Needleless Connector Module Elastic Valve Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional needleless injector devices face challenges with air-tightness, leakage, and sterilization, leading to public health safety risks and increased production costs due to complex structures and difficult mold production.

Innovation Solution

A needleless connector module comprising a sleeve tube, an elastic valve, and a flow guiding unit, which simplifies molding and reduces production costs while maintaining an airtight and bacteria-free environment, allowing for effective sterilization through a design that includes a slanted retaining wall, elastic valve with a hollow base and shoulder portions, and a flow guiding unit with a guiding tube and ribs, enabling easy assembly and sterilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional needleless injector devices use enclosed structures to maintain bacteria-free environment, then public health safety is improved, but sterilization becomes difficult and air-tightness is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebacteria-free environmentVSAvoidsterilization accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The device is divided into separable components including a connector module and an extension unit that can be assembled and disassembled. This segmentation allows sterilization to access internal channels while maintaining an enclosed bacteria-free environment during use, resolving the contradiction between sterility maintenance and sterilization accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A valve mechanism acts as an intermediary component that controls fluid flow and maintains sealing. The valve enables the system to remain enclosed and bacteria-free during operation while allowing controlled access during sterilization processes, thus resolving the contradiction between air-tightness and sterilization accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If complicated structures are used to improve air-tightness and prevent leakage, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair-tightnessVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple functions including sealing, flow control, and connection are merged into integrated components such as the valve assembly and connector module. This reduces the number of separate parts while maintaining air-tightness and preventing leakage, thus improving reliability without increasing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The device utilizes elastic valves and flexible sealing elements that provide effective air-tightness and leakage prevention through material properties rather than complex structural arrangements. This approach maintains reliability while simplifying the overall structure and reducing manufacturing difficulty.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Ease of manufacture

If needleless injector devices are designed with simple structures to reduce production costs, then manufacturing ease is improved, but assembly compatibility and quality maintenance become difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction costVSAvoidassembly compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The connector module is designed with universal features including standardized connection interfaces and compatible valve mechanisms that can work with various extension units and injection tubes. This universality maintains assembly compatibility and quality consistency while using simple, cost-effective structural designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 solution achieves a high yield rate of good production, maintains an airtight and bacteria-free environment, and facilitates thorough sterilization, thereby enhancing public health safety and reducing production costs.

Implementation Method 1

the hollow head portion is pressed downward, driving the inner wall of the valve body to abut the waist platform

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the inner wall of the hollow head portion encloses the guiding tube narrow portion, thereby the first guiding opening is hidden in the airtight seam

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical containment: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentUS9855412B2Needleless connector module

Publication Date: 2018.01.02 LILY MEDICAL CORP

AI summary

A needleless connector module comprises: a sleeve tube, an elastic valve, a flow guiding unit and an extension unit. The elastic valve sleeves a guiding tube of the flow guiding unit. A hollow shoulder portion of the elastic valve abuts a slanted retaining wall of the sleeve tube. Under a first usage condition, the hollow head portion of the elastic valve encloses the guiding tube narrow portion, hiding the first guiding opening in the airtight seam. Under a second usage condition, an injection tube presses the top face of the elastic valve, a hollow head portion of the elastic valve presses downward, driving the valve inner wall to abut a waist platform formed on the guiding tube, such that the first guiding opening is exposed outside the airtight seam, and such that the first guiding opening is connected to an injection opening of the injection tube.