Infusion Pump Cradle with Guided Septum Piercing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing infusion pump systems face issues with septum sealing due to improper piercing, leading to leakage and reduced sealing behavior, especially when the septum is pierced at angles other than perpendicular or along non-straight paths, which is exacerbated by manual inaccuracy and design constraints.
Innovation Solution
A cradle design with a movably mounted inner piercing core and a guide mechanism that ensures perpendicular and straight piercing of the septum, using a deformable ribbon and pivotable arm to maintain symmetric forces and prevent stretching/compression, thereby enhancing sealing behavior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual piercing of the septum is used, then the device structure remains simple, but piercing accuracy deteriorates leading to leakage
Solution Approach 1:
A guide element is introduced as an intermediary component between the piercing device and the septum. This guide element ensures accurate, perpendicular piercing of the septum by the cannula, thereby improving piercing accuracy without significantly complicating the overall device structure. The guide element acts as a mediator that transfers the piercing action while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide element is pre-positioned on the piercing device before use. It is designed to automatically align and guide the cannula in the correct perpendicular orientation relative to the septum surface. This preliminary positioning action ensures accurate piercing occurs without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms during the actual piercing event.
2Ease of operation
If the septum is pierced at angles other than perpendicular, then easier manual operation is achieved, but sealing behavior deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guide element serves as a mediator that translates the user's simple pushing motion into precise perpendicular piercing of the septum. It maintains the ease of manual operation while ensuring the cannula enters the septum at the correct angle, thereby preserving reliable sealing behavior without requiring complex alignment procedures from the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide element is designed with an asymmetric geometry that naturally guides the cannula into a perpendicular orientation relative to the septum surface. This asymmetric design creates a mechanical constraint that prevents angular piercing, ensuring proper sealing while maintaining simple user operation through intuitive alignment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the piercing path is not straight, then manual inaccuracy is accommodated, but leakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide element acts as a mediator that corrects manual inaccuracy by providing a fixed, straight piercing path. It ensures that even when users apply manual force with varying precision, the cannula follows a straight trajectory through the septum, thereby preventing leakage while accommodating different levels of manual dexterity.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide element is pre-configured to define a straight piercing path before the actual piercing occurs. This preliminary geometric constraint ensures that the cannula enters and exits the septum along a straight line, preventing the development of leakage paths that would result from curved or angled piercing trajectories.
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 cradle design significantly improves septum sealing by ensuring consistent, perpendicular piercing, reducing leakage and increasing the number of coupling and decoupling events before leakage occurs, thus enhancing the reliability and durability of infusion systems.
Implementation Method 1
The inner piercing core (41) of the pierceable septum (4) is movable with respect to the cradle base (2).
Implementation Method 2
The pierceable septum (4) covers the opening of the flow channel (3) and seals the flow channel (3).
Implementation Method 3
The cradle (1) comprises a cradle base (2), a flow channel (3) for a liquid drug and a pierceable septum (4).
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a cradle for an infusion pump unit. The cradle has a proximal side and a distal side, and the distal side has an infusion pump unit attachment structure for attaching an initially separate infusion pump unit. The cradle includes a cradle base, a flow channel for a liquid drug, and a pierceable septum. The pierceable septum covers an opening of the flow channel and seals the flow channel. An inner piercing core of the pierceable septum is movably mounted with respect to the cradle base.