Detachable Pressure Measurement Coupling for Leak-Free Medical Circuits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pressure measuring devices in medical devices face challenges in ensuring high-quality connections to prevent leakage and ensure accurate pressure measurement due to potential foreign matter interference, which affects fluid flow adjustment reliability.

Innovation Solution

A pressure measuring device with a detachable connection system that includes a communication flow channel, a connection portion, a pressure sensor, a pressure increasing-decreasing unit, and a driving unit to manage gas flow, ensuring airtight contact and preventing foreign matter interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a detachable connection structure is used to enable replacement of the blood circuit, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential leakage at the connection location

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of circuit replacementVSAvoidconnection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing gas discharge and suction operations before the connection portion makes airtight contact with the connection counterpart portion. The driving unit activates the pressure increasing-decreasing unit to discharge or suction gas in advance, preventing foreign matter interference at the connection interface before it occurs, thereby ensuring reliable sealing while maintaining detachable operation capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If high-accuracy pressure measurement is required to adjust fluid flow, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to leakage from foreign matter at the detachable connection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure measurement accuracyVSAvoidfluid flow adjustment reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs gas discharge and suction operations in advance before airtight connection is established. This preliminary action removes potential foreign matter (gas bubbles) from the connection interface area, ensuring that when the connection is made, the sealing surface is clean and free of obstacles that would cause leakage and compromise pressure measurement accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces gas discharge and suction operations as an intermediary process between connection detachment and airtight sealing. This intermediary action actively manages the gas phase in the communication flow channel, preventing gas accumulation that could interfere with the sealing contact and ensure accurate pressure transmission to the sensor

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If a detachable connection is implemented for safety, then ease of operation is improved, but harmful factors worsen due to potential gas leakage and foreign matter interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetachable connection capabilityVSAvoidgas leakage and foreign matter interference
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces gas discharge and suction operations as an intermediary process that actively manages the communication flow channel before airtight connection. This intermediary action removes harmful gas accumulations and potential foreign matter from the connection interface, preventing leakage and interference while preserving the detachable connection design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The driving unit activates the pressure increasing-decreasing unit to perform gas discharge and suction in advance, before the connection portion makes contact with the connection counterpart portion. This preliminary cleaning action eliminates harmful factors at the connection interface, ensuring safe and reliable detachable operation without gas leakage or foreign matter interference

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Enables high-accuracy pressure measurement and reliable fluid flow adjustment by preventing leakage through controlled gas management during attachment and detachment.

Implementation Method 1

a pressure increasing-decreasing unit that increases or decreases pressure in the communication flow channel to discharge or suction gas outside

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

a pressure sensor that measures pressure in the fluid flow channel and the communication flow channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure measurement:

Data Source

PatentEP4265282B1Pressure measuring device and medical device
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 NIKKISO CO LTD
  • EP4265282B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4265282B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4265282B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An object is to ensure the connection quality of a pressure measuring device and achieve highly accurate pressure measurement so that fluid flow can be adjusted with high reliability. A pressure measuring device measures pressure in a measurement target which is a circuit chamber that is attached and detached, and includes a connection tube placed to allow communication of gas with the circuit chamber, a coupling flow channel 131 of a joint 13 to which an output port 117 of the circuit chamber is connected to establish a communication state, a pressure sensor that measures pressure in a pressure space S2 of the circuit chamber and the connection tube in the communication state with the output port being connected to the coupling flow channel, a pressure increasing pump that increases pressure in the connection tube, and a controller that drives the pressure increasing pump at a timing at which an O-ring 132 in the coupling flow channel to be brought into airtight contact with the output port is away therefrom. In the coupling flow channel, the O-ring is disposed at a location onto which air is blown by the pressure increasing pump in a non-communication state where the coupling flow channel is away from the output port.