Manual Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and complexity of negative-pressure wound therapy systems limit their application, particularly due to power requirements, mobility issues, and the need for careful cleaning and electrical components, making them unsuitable for less severe conditions and difficult to administer without specialized knowledge.
Innovation Solution
A manually-actuated negative-pressure therapy system that stores and manages fluids within a piston chamber, using a pump with a piston coupled to an elastic element, a valve to control fluid flow, and a filter to separate gas from liquid, allowing for recharging and maintaining therapeutic pressure without external power sources, reducing leaks, and integrating fluid storage within the dressing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional negative-pressure therapy systems are used, then therapeutic pressure can be applied to wounds, but the systems require external power sources and have high complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is designed to be manually operated without external power sources. The user directly actuates the pump mechanism to generate negative pressure, eliminating the need for batteries, motors, or electrical components. This self-service approach reduces device complexity while maintaining the core therapeutic function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex electrical and electronic systems with a purely mechanical pump mechanism. The manual pump uses mechanical components (piston, chamber, valve) to generate and control negative pressure, substituting electrical power sources and control circuits with simple mechanical operation that users can perform directly.
2Reliability
If traditional negative-pressure therapy systems are used, then wounds can be treated, but mobility is restricted due to power requirements and system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The manually-operated pump enables patients to independently control and adjust negative pressure without requiring external power sources or complex equipment. This portability allows patients to move freely while maintaining wound treatment capability, significantly improving mobility and ease of operation.
3Reliability
If traditional negative-pressure therapy systems are used, then therapeutic pressure is maintained, but the systems require careful cleaning and specialized knowledge to administer
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing electrical components with a simple mechanical pump, the system eliminates complex circuits, batteries, and electronic controls that require specialized knowledge to operate and maintain. The mechanical design is intuitive and easier to clean, reducing the need for specialized training while maintaining reliable therapeutic pressure.
4Device complexity
If manually-actuated pump systems are used, then complexity and cost are reduced, but fluid management becomes critical
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is divided into separate functional chambers: a vacuum chamber for generating negative pressure and a separate container for fluid collection. This segmentation allows independent management of pressure generation and fluid collection, simplifying the overall system while ensuring reliable fluid management through dedicated collection space.
Solution Approach 2:
A valve acts as an intermediary component between the vacuum chamber and fluid collection container, controlling fluid flow direction. This intermediary mechanism ensures that fluids are properly directed to the collection container while maintaining negative pressure in the vacuum chamber, resolving the fluid management challenge through a simple mechanical control element.
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 system enables effective and cost-efficient application of negative-pressure therapy for less severe conditions, improving mobility and reducing complexity, while maintaining therapeutic pressure and minimizing leaks, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional systems.
Implementation Method 1
A filter can be configured to separate gas from liquid in the fluid as the piston moves toward the filter, while retaining the liquid in the piston chamber
Implementation Method 2
a piston coupled to an elastic element
Implementation Method 3
A manually-actuated negative-pressure therapy system that stores and manages fluids within a piston chamber, using a pump with a piston coupled to an elastic element
Implementation Method 4
a valve configured for unidirectional flow from the vacuum chamber to the ambient pressure chamber during a charging stroke
Implementation Method 5
a port fluidly coupled to the first chamber and adapted to draw fluid into the first chamber during an operating stroke
Implementation Method 6
releasing stored energy in the pump to generate negative pressure in a vacuum chamber of the pump during an operating stroke
Data Source
AI summary
A system is illustratively described herein that generally comprises a vacuum chamber, an ambient pressure chamber, a valve configured for unidirectional flow from the vacuum chamber to the ambient pressure chamber during a charging stroke, and a liquid filter configured to retain liquid in the pump. In some embodiments, the liquid filter is configured to retain liquid in the vacuum chamber during the charging stroke. In other embodiments, it may be configured to retain liquid in the ambient pressure chamber during an operating stroke. In more particular embodiments, a piston may be disposed between the vacuum chamber and the ambient pressure chamber, a passage may fluidly couple the vacuum chamber and the ambient pressure chamber, and the valve can be configured to control fluid flow through the passage. Additionally, a lumen may couple the vacuum chamber to a dressing to deliver negative pressure to the dressing in some illustrative embodiments.