Infusion Tube Assembly Bubble Removal via Three-Way Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing bubbles from infusion tubes during medical infusions are inconvenient and result in wastage of liquid medicine, as they require disconnecting the tube from the pump and discharging medicine to remove bubbles.
Innovation Solution
An infusion tube assembly and method that includes a tube joint structure with a clamping device and a liquid container connected to the tube joint, allowing for bubble detection, pressure-based operations to isolate and redirect the liquid, and recycling of medicine without disconnecting the tube from the pump.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the infusion tube is disconnected from the pump to remove bubbles, then bubbles can be removed from the infusion tube, but the operation becomes inconvenient and liquid medicine is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
A three-way valve is introduced as an intermediary component between the infusion tube and the pump. This valve allows the operator to redirect fluid flow to a waste chamber for bubble removal without disconnecting the infusion tube from the pump, thereby maintaining operational convenience while effectively removing bubbles
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into multiple flow paths: a main infusion path and a waste discharge path controlled by the three-way valve. This segmentation allows selective routing of fluid flow to different destinations, enabling bubble removal through the waste path while keeping the main infusion path connected and operational
2Reliability
If liquid medicine is discharged to remove bubbles, then bubbles are removed from the infusion tube, but liquid medicine is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The three-way valve acts as a mediator that directs the liquid flow containing bubbles to a dedicated waste chamber instead of allowing it to mix with and waste the main liquid medicine supply. This selective routing minimizes liquid medicine wastage while still achieving effective bubble removal
Solution Approach 2:
The bubble-containing liquid is extracted and separated from the main liquid medicine flow through the three-way valve system and discharged to the waste chamber. This extraction process removes only the problematic portion (bubbles with minimal liquid) while preserving the majority of the liquid medicine for continued infusion
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
Effectively removes bubbles from infusion tubes without disconnecting the infusion tube, reducing medicine wastage and enabling the recycling of liquid medicine, thus improving the efficiency and convenience of the infusion process.
Implementation Method 1
a clamping device disposed on the second tube body and configured to clamp the second tube body
Implementation Method 2
determines whether a pressure of the liquid drops to a first pressure value... determines whether the pressure of the liquid rises to a second pressure value
Data Source
AI summary
An infusion device includes an infusion pump and an infusion tube assembly. The infusion tube assembly includes a first tube body connected to the infusion pump, a tube joint structure having first, second and third tube joints, a second tube body, and a clamping device on the second tube body. The clamping device is to clamp the second tube body. An infusion method includes instructing the infusion pump to perform an infusion operation. When bubbles are detected in a liquid in the infusion tube assembly, the infusion pump is instructed to stop the infusion operation and a bubble alarm is generated. After the infusion pump stops the infusion operation, it is determined whether a pressure of the liquid first drops to a first pressure value and then rises to a second pressure value. If yes, a rinsing operation is performed.