Manifold Membrane Valve Opening Under Negative Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing volcano-like valves in medical apparatuses, such as peritoneal dialysis and extracorporeal blood treatment systems, face issues with reliable opening and closing under negative pressure due to membrane pliability, leading to potential sticking and increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A medical apparatus with a manifold assembly featuring a rigid shell and soft membrane, utilizing an occlusion element with a plunger and actuator, and a membrane tensioner to counteract negative pressure, ensuring reliable valve operation without increasing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a soft elastic membrane is used in volcano-like funnels to close openings, then the valve can seal effectively, but under negative pressure the membrane may remain stuck on the edge of the funnel and the valve stays closed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using a piston to pre-compress the soft elastic membrane against the volcano-like funnel before fluid flow occurs. This pre-compression ensures that when negative pressure occurs during operation, the membrane remains firmly seated and does not stick to the funnel edge, allowing reliable valve opening when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the membrane by compressing it with a piston, transforming it from a relaxed state to a pre-compressed state. This parameter change (compression force) ensures the membrane maintains contact with the funnel surface under negative pressure conditions, preventing sticking and enabling reliable operation.
2Ease of operation
If the piston is moved away from the soft elastic membrane to open the valve, then the valve should open, but under negative pressure the membrane sticks to the funnel edge and prevents opening
Solution Approach 1:
The piston applies preliminary compression force to the membrane, preparing it to resist negative pressure forces that would otherwise cause sticking. This pre-action ensures the membrane remains disengageable from the funnel edge when the piston moves away, enabling reliable valve opening under negative pressure conditions.
3Reliability
If projections are added to prevent membrane sticking under negative pressure, then valve opening improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the piston function with the membrane compression function, combining multiple roles into a single component. The piston both opens the valve by moving away from the membrane and prevents sticking by pre-compressing the membrane, thereby improving reliability without adding structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston serves multiple functions: it acts as the valve actuator to open/close the valve and simultaneously serves as a compression element to prevent membrane sticking under negative pressure. This multi-functionality improves valve reliability without increasing device 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 accurate and reliable opening and closing of valves under negative pressure conditions, maintaining operational efficiency while keeping manufacturing costs effective.
Implementation Method 1
at least one soft membrane (21), the rigid shell and soft membrane (21) delimiting together at least a first fluid passage
Implementation Method 2
The actuator (73) is configured to move the plunger (15) between a retracted position, in which the plunger (15) is spaced from the soft membrane (21) and the port is open, and a forward position, in which the plunger (15) is at least in part accommodated in the seat and the soft membrane (21) is trapped between said plunger (15) and said seat to close the port
Implementation Method 3
the membrane tensioner (72) is configured to raise the soft membrane (21) away from the seat when the plunger (15) goes back to the retracted position and to counteract a possible negative pressure tending to keep the valve closed
Data Source
AI summary
A medical apparatus comprises a medical machine and a manifold assembly mounted or mountable on the medical machine. The medical machine comprises an occlusion element comprising a plunger configured to be moved between a retracted position, in which the plunger is spaced from a soft membrane of the manifold and a port of the manifold is open, and a forward position, in which the plunger accommodated in a seat of the port and the soft membrane is trapped between the plunger and the seat to close the port. The occlusion element comprises a membrane tensioner of mechanical type. The membrane tensioner is configured to raise the soft membrane away from the seat when the plunger goes back to the retracted position and to counteract a possible negative pressure tending to keep the port closed.