Ophthalmic Cassette Valve Elastomer Recessed Surface Stress Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical cassettes for ophthalmic procedures face issues such as tight sealing tolerances, high torque requirements, restricted flow capacity, insecure connections with surgical consoles, high fabrication costs, and complexity, as well as redundancy problems.
Innovation Solution
The surgical cassette incorporates a housing with partitioned surfaces, ports, and channels, coupled with valve assemblies that feature a rotatable valve body with a cylindrical surface and a valve elastomer with a recessed surface for improved sealing and reduced mechanical stress. The cassette also includes valve gaskets with inner and outer materials for enhanced sealing and assembly ease.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional valve assemblies are used with tight sealing tolerances, then sealing performance is improved, but torque required for valve operation increases and fabrication complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the sealing mechanism from tight tolerance mechanical interference to elastomeric compression sealing. The valve elastomer uses material compliance and elastic deformation to create reliable seals without requiring tight manufacturing tolerances, thereby reducing fabrication complexity while maintaining sealing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction with valve bodies made from rigid materials (PEEK, PEKK, PTFE) and sealing elements made from elastomeric materials. This combination allows the rigid portion to provide structural integrity while the elastomeric portion provides compliant sealing, resolving the contradiction between sealing reliability and fabrication complexity.
2Reliability
If conventional valve assemblies with tight sealing tolerances are used, then sealing is improved, but torque required for valve operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the sealing mechanism from tight tolerance mechanical interference to elastomeric compression sealing. The valve elastomer uses material compliance and elastic deformation to create reliable seals without requiring tight manufacturing tolerances, thereby reducing fabrication complexity while maintaining sealing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses flexible elastomeric materials for sealing surfaces and valve elastomers. These flexible elements deform under compression to create reliable seals and reduce the force required for valve operation, as the elastomeric compliance accommodates minor misalignments and reduces friction during rotation.
3Productivity
If conventional surgical cassettes are used, then flow capacity is restricted, but device complexity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cassette into modular components including interchangeable valve assemblies, pump modules, and flow control elements. This segmentation allows optimization of flow pathways in each module while maintaining overall system manageability, thereby increasing flow capacity without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates dynamic flow control capabilities through rotatable valve bodies with multiple passage configurations and adjustable pump speeds. These dynamic elements allow real-time optimization of flow capacity to match surgical requirements, achieving high productivity while maintaining manageable device complexity through controlled adaptability.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional valve assemblies are used, then fabrication costs are high, but sealing performance is maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the sealing mechanism from tight tolerance mechanical interference to elastomeric compression sealing. The valve elastomer uses material compliance and elastic deformation to create reliable seals without requiring tight manufacturing tolerances, thereby reducing fabrication complexity while maintaining sealing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses flexible elastomeric materials for sealing surfaces and valve elastomers. These flexible elements deform under compression to create reliable seals and reduce the force required for valve operation, as the elastomeric compliance accommodates minor misalignments and reduces friction during rotation.
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
This design achieves improved sealing, reduced mechanical stress, lower fabrication costs and complexity, increased flexibility in cassette layout, and extended shelf-life by addressing the limitations of conventional surgical cassettes.
Implementation Method 1
a valve elastomer configured to form a seal with a base of the housing
Implementation Method 2
The valve body is rotatable about a first axis orthogonal to the first end and relative to the first surface of the housing to align one or more passages with the one or more ports of the housing to open fluid communication between the one or more corresponding channels
Implementation Method 3
a recessed surface configured to engage with the housing to form a seal with a base of the housing, and to reduce mechanical stress across the valve elastomer during rotation of the valve assembly
Implementation Method 4
a surgical cassette having one or more peristaltic and/or venturi pumps
Implementation Method 5
a surgical cassette having one or more peristaltic and/or venturi pumps
Data Source
AI summary
Certain embodiments disclosed herein provide a surgical cassette including a housing, one or more retaining rings coupled to the housing, and one or more valve assemblies coupled to the housing by the one or more retaining rings. The one or more valve assemblies configured to control fluid communication between one or more channels within the housing. Each valve assembly includes a valve body having a first end, a second end, a cylindrical surface connecting the first end and second end, and a valve elastomer. The valve elastomer includes a first side configured to couple the valve elastomer to the second end of the valve body and a second side having a recessed surface configured to engage with the housing to form a seal with a base of the housing and reduce mechanical stress across the valve elastomer during rotation of the valve assembly.