Hand Warmer Thermal Control for Faster Capillary Blood Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Capillary blood sampling faces challenges due to prolonged collection times, leading to issues like microclot formation and platelet clumping, especially in slow bleeders, and extended exposure to open atmosphere, which can degrade sample quality.
Innovation Solution
A hand warmer device with a housing and heat source that rapidly heats the palm and finger of a user, allowing controlled heat application while enabling simultaneous preparation and collection steps, using a heat exchange surface, temperature sensor, and control unit to maintain optimal temperature for efficient blood collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If capillary blood sampling is performed without heating, then the procedure is simple and quick to start, but collection time is prolonged leading to microclot formation and platelet clumping
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary heating of the finger before blood collection to increase blood flow and prevent microclot formation. The heating element is activated before the lancet puncture, preparing the capillary bed in advance to ensure rapid and high-quality blood flow during collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the temperature parameter of the finger by applying controlled heat through a heating element. This temperature increase modifies the physiological state of the capillary bed, enhancing blood flow velocity and preventing stasis-related issues like microclot formation and platelet clumping.
2Loss of time
If heating is applied to accelerate blood collection, then collection time is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device merges the heating function with the blood collection device itself, integrating a heating element, temperature sensor, and control unit into the same housing as the lancet mechanism. This consolidation allows simultaneous heating and collection operations without requiring separate equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs multiple functions: it heats the finger to increase blood flow, monitors temperature to prevent overheating, and facilitates blood collection. This multi-functionality is achieved by integrating the heating element, sensor, and collection mechanism into a single universal device.
3Reliability
If heating is applied to improve blood flow, then sample quality is enhanced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses a temperature sensor to continuously monitor the finger temperature and provides feedback to the control unit. The control unit adjusts the heating element's power output based on this feedback, maintaining optimal temperature while preventing excessive energy consumption and overheating.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating is applied in controlled periods rather than continuously. The heating element is activated to warm the finger, then deactivated once the target temperature is reached, as detected by the temperature sensor. This periodic action reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining sample quality.
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 significantly reduces collection time, prevents microclot formation, and ensures high-quality capillary blood samples by maintaining controlled heat application and access to the finger for immediate sample collection.
Implementation Method 1
The heat source is disposed in the housing and operably coupled to the heat exchange surface. The heat source is configured to heat the palm of the hand of the user via the heat exchange surface.
Data Source
AI summary
A device that can warm a hand of a user and/or patient to facilitate collection of blood samples (e.g., capillary blood sample collection) is described herein. The device provides controlled amounts of heat directed to the palm of a user and/or patient to facilitate collection of high-quality capillary blood samples. The device is designed in such a way to provide a comfortable resting position for the hand that allows heating the hand of the user and/or patient while simultaneously providing access to the finger of the user and/or patient to carry out one or more steps in preparation for collection of capillary blood samples from the finger. The device will also monitor the temperature to limit the max temperature to a safe level, control the palm temperature to a desired level, and use a conductive material to enable rapid heating.