Microbial Scrub Brush with Disinfectant Foam Insert
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current microbial scrubbing devices are inadequate in effectively cleaning both the exterior and interior surfaces of medical devices like female luers, particularly in maintaining sterility and preventing bacterial contamination.
Innovation Solution
A microbial scrub brush with a housing containing a semi-closed hydrophilic polyurethane foam insert impregnated with an anti-bacterial disinfectant, designed to be securely manipulated by hand, allowing for easy insertion and rotation over a female luer to clean both exterior and interior surfaces while maintaining sterility until use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a foam insert impregnated with anti-bacterial disinfectant is used, then sterilization effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous foam insert material that can absorb and retain anti-bacterial disinfectant solution within its cellular structure. This porous structure allows the foam to hold the disinfectant and release it during the scrubbing process, enhancing sterilization effectiveness without requiring complex delivery mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam insert is pre-impregnated with anti-bacterial disinfectant during manufacturing, so that the sterilization agent is already in place before use. This preliminary action eliminates the need for separate disinfectant application steps or complex delivery systems, maintaining simplicity while ensuring effective sterilization.
2Ease of operation
If the housing is sized for finger manipulation, then ease of operation is improved, but cleaning coverage area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device segments the foam insert into distinct functional zones: a first portion for external surface cleaning and a second portion for internal passage cleaning. This segmentation allows a compact, finger-manipulable housing to provide comprehensive cleaning coverage by addressing both external and internal surfaces in separate stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam insert extends beyond the housing in a direction perpendicular to the main housing body, allowing the cleaning surfaces to reach areas that would otherwise require a larger housing. This dimensional extension enables adequate cleaning coverage while maintaining a compact, easily manipulable housing structure.
3Ease of operation
If the foam insert extends beyond the housing, then cleaning accessibility is improved, but device stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is designed with a flexible or compliant structure that can accommodate the extended foam insert while maintaining overall device stability. The flexible housing material allows the insert to extend beyond the housing boundaries for improved cleaning accessibility without compromising the structural integrity and stability of the overall device during handling.
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 scrub brush effectively disinfects both exterior and interior surfaces of medical devices, ensuring sterility and reducing bacterial contamination through the use of an anti-bacterial solution like chlorhexidine gluconate, and is easy to handle and use, providing a secure and efficient cleaning process.
Implementation Method 1
an insert of foam material that is disposed in the cavity and an anti-bacterial disinfectant in the insert
Implementation Method 2
a semi-closed hydrophilic polyurethane medical grade foam
Data Source
Figure 1~7
Figure 8~11
Figure 12~18
AI summary
The microbial scrub brush in one embodiment employs an insert of foam material that is impregnated with an anti-bacterial disinfectant that is housed within a housing of alcohol compatible material and sealed over by a removable lid. The insert is maintained in sterile condition until ready for use. After the removal of the lid, the insert of foam material is moved over the end of a female luer or other portion of a medical device and rotated in order to clean the exterior surface as well as the interior luminal surface of the device. In one embodiment, the insert includes a plurality of resilient fingers that substantially occupy a cross sectional area of the cavity to enable the cleansing of both the exterior surface and an interior luminal surface of the medical device.