Self-Disinfecting Needleless Hub via Capillary Wick
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Solution Overview
Problem
Needleless hub connectors in medical settings are prone to contamination, leading to bloodstream infections, as existing disinfection methods are often omitted or ineffective due to complexity and lack of compliance, with current solutions failing to ensure complete coverage and easy, convenient disinfection.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a reservoir chamber with disinfecting pads that automatically bias to contact and disinfect the needleless hub or injection port, using a resilient mechanism to ensure consistent exposure to disinfecting agents, allowing for easy access for injection and subsequent re-closure for protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual scrubbing with alcohol is recommended, then disinfection effectiveness is improved, but compliance deteriorates due to complexity and time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The device enables self-disinfection by using the hub's own injection membrane as a wick to automatically draw alcohol from the reservoir chamber through capillary action, eliminating the need for manual scrubbing operations while ensuring consistent disinfection application
2Reliability
If alcohol reservoir chamber is designed to encircle the hub, then complete coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The injection membrane serves multiple functions: it acts as both the access point for fluid injection and as a wick to draw alcohol from the reservoir chamber through capillary action, eliminating the need for separate disinfection components
Solution Approach 2:
The injection membrane acts as an intermediary element that facilitates alcohol transfer from the reservoir chamber to the hub surface through capillary action, enabling passive disinfection without complex mechanical structures
3Object-affected harmful factors
If caps are used to cover the hub, then protection is improved, but ease of use deteriorates due to difficulty in removal and engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The injection membrane is extracted from its traditional sealed position and repositioned to protrude through the reservoir chamber, creating a built-in access mechanism that eliminates the need for separate caps while maintaining protection when not in use
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 device ensures 100% compliance with antiseptic techniques by providing automatic and complete disinfection of the needleless hub, reducing the risk of bloodstream infections through consistent contact with disinfecting agents and easy operation during medical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient device (210a, 210b). Each disinfecting pad (207a, 207b) is connected to the reservoir chamber (203) through a mounting member (209a, 209b), which permits displacement of the disinfecting pads (207a, 207b) relative to the reservoir chamber (203) in substantially opposite directions thereby creating a gap between each pad (207a, 207b) and the portion (202) to be disinfected. The resilient device (210a, 210b) biases the disinfecting pads (207a, 207b) such that when the disinfecting pads (207a, 207b) are displaced from a rest position, wherein they are contacting the portion (202) to be disinfected, to an engaged position, the disinfecting pads (207a, 207b) are urged to return toward the portion (202) to be disinfected to contact and disinfect the portion (202).
Data Source
AI summary
A device for automatically disinfecting a portion of a medical implement. The device includes a reservoir chamber having a top external opening, a medical implement protruded through a bottom part of the reservoir chamber with the portion to be disinfected exposed inside the reservoir chamber and below the top external opening, two disinfecting pads, and a resilient device. Each disinfecting pad is connected to the reservoir chamber through a mounting member, which permits displacement of the disinfecting pads relative to the reservoir chamber in substantially opposite directions thereby creating a gap between each pad and the portion to be disinfected. The resilient device biases the disinfecting pads such that when the disinfecting pads are displaced from a rest position, wherein they are contacting the portion to be disinfected, to an engaged position, the disinfecting pads are urged to return toward the portion to be disinfected to contact and disinfect the portion.