Instrument Transport Cart With Fluid Circulation to Prevent Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Delays in transporting medical instruments from procedure rooms to cleaning rooms can cause biological matter to dry and adhere to instruments, making it difficult to remove during the cleaning process, leading to inefficiencies in the cleaning and deactivation process.
Innovation Solution
A mobile transport device equipped with a cart that circulates fluids through containers to maintain a moist environment, preventing drying of biological matter, and includes a system for tracking and communicating the status of medical instruments, allowing for timely and efficient pre-cleaning, washing, rinsing, and drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If manual transport of soiled medical instruments is used, then staff can transport instruments from procedure room to cleaning room, but delays occur and biological matter dries on instruments
Solution Approach 1:
The transport device is equipped with an automated fluid circulation system that independently maintains a moist environment on instruments during transport without requiring manual intervention. The system self-regulates fluid distribution to prevent drying of biological matter throughout the transport process.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid circulation system operates continuously during transport to maintain constant moisture on instruments. This continuous action ensures that biological matter remains hydrated from the moment instruments leave the procedure room until they reach the cleaning room, eliminating the time-sensitive gap in the manual transport process.
2Reliability
If rapid transport of soiled instruments is implemented, then biological matter remains moist, but additional pre-cleaning equipment is required
Solution Approach 1:
The transport device integrates multiple functions into a single system: it provides mobile transport, houses fluid circulation equipment, maintains controlled humidity environments, and tracks instrument status. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate manual processes and equipment into one unified device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the transport function with the pre-cleaning maintenance function by integrating fluid circulation systems directly into the transport device. The circulation system, humidity control, and transport mechanisms are merged into a single integrated unit that performs both transportation and biological matter preservation simultaneously.
3Loss of time
If fluid circulation system is added to transport device, then instruments are kept moist during transport, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs hydraulic principles through a closed-loop fluid circulation system that uses pumps and tubing to distribute and recirculate moisture-retaining fluid. This hydraulic approach enables automated fluid management without requiring complex mechanical moving parts, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining effective moisture prevention.
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 device ensures that medical instruments are kept in a moist environment, preventing biological matter from drying and adhering, facilitating easier cleaning and deactivation, and enables efficient transportation and tracking, thereby improving the cleaning process and reducing delays.
Implementation Method 1
plumbing for circulating fluids through the container, thereby treating instruments located inside the container
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile device for transporting, tracking and processing medical instruments. The device comprises a cart including at least one receptacle for receiving an instrument container having instruments stored therein. The cart also includes plumbing for circulating processing fluids through the instrument container and a communications system for communicating tracking data associated with the instrument container and the cart.