Linear Suction Adjustment for Medical Device Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for suctioning liquids and particles from body openings require complex adjustments to achieve desired vacuum levels, leading to low operating comfort due to non-linear relationships between adjustment paths and vacuum changes.
Innovation Solution
The device features a secondary air adjustment unit with a linear relationship between adjustment path and vacuum change, allowing for consistent suction power adjustments via a rotatable or linearly displaceable adjustment unit, and includes a manometer for easy monitoring of negative pressure, ensuring intuitive operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a needle valve is used to adjust secondary air flow, then the vacuum level can be controlled, but the operating comfort deteriorates due to non-linear relationship between adjustment path and vacuum change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter relationship from non-linear to linear by designing the adjustment mechanism such that equal adjustment paths produce equal vacuum changes. This is achieved through a specific geometric configuration where the adjustment unit's movement directly proportionally controls the secondary air flow opening, eliminating the need for complex non-linear compensation.
2Ease of operation
If a rotary knob is used to adjust the needle valve, then the vacuum can be set, but the operation becomes more difficult requiring larger rotation angles for the same vacuum change at low vacuum levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a linear parameter relationship where the adjustment unit's rotation angle directly corresponds to the vacuum change magnitude. This linear relationship ensures that the same rotation angle always produces the same vacuum change, regardless of the current vacuum level, making the operation intuitive and time-efficient.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the same adjustment path causes different vacuum changes at different vacuum levels, then the device can cover a wide vacuum range, but the operation becomes less simple and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves a linear relationship between adjustment path and vacuum change across the entire vacuum range. This is accomplished through a geometric design where the adjustment unit's movement uniformly controls the secondary air flow opening, ensuring that equal adjustment paths always produce equal vacuum changes regardless of the starting vacuum level, thus maintaining both simplicity and adaptability.
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 design simplifies the operation of the device by allowing the same adjustment path to result in the same vacuum change across the desired range, enhancing user comfort and safety by providing a straightforward method to set and monitor suction power.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum pump (14) for generating a negative pressure in the suction channel (16), the liquid and/or the particles being sucked off by this negative pressure
Implementation Method 2
an opening (21) for supplying secondary air to adjust the negative pressure
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for suction of liquids and/or particles from openings of the body, which device comprises a suction channel (16), through which the liquid and/or particles can be sucked, and a vacuum pump (14) for generating an underpressure in the suction channel (16). The suction channel (16) has an opening for the delivery of auxiliary air for adjusting the underpressure, wherein the volumetric flow of this auxiliary air is adjustable via an adjustment unit (24) for auxiliary air. The device (10) also has a manually activatable adjuster (26) for adjusting the adjustment unit (24) for auxiliary air, wherein the adjustment of the adjuster (26), in each case by the same predefined adjustment path, causes the same change in the underpressure.