Medical Sink Insert With Calibrated Additive Reservoir And Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cleaning reusable medical/surgical devices, such as endoscopes, are labor-intensive, ergonomically challenging, and prone to errors in additive concentration due to the lack of ease of use and accuracy in diluting chemicals, leading to ineffective cleaning and waste of expensive supplies.
Innovation Solution
A modular, one-piece sink insert with a calibrated measurement system, integral thermometer, and an electrically powered pump that fits standard medical sinks, providing accurate dilution and ergonomic benefits, reducing the need for manual mixing and handling of additives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a deep sink is used to accommodate large medical devices, then the sink can hold all items to be cleaned, but the technician experiences ergonomic problems and backaches due to intensive bending
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the cleaning function into two separate components: a deep sink for holding large devices and a portable basin for actual cleaning operations. This segmentation allows the technician to work with the portable basin at an ergonomic height while the deep sink remains available for storing and accommodating large medical devices that require deep containment.
2Device complexity
If manual mixing of additives is used to prepare cleaning liquid, then the process is simple and requires no additional equipment, but the concentration accuracy varies and expensive additives are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The portable basin incorporates an integrated pump system that automatically draws cleaning liquid from the deep sink and delivers it to the basin. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual mixing and pouring operations, ensuring consistent delivery of properly concentrated cleaning solution while reducing technician labor and improving concentration accuracy.
3Reliability
If copious flushing is performed with a small syringe to meet pre-cleaning requirements, then the lumen is thoroughly cleaned, but the process is labor intensive and physically challenging with repetitive motion
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a pump-driven hydraulic system to deliver cleaning liquid under pressure through the device lumen. This replaces the manual syringe flushing method with an automated pumping mechanism that maintains consistent flow pressure and volume, achieving thorough cleaning of lumens while eliminating repetitive manual pushing motions and significantly increasing cleaning productivity.
4Ease of operation
If measuring cups are used to measure additives, then the measurement process is straightforward, but the cups are poorly calibrated or subject to user error and require additional cleaning maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the additive storage container with the portable basin into a single integrated unit. The additive reservoir is built into the basin structure with pre-marked measurement indicators, eliminating the need for separate measuring cups. This integration ensures accurate measurement through pre-calibrated markings while simplifying the operation to a single container that requires no additional cleaning of separate measuring tools.
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 sink insert enables efficient, accurate, and ergonomic cleaning of medical devices by ensuring precise additive concentration and reducing physical strain on technicians, minimizing waste and improving cleaning outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
an electrically powered pump having an inlet tube to draw treated water from the basin and to forcibly eject the cleaning liquid through an outlet tube
Data Source
AI summary
A sink insert for cleaning a medical device having a lumen, such as an endoscope, includes a basin and a pump connected to the basin. The basin is shaped to fit into a sink, and has lip portions on its side walls shaped to extend outwardly to overlap side walls of the sink. The basin includes a drain formed in its floor; an additive reservoir integrally formed as a depression in its floor; additive fill lines defining pre-calibrated volume measurement areas for measurement of additives in the reservoir; a thermometer; and basin fill lines on its side walls defining pre-calibrated volume measurement areas for measurement of cleaning liquid filled into the basin. The pump includes inlet and outlet tubes for drawing cleaning liquid from the basin into the pump, and for pressurized output of the cleaning liquid from the pump to the medical device.