Medical Luer-Lock Connector with Radial Push-Button
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical line connectors with male luer-lock fittings face the risk of accidental unscrewing, leading to potential fluid loss and safety hazards due to unintuitive and inconvenient torsional coupling mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a side push-button with an engagement tooth and a tubular body with striker teeth allows for intuitive and immediate unscrewing without requiring axial translation between the outer jacket and tubular body, using a ratchet mechanism for secure screwing and an elastically deformable push-button for voluntary unscrewing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If torsional coupling means requiring mutual axial displacement are used to prevent accidental unscrewing, then safety against erroneous unscrewing is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to unintuitive and inconvenient operation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring axial displacement to disengage the ratchet mechanism, the invention inverts the approach by using radial displacement of a push-button to engage/disengage the locking mechanism. The push-button moves radially between stable and unstable positions to control the ratchet engagement, making the operation more intuitive while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The push-button acts as an intermediary element between the operator and the ratchet mechanism. By pressing the button radially, it mediates the disengagement of the ratchet teeth from the groove, allowing unscrewing without requiring axial displacement. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the user interaction while preserving the safety function.
2Reliability
If ratchet mechanism with unidirectional rotation coupling is used, then reliability against accidental unscrewing is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional coupling means
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the push-button actuation mechanism with the existing ratchet structure. The push-button is integrated into the outer jacket and directly interacts with the ratchet teeth, combining the actuation function with the locking mechanism. This reduces the number of separate components while maintaining the unidirectional rotation coupling function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the complex axial displacement requirement from the unscrewing operation by isolating the ratchet disengagement function to a simple radial push-button action. The axial movement is separated from the engagement/disengagement control, allowing the latter to be achieved through a simpler radial motion that does not add structural complexity.
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 solution ensures secure screwing while enabling straightforward and safe voluntary unscrewing, reducing the risk of accidental detachment and enhancing operational convenience.
Implementation Method 1
The push-button advantageously consists of an elastically deformable element, integrally formed with the outer jacket, and bearing the said engagement tooth at its free end
Implementation Method 2
an outer jacket coupled in unidirectional rotation with the tubular body in the direction corresponding to the screwing of the male fitting
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A connector for medical lines, comprising a tubular body (1) having a male luer-lock fitting (2) at one end, intended to be screw-coupled with a complementary female fitting. An outer jacket (5) is coupled in unidirectional rotation with the tubular body (1) in the direction corresponding to the screwing of the male fitting (2) and freely rotatable in the opposite direction. For selectively coupling the outer jacket (5) with the tubular body (1) in the direction corresponding to the unscrewing of the male fitting (2) at least one side push-button (8) carried by said outer jacket (5) is provided.