Wearable Fluid Delivery With Orientation-Adaptive Pumping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional enteral nutrition systems for home use are cumbersome and often require patients to remain immobile, leading to mechanical failures and incomplete fluid delivery due to kinking or malalignment of tubing, limiting mobility and efficacy.
Innovation Solution
A wearable fluid delivery system comprising a pouch assembly with a pump and a module, featuring a planetary gear mechanism and sensors for orientation detection, allowing for fluid delivery independent of user orientation and enabling full mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional enteral nutrition systems are used, then fluid delivery can be maintained, but patient mobility is limited and mechanical failures occur due to kinking or malalignment of tubing
Solution Approach 1:
The pump mechanism is designed to dynamically adjust its pumping action based on the orientation of the device. The system transitions from a static, orientation-dependent conventional pump to a dynamic pump that actively compensates for orientation changes, ensuring reliable fluid delivery regardless of patient position or movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the pump based on detected orientation. Sensors monitor the device orientation and the pump adjusts its pumping parameters (such as stroke volume, frequency, or direction) to maintain effective fluid delivery across different orientations, resolving the contradiction between reliability and mobility.
2Device complexity
If the pump mechanism is simplified for portability, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision and reliability of fluid delivery may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex mechanical precision systems with a combination of simpler mechanical components and electronic control. Instead of relying solely on mechanically precise components to ensure accurate fluid delivery, the system uses sensors and electronic control to compensate for variations, allowing for simpler manufacturing while maintaining delivery precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor fluid delivery and adjust operation accordingly. This feedback loop compensates for variations introduced by simpler mechanical components, ensuring that manufacturing precision requirements are relaxed while maintaining reliable and precise fluid delivery performance.
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 system ensures complete fluid expulsion regardless of orientation, reduces mechanical failures, and allows patients to maintain mobility during feeding, enhancing autonomy and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a pump comprising: a housing, a carrier positioned within the housing, and a plurality of planet gears coupled to the carrier. The pump further includes a receptacle positioned between the plurality of planet gears. The pump further includes a tube with an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and an intermediate portion positioned between the inlet portion and the outlet portion. At least one of the plurality of planet gears is in contact with the intermediate portion of the tube.
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable fluid delivery system comprising a single-use device with a tube, a pump, and a nutrition container with a fluid. The system further includes a module including a processor, a battery, and an electric motor with an output member. The processor is configured to operate the electric motor. The single-use device is releasably coupled to the module such that the output member is coupled to the pump when the single-use device is coupled to the module, and the output member drives the pump to cause the fluid to travel through the tube.