Spring-Driven Negative Pressure Pump With Reusable Drainage Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical devices lack effective and cost-efficient methods for removing fluid buildup from treatment sites during or after procedures, which can hinder healing and patient health.

Innovation Solution

A negative pressure pump comprising a reservoir with a drive assembly, a piston, and a cable mechanism that creates negative pressure within the lumen, utilizing a spring to move the piston and draw fluids into the reservoir.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a negative pressure pump is used to remove fluid from treatment sites, then fluid removal effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid removal effectivenessVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pump system is divided into a reusable drive assembly and a disposable reservoir assembly. The drive assembly contains the complex mechanical components (spring, drums, cable), while the reservoir is a simpler disposable component. This segmentation allows the complex parts to be manufactured once and reused, while the disposable reservoir handles the fluid removal function, effectively resolving the contradiction between fluid removal effectiveness and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The reservoir is designed as a disposable component that is discarded after single use, while the expensive drive assembly with spring and cable mechanism is reused. This approach allows the system to achieve effective fluid removal through the disposable reservoir without requiring the user to manage the complexity of the reusable drive assembly, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Ease of manufacture

If a spring-driven cable mechanism is used to create negative pressure, then cost-effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecost-effectivenessVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The complex spring-driven cable mechanism is extracted into a separate reusable drive assembly that can be manufactured once and reused multiple times. The disposable reservoir assembly is simplified to contain only the necessary fluid collection components. This extraction allows the complex mechanism to be optimized for reuse and cost-effectiveness while the disposable portion remains simple and easy to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The spring is pre-loaded and stored on the drums during manufacturing of the reusable drive assembly. This preliminary action means that when the disposable reservoir is attached and activated, the negative pressure is immediately generated without requiring additional assembly steps or complex activation mechanisms, thus improving cost-effectiveness while managing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of substance

If a reusable drive assembly with disposable reservoir is used, then waste minimization is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewaste minimizationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is segmented into a reusable drive assembly and a disposable reservoir. This segmentation allows the complex components to be reused across multiple reservoirs, minimizing waste of expensive materials like the spring and cable mechanism. The disposable reservoir handles the single-use function, clearly separating reuseable from disposable components to achieve waste minimization while managing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The disposable reservoir is discarded after single use, while the reusable drive assembly is recovered and can be attached to new reservoirs for repeated use. This discarding and recovering approach minimizes waste of the complex and expensive drive assembly components while properly disposing of the simpler reservoir components, effectively resolving the contradiction between waste minimization and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

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

Effectively removes fluids from treatment sites, promoting healing by creating a negative pressure environment, with the ability to reuse components and minimize waste through disposable parts.

Implementation Method 1

a drive assembly coupled to the reservoir and comprising a spring; and a piston coupled to the drive assembly, the piston having a cross-sectional dimension corresponding to a cross-sectional dimension of the reservoir

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Implementation Method 2

initiating the drive assembly of the negative pressure pump, wherein motion of the spring moves the piston within the lumen to create a negative pressure within the reservoir

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNegative pressure: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3773778B1Negative pressure pumps and related methods
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 IC SURGICAL INC
  • EP3773778B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3773778B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D
  • EP3773778B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C

AI summary

Devices and systems disclosed herein may include a negative pressure pump that includes a reservoir defining a lumen and a longitudinal axis, a piston, and a drive assembly comprising a spring. Motion of the spring may move the piston along the longitudinal axis of the reservoir to create a negative pressure within the reservoir. Methods of manufacturing a negative pressure pump and using a negative pressure pump to remove fluid from a target site are also described.