Luer Lock Adaptor With Internal Ratchet Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing luer lock adaptors lack a secure mechanism to prevent accidental disconnection and ensure reliable locking, leading to potential leaks and misuse due to inadequate rotational control and frictional engagement.
Innovation Solution
A luer lock adaptor design featuring a housing with internal and external luer lock elements, where the internal element is rotatably mounted to allow rotation in one direction while limiting it in the opposite direction, combined with ratchet-type portions and a compression spring, ensuring secure locking and preventing manual access for accidental disconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the internal luer lock element is made accessible for manual rotation control, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential accidental disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the ability to manually rotate the internal luer lock element by enclosing it within the housing. The external luer lock element is extracted as the sole user-interaction point, eliminating the risk of accidental rotation while maintaining secure frictional engagement through the threaded connection between the two elements.
2Reliability
If the internal luer lock element is enclosed within the housing, then reliability is improved by preventing accidental disconnection, but ease of operation deteriorates due to limited manual access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the external luer lock element as an intermediary between the user and the internal luer lock element. This external element provides the necessary frictional engagement and threaded connection to secure the internal element without requiring direct manual access to it, thus maintaining both reliability and operability.
3Reliability
If frictional engagement between luer lock elements is increased to prevent disconnection, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional locking mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves enhanced reliability by optimizing the frictional engagement parameters between the external and internal luer lock elements through threaded connection geometry and surface characteristics, rather than adding complex locking mechanisms. The frictional force generated by the threaded engagement provides sufficient securing force to prevent accidental disconnection.
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 design provides a secure and reliable locking mechanism that prevents accidental disconnection, ensuring consistent and safe connections between medical devices, enhancing user safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a compression spring which urges the septa housing forwardly with respect to the internal luer lock element
Implementation Method 2
the frictional engagement between the external luer lock element and the internal luer lock element causes the internal luer lock element to rotate in the first rotation direction together with the external luer lock element
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C~1D
AI summary
A luer lock adaptor including a housing defining an axis, an internal luer lock element having a threading, the internal luer lock element being located internally of the housing and being rotatably mounted thereto for rotation about the axis relative to the housing, in a manner which permits rotation of the luer lock element relative to the housing in a first rotation direction about the axis and limits rotation of the luer lock element relative to the housing in a second rotation direction about the axis, opposite to the first rotation direction, whereby the location of the internal luer lock element internally of the housing prevents manual access to the internal luer lock element for limiting rotation thereof in the first rotation direction.