IV Line Organizer with Rotating Clips
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intravenous line management systems fail to effectively prevent tangling, dragging, and contamination of IV lines, particularly in mobile patients, as they lack adequate organization and securement mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A plastic channel device with rotating clip holders and a cuff system that attaches to a patient's limb, featuring adjustable and adhesive attachment means, allowing for securement and organization of multiple IV lines, with rotating and locking mechanisms to accommodate movement and prevent contact with the floor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If IV lines are taped onto the patient's skin to keep them stable, then the lines are secured in place, but the tape catches the patient's body hair during removal and may not always hold
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the IV line management into separate functional components: a cuff for body attachment, channels for line routing, and clips for line retention. This segmentation eliminates the need for tape直接接触 skin, removing the hair-catching problem while maintaining line stability through the clip-channel-cuff system.
Solution Approach 2:
The cuff and channel system acts as an intermediary between the IV lines and the patient's body. Instead of taping lines directly to skin, the lines are secured within channels on the cuff, which is then attached to the body. This intermediary structure prevents direct skin contact and eliminates tape-related hair catching issues.
2Ease of operation
If multiple IV lines are allowed to move freely to accommodate patient movement, then patient mobility is improved, but the lines become tangled and dragged on the floor causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates rotating clips that can dynamically adjust with patient movement. The clips rotate within the channels to follow the natural movement of IV lines, accommodating patient mobility while preventing tangling. This dynamic adjustment mechanism allows lines to move freely without becoming entangled or dragged on the floor.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a rotational dimension to line management through rotating clips. Instead of fixed linear positioning, the clips can rotate 360 degrees within the channels, creating a new degree of freedom that accommodates multi-directional patient movement while keeping lines organized and elevated off the floor.
3Ease of operation
If IV lines are placed on rolling stands to enable patient exercise, then patient mobility during treatment is improved, but the lines may drag on the floor and become contaminated or caught in wheels
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the IV line support function from floor-based rolling stands to body-mounted cuff channels. By attaching the channel system to the patient's body rather than using separate rolling stands, the lines are elevated and secured close to the patient, eliminating floor contact and wheel entanglement risks while maintaining mobility.
4Reliability
If surgical tape is used to hold IV lines in place, then lines are secured, but the tape does not always hold and must be removed frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the single-function tape approach with a segmented multi-component system (cuff, channels, clips) designed specifically for IV line management. This segmentation provides reliable mechanical retention through clips in channels, eliminating the need for frequent tape changes and reducing time loss.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An intravenous line organizing system to be attached to patients to organize one or several IV lines, preventing entanglement and contamination by dragging on the floor, while allowing patient mobility. The hypoallergenic device can be strapped with a band around a patient's limb or torso, or adhered to the skin anywhere on the body. Each clip element allows one IV line to float freely through it. Each clip element rotates 360˚ and can move horizontally within a channel in the system, or it can be pushed into a locked position, preventing rotation and horizontal movement.