Multi-Chamber Syringe With Nested Fluid Paths for Excess Saline Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional syringes deliver excess medical fluid to patients and have a large profile, which is undesirable, especially for fluid-restricted patients and limits IV set configurations.
Innovation Solution
A syringe with a tube-in-tube configuration that reduces excess medical fluid delivery and overall profile, featuring a dual plunger system with an inner tube and annulus for fluid communication, allowing for compact design and efficient medication administration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a conventional syringe is used to deliver medication through IV tubing, then the medication can be administered to the patient, but excess medical fluid (saline) is delivered to the patient before the medication, and the syringe has a large profile
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a tube-in-tube configuration where an inner tube is disposed within an outer plunger shaft. The inner tube has an inner lumen that receives medical fluid, while the annulus between the inner tube and outer plunger shaft lumen receives saline. This nested structure allows the syringe to deliver only the required amount of medication without excess saline, while maintaining a compact profile by nesting components within each other.
Solution Approach 2:
The syringe is divided into separate functional chambers: a first chamber for receiving medical fluid through the inner tube, and a second chamber for receiving saline through the annulus. The dual plunger system further segments the delivery mechanism, with a first plunger for the inner tube and a second plunger for the annulus, allowing independent control of medication and saline delivery to eliminate excess fluid administration.
2Quantity of substance
If a dual plunger system with inner tube and annulus is implemented, then excess medical fluid delivery is prevented and profile is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inner tube is nested within the outer plunger shaft, with the inner tube's outer surface forming the annulus with the plunger shaft's inner surface. This nesting allows the complex dual-chamber functionality to be packed into a compact configuration, reducing the overall profile while maintaining the necessary separation of medical fluid and saline flow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer plunger shaft serves multiple functions: it acts as the structural body of the syringe, provides the flow path for saline through the annulus, and contains the inner tube for medication delivery. The dual plunger mechanism allows a single device to independently control both medication and saline delivery, eliminating the need for separate syringes or complex external control systems.
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 syringe effectively prevents excess medical fluid delivery and maintains a compact profile, facilitating timely medication administration without unnecessary saline, suitable for fluid-restricted patients and various medical applications.
Implementation Method 1
the inner tube and the first plunger shaft lumen define an annulus therebetween, the annulus in fluid communication with the first plunger channel and the annulus permits fluid communication between the syringe port and the first plunger channel
Implementation Method 2
the first plunger and the second plunger cooperatively defining a second chamber in the syringe cavity
Implementation Method 3
a first plunger shaft extending from the first plunger, the first plunger shaft defining a first plunger shaft lumen, wherein the first plunger shaft lumen is in fluid communication with the first plunger channel
Data Source
AI summary
A syringe includes a syringe body, a first plunger, a second plunger, and an inner tube. The syringe body defines a syringe cavity and a syringe port, wherein the syringe port is in fluid communication with the syringe cavity. The first plunger is disposed within the syringe cavity and defines a first chamber in the syringe cavity, wherein the first chamber is in fluid communication with the syringe port. The second plunger is disposed within the syringe cavity, the first plunger and the second plunger cooperatively defining a second chamber in the syringe cavity. The inner tube comprises an inner tube lumen, wherein the inner tube and the first plunger shaft lumen of a first plunger shaft define an annulus therebetween, the annulus in fluid communication with a first plunger channel of the first plunger and the annulus permits fluid communication between the syringe port and the first plunger channel.