Medical Device Light Source Antimicrobial Synergy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current antimicrobial solutions are limited in their effectiveness against microbial growth on tissues, as they often require specific temperatures for optimal performance, and there is a need for enhanced methods to inhibit or destroy disease-causing microbes in medical settings.
Innovation Solution
A medical device that combines an antimicrobial solution with specific wavelengths of light, using a fiber optic cable and light source to create a synergistic effect, enhancing the solution's efficacy by 'supercharging' it, thereby increasing microbial reduction or elimination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If antimicrobial solutions are used alone, then they provide basic microbial inhibition, but their effectiveness is limited and requires specific temperature conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines antimicrobial solutions with light sources (specifically blue LED lights) to create a synergistic effect. The light activates the antimicrobial agents, enhancing their microbial killing capability beyond what the solution alone can achieve. This merging of optical and chemical components resolves the contradiction by providing enhanced effectiveness without increasing temperature dependency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of light wavelength (using blue light at specific wavelengths) to activate the antimicrobial solution. This parameter change enables the solution to work effectively across a broader temperature range while maintaining enhanced antimicrobial activity, thus resolving the temperature dependency issue.
2Reliability
If light of certain wavelengths is added to enhance antimicrobial effect, then microbial destruction is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a fiber optic cable as an intermediary to deliver light to the antimicrobial solution. This intermediary component simplifies the overall device structure by allowing the light source to be separated from the solution container, enabling flexible positioning and reducing the complexity of integrating light sources directly into various medical device configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs a universal system where the same light activation mechanism can be applied to various medical devices (trays, containers, full-body suits, catheters). This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by using a standardized approach across different applications rather than requiring device-specific solutions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If antimicrobial solution is applied to tissues, then microbial growth is inhibited, but the solution requires optimal temperature for best performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal system (temperature-based activation) with an optical system (light-based activation). By using blue light to activate the antimicrobial solution, the system eliminates the need for strict temperature control while maintaining effective microbial growth inhibition. This substitution resolves the contradiction by providing temperature-independent effectiveness.
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 combination of antimicrobial solutions with specific wavelengths of light significantly enhances microbial reduction or elimination, achieving higher efficacy than the solution alone, with applications in various medical devices such as trays, containers, full-body suits, and catheters.
Implementation Method 1
a fiber optic cable; a light termination on the fiber optic cable that provides light from the fiber optic cable to the antimicrobial solution in the solution retainer
Implementation Method 2
Light of certain wavelengths has been demonstrated to improve or 'super-charge' the effects of certain antimicrobial or anti-microbial agents, creating a synergistic effect to destroy or inhibit microbial growth
Data Source
AI summary
Medical devices with a light source and antimicrobial solution include a solution retainer adapted to retain an antimicrobial solution against a user; a fiber optic cable; a light termination on the fiber optic cable that provides light from the fiber optic cable to the antimicrobial solution in the solution retainer; and a light source that provides a light of a predetermined wavelength to the fiber optic cable. Medical device includes a container, a bowl, a full body suit, garments for body parts, a helmet, and a catheter.