Thermoplastic Elastomer Sealing Element for Medical Liquid Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical liquid containers often face issues with incomplete opening of sealing elements, such as diaphragms, when a conveying device is attached, leading to impaired flow and potential need for re-attachment.
Innovation Solution
A container design featuring a connection piece and attachment part with a sealing element that includes a slot opening, where the sealing element is produced from a thermoplastic elastomer with a higher Shore Hardness, allowing for reliable deformation and opening when a conveying device is attached, ensuring unobstructed flow without the need for additional support structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sealing element (diaphragm) is used in a container connection piece, then the container can be sealed against liquid passage when the conveying device is not attached, but the sealing element does not open completely when the conveying device is attached, leading to impaired flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the sealing element by using thermoplastic elastomer with higher Shore Hardness (40-70) compared to conventional materials. This parameter change enables the sealing element to deform sufficiently when the conveying device is attached, allowing complete opening of the slot opening while maintaining reliable sealing when detached.
2Ease of operation
If a soft sealing element material is used, then the sealing element can be easily deformed to open the slot opening, but the sealing element cannot be held in a clamping manner between the connection piece and attachment part
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies a Shore Hardness range of 40-70 for the thermoplastic elastomer, which provides optimal balance between deformability and clamping hold. This parameter range ensures the sealing element can be deformed by the conveying device to open the slot while also being held securely in a clamping manner between the connection piece and attachment part.
3Productivity
If the sealing element is received in the second receiving portion with radial play, then the conveying device can deform the sealing element radially to open the slot opening, but the sealing element may not be held securely in position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates different local conditions in the opening by providing two receiving portions with different diameters. The first receiving portion (smaller diameter) holds the connection piece head securely, while the second receiving portion (larger diameter) receives the sealing element with radial play, allowing controlled deformation while maintaining positioning through the clamping arrangement.
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 enables efficient and reliable conveyance of medical liquids with a large flow area, minimizing the risk of flow obstruction and re-attachment issues, as the sealing element can be completely opened by the conveying device, exposing at least 80% of the opening cross-section.
Implementation Method 1
the sealing element, with the conveying device not attached to the attachment part, is received in or on the second receiving portion with radial play. This makes it possible for the sealing element to be able to be inserted in the second receiving portion with play and nevertheless, at the same time, to be able to be held in a clamping manner between the connection part and the attachment part. Because the sealing element is inserted with play in the second receiving portion, when a conveying device is attached, in particular a syringe, it can be deformed radially and consequently can be urged aside by the conveying device such that the slot opening provided in the sealing element can be opened in a reliable manner
Data Source
AI summary
A container for a medical liquid, comprising a connection piece via which a medical liquid can be pumped into or out of the container, an attachment part which can be attached to the connection piece and connected to a pump device to pump a medical liquid or out of the container, and a sealing element for sealing a passage between the connection piece and the attachment part. The sealing element has a slot opening which is closed against a liquid flow when the pump device is not attached to the attachment part and which is open when the pump device is attached to the attachment part such that a medical liquid can be pumped through the slot opening. The attachment part has a connection portion with an opening into which the connection piece can be inserted along an insertion direction in order to connect to the attachment part.