Infusion Device Clutch Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional infusion devices face challenges in maintaining the clutching device in a clutched state during operation, leading to potential unclutching due to excessive pressure, which requires high spring stiffness, compromising user comfort and reliability.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a lock element to securely maintain the clutch element in the clutched state, allowing for reduced spring stiffness and improved user comfort by managing forces through the lock element, enabling easier unclutching and reliable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high spring stiffness is used to maintain the clutching device in the clutched state during operation, then the reliability of the clutch engagement is improved, but the user comfort deteriorates due to difficulty in actuating the unclutching mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The clutching device is segmented into two independent functional components: a locking mechanism that maintains engagement reliability through mechanical interlocking, and a spring element that provides gentle tensioning for easy actuation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static high-stiffness spring design to a dynamic system where the locking mechanism engages during operation to maintain reliability, while the softer spring provides gentle tensioning during actuation phases. The locking mechanism dynamically locks the clutch element in the clutched state, allowing the spring stiffness to be reduced for improved user comfort.
2Reliability
If high spring stiffness is used to prevent unintended unclutching during infusion, then the reliability of the infusion process is improved, but the force required to actuate the actuation device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force management is segmented between the locking mechanism, which handles high forces to prevent unintended unclutching during infusion, and the spring element, which provides only gentle tensioning. This segmentation allows the spring stiffness to be reduced significantly while maintaining infusion reliability through the locking mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism acts as an intermediary between the spring element and the clutch element, transferring the load of preventing unintended unclutching away from the spring. This allows the spring to be softer for easier actuation while the locking mechanism ensures infusion process reliability by mechanically securing the engaged state.
3Reliability
If the clutching device is designed to maintain engagement under high forces, then the reliability of the connection between driving rod and pusher device is improved, but the ease of unclutching deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection reliability function is segmented from the spring element to a dedicated locking mechanism. The locking mechanism maintains the clutch element in the clutched state under high forces, while the spring element provides only gentle tensioning for easy unclutching. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between connection reliability and unclutching ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism automatically engages to maintain the clutch element in the clutched state during operation, providing self-service reliability without requiring high spring stiffness. This allows the spring element to be softer, improving ease of unclutching while the locking mechanism ensures connection reliability under high forces.
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 lock element ensures the clutching device remains engaged even under high forces, allowing for softer spring tensioning, enhancing user comfort and reliability by preventing unintended unclutching during infusion.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one clutch element is spring elastically tensioned towards the clutched state
Implementation Method 2
the lock element is constituted to lock the at least one clutch element in the clutched state by engaging with a locking protrusion extending from the at least one clutch element
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
An infusion device (1) for administering a medical fluid to a patient comprises a receptacle (11) for receiving a syringe (2), a pusher device (12) movable in a pushing direction (P) for acting onto a piston (21) of the syringe (2) received in the receptacle (11), a driving rod (14), an electric drive device (141) for driving the driving rod (14), and a clutching device (13) comprising a frame member (131) and at least one clutch element (130A, 130B) movably arranged on the frame member (131). The at least one clutch element (130A, 130B) is constituted to operatively connect, in a clutched state, the driving rod (14) to the pusher device (12) for driving the pusher device (12) by the electric drive device (141). The clutching device (13) is actuatable to assume an unclutched state in which the operative connection between the driving rod (14) and the pusher device (12) is released. Herein the clutching device (13) comprises a lock element (19) for locking the at least one clutch element (130A, 130B) in the clutched state. In this way, an infusion device is provided which in an easy and reliable manner allows for maintaining the clutching device in the clutched state during operation of the infusion device.