Peristaltic Suction Apparatus with Independent Vacuum and Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional suction devices for clearing secretions from patients' artificial airways often cause adverse effects such as discomfort, hypoxia, and tissue damage due to excessive air flow rates during suction procedures, as they lack independent control over vacuum levels and flow rates.
Innovation Solution
A portable microprocessor-controlled peristaltic suction apparatus that uses a peristaltic pump with a tee-fitting conduit and vacuum sensor to regulate vacuum levels independently of flow rates, allowing clinicians to adjust suction levels without affecting flow rates, and incorporates a proportional valve to meter air into the vacuum tube, ensuring controlled suction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If vacuum level is increased to improve suction effectiveness, then secretions can be cleared more effectively, but free-flow of air increases causing patient discomfort and hypoxia
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the control of vacuum level and flow rate into independent parameters. The peristaltic pump system allows independent adjustment of vacuum level (through pump speed) and flow rate (through proportional valve control), enabling effective secretion clearance without excessive air flow to the patient's lungs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes by independently controlling vacuum level and flow rate as separate variables. The microprocessor controls the peristaltic pump speed for vacuum level while separately controlling the proportional valve for flow rate, allowing optimization of each parameter without compromising the other
2Productivity
If vacuum level is increased according to Best Practices, then suction effectiveness improves, but free-flow proportionally increases drawing air from patient's lungs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control where vacuum level and flow rate can be independently adjusted in real-time. The microprocessor dynamically controls the peristaltic pump and proportional valve based on actual suction needs, allowing the system to adapt to different patient requirements and secretion viscosities without being constrained by fixed relationships between vacuum and flow
3Device complexity
If conventional suction system is used, then simple structure is maintained, but independent control of vacuum and flow rate is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical suction systems with a microprocessor-controlled peristaltic pump system. This substitution enables electronic control and independent adjustment of vacuum level and flow rate, providing precise control capabilities that were not possible with traditional mechanical systems while maintaining reasonable device complexity
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 solution effectively removes secretions from patients' airways while minimizing the evacuation of air and oxygen, reducing the risk of lung collapse and adverse events, and providing a safer suction process with adjustable vacuum levels and constant flow rates.
Implementation Method 1
a peristaltic pump head, a suction tube extending from the patient through the peristaltic pump head
Implementation Method 2
a vacuum sensor via a tee-fitting conduit, a processor for receiving vacuum sensor data from the vacuum sensor
Implementation Method 3
a proportional valve to meter air into the vacuum tube, ensuring controlled suction
Data Source
AI summary
A portable suction pump for aspirating secretions from a patient's artificial airway includes a peristaltic pump head, a suction tube extending from a patient through the peristaltic pump head, the suction tube having a tee-fitting conduit, and a collection container having a plurality of ports for collecting patient media. A clinician has an ability to increase or decrease vacuum levels without increasing or decreasing flowrate and/or an ability to increase or decrease the flow rate without increasing or decreasing the vacuum levels. The tee-fitting conduit extends to a vacuum sensor port connecting to a vacuum sensor in communication with a processor, the processor controlling a proportional valve employed to regulate the vacuum levels.