Implantable Drainage Filter Cleaning for Clog-Free Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drainage devices are cumbersome for patients, limiting their mobility, and prone to clogging due to the mechanical structure penetrating the skin.
Innovation Solution
An implantable drainage device powered by an energy source, with an internal filter system for removing clots and particles, and a cleaning mechanism to prevent clogging, controlled remotely or manually without invasive procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a manual pump with reservoir is used outside the body, then drainage function is achieved, but patient mobility is limited and the device is cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pump function from an external manual device and relocates it to an implantable device within the body. This eliminates the need for external mechanical structures that limit mobility, while maintaining the drainage function through an internal pump system that can be controlled without external manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical pump system with an implantable pump that can be actuated through non-mechanical means such as electrical stimulation or magnetic fields applied externally. This substitution eliminates the need for external mechanical components while maintaining pump functionality, thereby improving patient mobility.
2Reliability
If a filter is used to remove clots and particles, then clogging risk is reduced, but the filter itself may become clogged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a preliminary cleaning action by providing a cleaning device that periodically or continuously removes particles and clots from the filter surface before they can accumulate and cause clogging. This preliminary maintenance action ensures the filter remains functional and maintains drainage continuity without requiring complex manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the implantable device includes an integrated cleaning function that automatically maintains the filter without external intervention. The cleaning device may use fluid flow, mechanical brushing, or other self-contained mechanisms to remove debris from the filter, ensuring continuous operation without increasing external maintenance complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the drainage device is completely implanted, then patient mobility is improved, but access for maintenance and cleaning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the maintenance function from external manual procedures and integrates it into the implantable device itself. By incorporating an automated cleaning device within the implant, the system eliminates the need for external access or surgical intervention for routine maintenance, thereby maintaining patient mobility while ensuring ease of repair through self-contained functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a self-service system where the implantable device performs its own maintenance through an integrated cleaning mechanism. This self-service capability allows the device to maintain its own filter and components without requiring external access or surgical procedures, thereby preserving patient mobility while ensuring ease of maintenance through automated internal functions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for removing particles from a bodily fluid in a patient with a filtering device, the filtering device being implantable in the patient's body and the method comprising the steps: pass bodily fluid of the patient through a tube forming a main fluid, filtering the bodily fluid passing through said main fluid passageway with a filter connected to the tube, collecting particles in the bodily fluid to be removed passing through the tube, and cleaning the filter with a filter cleaning device by removing particles collected by the filter out of the fluid passageway.