Medical Instrument Flushing System Using Annular Plenum
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical instruments often fail to effectively flush out tissue and blood from their internal aspects, leading to incomplete cleaning and potential contamination.
Innovation Solution
A medical instrument with an elongated outer housing and inner drive shaft, featuring a flushing system that uses a fluid plenum created between the inner and outer surfaces, maintained by a collar with axially extending grooves, and a seal to prevent leakage, allowing for efficient flushing of tissue and blood from internal components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flushing system is added to clean internal aspects of the medical instrument, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flushing system is nested within the existing instrument structure by utilizing the hollow inner plenum of the elongated outer housing as the flushing fluid pathway. The inner drive shaft is positioned within this plenum, and flushing fluid flows through the annular space between the inner drive shaft and the outer housing, effectively cleaning internal aspects without adding external flushing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow inner plenum of the elongated outer housing serves dual functions: it provides structural support for the instrument while simultaneously acting as the flushing fluid pathway. This multi-functional design allows the flushing system to be integrated into the existing structure without requiring separate dedicated flushing channels.
2Reliability
If a seal is added to prevent flushing fluid leakage around the drive system, then fluid containment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal automatically performs its containment function as part of the instrument's operation. The seal is positioned to engage with the drive system components, and as the inner drive shaft moves axially during instrument operation, the seal continuously prevents flushing fluid from leaking radially outward without requiring active control or additional mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If the inner drive shaft is positioned to create a flushing fluid plenum, then cleaning access is improved, but structural stability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The inner drive shaft is nested within the hollow inner plenum of the outer housing, creating an annular flushing fluid plenum. This nested arrangement allows flushing fluid to flow through the space between the inner drive shaft and outer housing, providing excellent cleaning access to internal aspects while maintaining the structural integrity of the overall instrument.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow inner plenum provides localized structural support where needed, while the annular space it creates enables flushing functionality. The plenum's structure is optimized to maintain stability in the regions where structural support is critical, while allowing fluid flow in the annular region for effective cleaning.
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 system ensures effective removal of tissue and blood from internal aspects of the medical instrument, preventing contamination and ensuring thorough cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
directs the flushing fluid through a flushing fluid plenum created between an inner surface of the elongated outer housing and an outer surface of the inner drive shaft
Implementation Method 2
The instrument flushing system may include a seal configured to seal portions of a drive system in communication with the inner drive shaft
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A medical instrument with an elongated outer housing and inner drive shaft and including an instrument flushing system that enables the medical instrument to be effectively cleaned after use is disclosed. The medical instrument may be configured such that the instrument flushing system receives a flushing fluid through a port at a proximal end of the instrument and directs the flushing fluid through a flushing fluid plenum created between an inner surface of the elongated outer housing and an outer surface of the inner drive shaft. The flushing fluid plenum may be maintained by a standoff formed from a collar with one or more axially extending grooves. The instrument flushing system may include a seal to seal portions of a drive system in communication with the inner drive shaft and extending radially outward from a main body of the medical instrument.