Infusion Line Filter Venting Layout for Reliable Deaeration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filters for infusion medical lines suffer from deaeration openings positioned on the lateral walls of the box-like body, which can be inadvertently occluded or obstructed, leading to ineffective deaeration of liquids.
Innovation Solution
The deaeration openings are positioned on the end walls of the box-like body, with hydrophobic membranes arranged at transverse manifolds connecting to these openings, ensuring that infusion liquid first contacts these membranes before hydrophilic membranes, and the inlet and outlet connectors are coaxial to prevent torsional moments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If deaeration openings are positioned on the lateral walls of the box-like body, then the filter structure is compact, but the deaeration openings can be inadvertently occluded or obstructed leading to ineffective deaeration
Solution Approach 1:
The deaeration openings are repositioned from the lateral walls to the end walls of the box-like body, changing the spatial dimension and orientation of the openings. This dimensional change ensures that the openings face away from potential obstruction sources and cannot be inadvertently occluded during handling or use, thereby resolving the contradiction between compact structure and deaeration reliability.
2Reliability
If deaeration openings are positioned on the end walls with hydrophobic membranes, then effective deaeration is ensured in non-vertical orientations, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Hydrophobic porous membranes are integrated into the deaeration openings on the end walls. These membranes allow air to pass through while blocking liquid, enabling effective deaeration regardless of the filter's orientation. The use of porous materials with specific surface properties simplifies the overall design by eliminating the need for complex mechanical deaeration mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter is divided into distinct functional zones: hydrophobic membranes for deaeration on the end walls, and hydrophilic membranes for filtration on the lateral walls. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the design while maintaining reliability across different orientations.
3Ease of operation
If inlet and outlet connectors are positioned coaxially, then torsional moments are prevented in the tubes, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet and outlet connectors are positioned coaxially on the end walls, creating a symmetric arrangement that eliminates torsional moments in the connected tubes. This asymmetric positioning relative to the traditional lateral wall placement simplifies the overall device structure while improving ease of operation and connection stability.
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
This configuration ensures effective deaeration and filtration of infusion liquids, even in non-vertical orientations, by allowing trapped air to escape through hydrophobic membranes before reaching hydrophilic membranes, thus preventing occlusion and maintaining filtration efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the deaeration openings are placed in communication with the external by means of openings with associated hydrophobic membranes for deaerating the liquid
Implementation Method 2
Arranged on the or on each plurality of ribs is a respective filtering hydrophilic membrane which separates the channels from one or from respective interspaces
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Filter (1) for infusion medical lines comprising a flattened box-like body (2) provided inside which is a plate-shaped element (13) formed on whose one or both of the opposite faces are respective ribs (14) defining inner channels (15). Arranged on the ribs are respective filtering hydrophilic membranes (16) which separate the channels (15) from respective interspaces (23, 23) delimited by a pair of half-shells (5, 6). The interspaces (23, 23) are placed in communication with the inlet connector (9), the channels (15) are placed in communication with the outlet fitting (10) and the interspaces (23) are placed in communication with the outside through vent openings (11a, lib) arranged on the end walls (3, 4) of the box-like body (2).