Infusion Set Adapter with Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional infusion sets lack feedback mechanisms, making it difficult for infusion pumps to detect proper connection, skin placement, needle insertion depth, and priming status, which can lead to inadequate medication delivery and user safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
An infusion set adapter with a housing, controller, and sensors (priming, proximity, connection, needle, and needle guard sensors) that communicates with the infusion pump to provide real-time feedback on the infusion set's status, ensuring proper connection, placement, and medication delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional infusion sets are used without feedback mechanisms, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability of medication delivery is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through sensors that detect connection status, priming completion, and infusion site placement, transmitting this information to the infusion pump to enable real-time monitoring and confirmation of proper setup, thereby ensuring reliable medication delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sensors as intermediary components between the infusion set and the infusion pump, which detect physical conditions (connection, priming, placement) and convert them into detectable signals, enabling the pump to indirectly monitor infusion set status without direct mechanical interaction
2Reliability
If sensors are added to detect infusion set status, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the monitoring function into multiple specialized sensors, each responsible for detecting a specific condition (connection sensor for attachment status, priming sensor for fluid presence, proximity sensor for skin placement), allowing for targeted and efficient detection without requiring a single complex sensing system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs sensors with multi-functional capabilities where a single sensor system can detect multiple parameters (e.g., optical sensors that can detect both connection status and priming completion), reducing the overall number of components needed while maintaining comprehensive monitoring
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple sensors are implemented for comprehensive monitoring, then the safety improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing functions into integrated sensor assemblies that can detect multiple conditions simultaneously, and merges the sensor housing with the infusion set adapter structure, reducing the total number of discrete parts and simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining comprehensive safety monitoring
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
Enhances user safety by ensuring accurate and reliable medication delivery through real-time feedback, preventing errors related to connection, placement, and priming, thereby improving the overall efficiency and safety of the infusion process.
Implementation Method 1
The proximity sensor can include an optical sensor configured to transmit a first optical signal to the infusion site and to receive a second optical signal reflected from the infusion site.
Implementation Method 2
The power source can include a battery.
Data Source
AI summary
An infusion set adapter connects to an infusion set for delivering a medicament to an injection site from a medicament source. The infusion set adapter can include a housing a controller, a power source, and at least one sensor configured to detect a characteristic of the infusion set adapter, infusion set, infusion site, and/or the medicament source. The controller can process information received from the one or more sensors and cause an action to occur in response to the received and processed information. The housing can include a retention member to connect the infusion set adapter to the infusion set. An infusion set include components of the infusion adapter above integrated therein. Methods of operating infusion sets and infusion set adapters are also disclosed.