Pierceable Sealing Access Assembly with Axial Closure Member
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional septum-based access assemblies for vessels face issues with frequent sealing member wear, uncontrolled liquid discharge during sampling, and potential contamination, especially when the sealing member is incorrectly mounted or malfunctioning.
Innovation Solution
An access assembly with a base and a pierceable sealing member, featuring a closure member that is axially displaceable between sealing, leakage, and release positions, allowing for controlled leakage to prevent uncontrolled discharge and providing clear indicators of malfunction, thereby enhancing operator safety and reducing contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sealing member is frequently replaced due to wear, then the sampling function is maintained, but the risk of uncontrolled liquid discharge increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closure member is positioned in advance to seal the passageway before any sampling operation or sealing member replacement occurs. This preliminary sealing action prevents uncontrolled liquid discharge from the moment the access assembly is activated, addressing the contradiction by ensuring protection is established before any potential harmful event can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure member acts as an intermediary protective element between the liquid medium in the vessel and the external environment. It mediates the potential harmful discharge by providing an additional sealing layer that remains active during sampling operations and replacement procedures, preventing direct uncontrolled release of liquid.
2Ease of repair
If the closure member is removed to access the sealing member, then replacement is possible, but uncontrolled discharge may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The closure member is pre-positioned to seal the passageway before any replacement operation begins. This ensures that when the sealing member needs to be replaced, the liquid discharge path is already blocked, allowing safe removal of the closure member and replacement of the sealing member without risk of uncontrolled discharge.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure member provides a protective cushioning effect by sealing the passageway in advance before replacement operations. This beforehand protection cushions against the potential harmful effect of liquid discharge during the vulnerable replacement process, enabling maintenance activities to proceed safely.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the vessel is emptied before replacement, then discharge is prevented, but productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The closure member is positioned in advance to seal the passageway before replacement operations begin. This preliminary sealing action eliminates the need to empty the vessel, as the closure member prevents liquid discharge during the replacement process, thereby maintaining productivity while ensuring safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure member serves as an intermediary protective mechanism that allows replacement operations to proceed without requiring vessel emptying. It mediates between the liquid medium and the replacement process, enabling maintenance activities to be performed while the vessel remains filled, thus preserving productivity.
4Ease of manufacture
If the sealing member is incorrectly mounted, then assembly is possible, but malfunction and contamination occur
Solution Approach 1:
The closure member provides a visual and functional feedback mechanism that indicates proper assembly. When the closure member is correctly positioned, it seals the passageway and prevents liquid discharge. If incorrectly mounted, the feedback manifests as inability to seal or unexpected discharge, allowing immediate detection and correction of assembly errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure member acts as an intermediary verification element that confirms correct assembly of the sealing member. It mediates between the assembly process and the functional requirement, providing a clear indicator whether the sealing member is properly installed by testing its sealing capability through controlled leakage observation.
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 access assembly effectively prevents uncontrolled discharge of liquids during sampling and sealing member replacement, ensuring operator safety and minimizing contamination by allowing controlled leakage and clear indication of malfunctions, thus improving handling and cleaning processes.
Implementation Method 1
a closure member (50, 70), which is axially displaceable relative to the base (20) between a sealing position and a leakage position
Implementation Method 2
The sealing member should provide a liquid- and gas-tight seal for the sampling assembly. Due to the elastic properties of the sealing member, the puncture of the sealing member can be effectively sealed after removal of the cannula or piercing member.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an access assembly to provide access to the interior of a vessel and comprising: a base to extend through a sidewall of the vessel and having a tubular sealing portion providing a passageway axially extending therethrough, a pierceable sealing member arranged across the sealing portion to obstruct the passageway, at least one closure member axially displaceable relative to the base between a sealing position, in which the closure member completely obstructs and seals the passageway, and a leakage position, in which the closure member leakily obstructs the passageway.