a pair of pivoting arms, flexible bridges, and a catch mechanism. Each segment performs a specific function - the arms provide engagement force, the flexible bridges allow pivoting motion, and the catch secures the engaged position. This segmentation allows the complex function of reliable connection to be achieved through coordinated simple components.
2Ease of operation
If the connector allows rotation about the port, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of accidental disengagement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is designed to be rotatable about the circular port while maintaining engagement. The pivoting arms can rotate with the connector body, allowing positional adjustment during feeding operations. The catch mechanism remains engaged throughout the rotation, ensuring stability is maintained even as the connector changes orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The catch acts as an intermediary element between the arms and the circular port rim. It provides a positive locking engagement that prevents disengagement while allowing the connector to rotate. The catch translates the rotational movement into a secure interlocked position, mediating between the need for rotation and the need for stability.
3Reliability
If the arms are made rigid to prevent disengagement, then the connection reliability is improved, but the stress on the material increases and breakage risk rises
Solution Approach 1:
The arms are designed as flexible components that pivot about flexible bridges rather than rigid fixed connections. This flexibility allows the arms to move and adapt to engagement forces without transmitting excessive stress to the material. The dynamic pivoting action distributes mechanical stress across the flexible bridge and arm structure, preventing stress concentration that would lead to breakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible bridges act as flexible elements connecting the arms to the fluid conduit. These flexible connections allow the rigid-ish arms to move relative to the conduit body, accommodating engagement forces through elastic deformation of the flexible bridges rather than transmitting full stress to the arm material. This protects against material failure while maintaining engagement security.
4Reliability
If the catch is positioned to engage the rim securely, then the connection reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The catch is integrated with the arm structure rather than being a separate component. The catch forms part of the arm's free end, combining the arm's structural function with the retention function. This merging reduces the total component count while maintaining secure engagement with the circular port rim through the catch's ledge 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 connector ensures a secure and reliable connection, minimizing the risk of disengagement and back-flow, thereby maintaining continuous fluid flow during feeding.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible bridge connecting each arm to the first end of the fluid conduit and about which the first and second ends of each arm can be pivoted
Implementation Method 2
the second free end includes a catch configured to releasably engage with a circumferential rim on the circular port
Implementation Method 3
a locking member at least a part of which is configured to be sandwiched between the outer wall of the fluid conduit and the inner wall of each arm to prevent inadvertent pivoting of each arm
Data Source
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AI summary
A connector (10) for rotatably coupling an enteral feeding solution supply tube to a circular port (104) of a gastrostomy device (100) is disclosed. The connector (10) comprises a fluid conduit having a first end (12) configured for connection with an orifice (102) defined in the circular port (104) to supply the enteral feeding solution to the gastrostomy device (100), and a second end (14) configured for connection to the enteral feeding solution supply tube, a pair of arms (20) circumferentially arranged around an outer wall (26) of the first end (12) of the fluid conduit, each arm (20) including a first free end (22) and a second free end (24), wherein the second free end (24) includes a catch (32) configured to releasably engage with a circumferential rim (106) on the circular port (104), and a flexible bridge (28) connecting each arm (20) to the first end (12) of the fluid conduit and about which the first and second ends (12, 14) of each arm (20) can be pivoted, wherein the connector (10) is couplable to and decouplable from the circular port (104) by pivoting the first and second ends (12, 14) of each arm (20) at the flexible bridge (28) such that the catch (32) on the second free end (24) of each arm (20) is radially displaced into engagement or out of engagement with the rim (106).