Piston Valve Assembly for Consistent Powder Agent Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices face challenges in delivering powdered agents, such as hemostatic agents, to remote treatment sites within the body, including multiple actuations, inconsistent dosing, agent clogging, and failure to reach deep within the gastrointestinal tract.
Innovation Solution
A valve assembly with a movable piston that controls the delivery of powdered agents by moving them from a storage region to a region where they mix with pressurized fluid, agitating the agent to prevent clogging and ensuring controlled delivery through a funnel system with varying cross-sectional profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mechanical systems are used to deliver hemostatic agents, then agent delivery can be achieved, but the systems require numerous steps or actuations and may not achieve desired delivery rates or dosages
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly extracts and isolates the critical dosing function into a separate movable piston chamber system, separating the agent storage, dosing, and delivery functions into distinct zones within the enclosure, thereby simplifying the overall actuation sequence while maintaining precise control
Solution Approach 2:
The movable piston dynamically transitions between positions to control fluid communication between different regions, enabling a single actuation to progress through multiple dosing phases (filling, sealing, mixing, delivery) without requiring separate mechanical steps for each phase
2Manufacturing precision
If mechanical delivery systems are used, then agent can be delivered, but inconsistent dosing may result
Solution Approach 1:
The movable piston pre-fills the chamber with a precise volume of agent before sealing it off, ensuring that the exact desired dosage is measured and contained before the mixing and delivery phases begin, thereby guaranteeing dosing consistency
Solution Approach 2:
The piston chamber acts as an intermediary container that receives a precise amount of agent, seals it, then introduces fluid to mix and propel the agent, decoupling the dosing function from the delivery function to ensure consistent dosing regardless of delivery conditions
3Reliability
If agent is delivered through mechanical systems, then treatment can be provided, but agent clogging may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pressurized fluid introduced through the movable piston to agitate, fluidize, and propel the powdered agent through the delivery catheter, preventing clogging by maintaining the agent in a suspended, flowable state throughout the delivery process
Solution Approach 2:
The introduction of pressurized fluid creates turbulent mixing and vibration within the piston chamber and delivery pathway, preventing the powdered agent from settling or clogging by keeping particles in constant motion and suspension
4Length of moving object
If agent delivery is attempted to remote sites, then treatment of deep gastrointestinal tract can be achieved, but agent may not reach the treatment site
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurized fluid system provides sufficient propulsive force to carry the agent through long catheters to deep gastrointestinal sites, overcoming gravitational and frictional losses that would prevent agent reach in conventional gravity-dependent or low-pressure systems
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 facilitates controlled fluidization and delivery of powdered agents, reducing clogging and ensuring consistent dosing to the treatment site, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of medical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
the agent received in the chamber is mixed with the fluid received in the second region, thereby controlling delivery of the agent and the fluid from the medical device
Data Source
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AI summary
A valve assembly (100) for a medical device that includes a piston (140) configured to move relative to an enclosure (104) of the medical device, the enclosure including a first region (101) in fluid communication with an agent (102), and a second region (122) in fluid communication with a source of fluid. The piston includes a chamber (146) disposed on a sidewall (144) of the piston which is configured to receive the agent. The piston is configured to move to a first position where the chamber is in fluid communication with the first region and not in fluid communication with the second region such that the agent is received within the chamber, and further configured to move to a second position where the chamber is in fluid communication with the second region and not in fluid communication with the first region, such that the agent within the chamber is mixed with the fluid received in the second region.