Infant Pacifier with Deployable Balloon for Fluid Administration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current pacifiers and fluid administration devices are not user-friendly, lack precision in fluid delivery, and fail to address the needs of neonates and infants, particularly in providing analgesic effects during and after medical procedures, and do not efficiently administer colostrum or other essential fluids.

Innovation Solution

A pacifier apparatus designed to administer fluids, featuring a nipple with a built-in balloon that deploys to prevent air ingestion and a controlled flow mechanism, allowing for precise and targeted delivery of analgesics, colostrum, or other fluids, and can be used with medical accessories like catheters or imaging scopes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a pacifier is used to soothe infants during medical procedures, then procedural pain is reduced, but the device must be removed before fluid or medication administration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocedural painVSAvoidfluid administration

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the pacifier soother function with fluid administration capability into a single integrated device. The reservoir and dispensing mechanism are incorporated directly into the pacifier structure, allowing continuous use during medical procedures without removal, thereby maintaining both pain relief and enabling medication/fluid delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The device serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a pacifier for soothing, a reservoir for storing fluids/medications, and a dispensing mechanism for controlled delivery. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate devices and allows continuous operation during procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If existing pacifiers are modified to administer fluids, then fluid delivery is enabled, but the devices become complex with multiple moving pieces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid delivery capabilityVSAvoidstructure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent describes a disposable pacifier device that is pre-filled with fluid or medication. The entire unit is discarded after single use, eliminating the need for complex cleaning, maintenance, or assembly mechanisms. This disposable approach provides fluid delivery capability without requiring durable, complex mechanical structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If fluids are administered through standard pacifiers, then oral delivery is achieved, but precise dosing control is not possible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid administration efficiencyVSAvoiddosing precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The device incorporates mechanisms to monitor and control fluid dispensing, providing feedback on the amount delivered. This allows for precise dosing control while maintaining efficient administration, ensuring the infant receives the exact required amount of fluid or medication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Productivity

If the pacifier delivers fluid quickly, then administration time is reduced, but the infant may ingest air along with the fluid

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadministration speedVSAvoidair ingestion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent describes a balloon or barrier mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the fluid reservoir and the infant's mouth. This intermediary prevents air from mixing with the fluid during dispensing, allowing rapid fluid delivery while blocking air ingestion through the same passage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 apparatus provides a soothing and efficient means of administering fluids, ensuring precise dosing and reducing procedural pain in infants, while also allowing for the use of medical instruments, thus addressing the limitations of existing devices.

Implementation Method 1

the nipple being sucked causes the balloon to deploy from an initial undeployed state to a deployed state

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Data Source

PatentUS10780025B2Apparatus and methods for oral administration of fluids and medical instrumentation

Publication Date: 2020.09.22 FRIDABABY LLC

AI summary

Methods and devices for orally administering fluids and medical instrumentation to individuals for the promotion of health are disclosed. An apparatus is described comprising a cartridge including a cartridge body defining a reservoir and a cartridge spout extending proximally from the cartridge body and terminating at an aperture. A cartridge seal is attached to a proximal tip of the cartridge spout, wherein the cartridge seal hermetically seals the liquid within the cartridge, and wherein the cartridge seal is detachable from the proximal tip of the cartridge spout and permanently coupled to the cartridge at a location distal to the cartridge spout. A proximal cartridge seal portion is positioned proximal to the location of permanent coupling and is moveable away from the cartridge aperture once the cartridge seal is detached from the proximal tip of the cartridge spout.