Priming Device Air Release Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical connectors used in fluid delivery systems face challenges in efficiently releasing trapped air and preventing contamination, especially during repeated use in applications like chemotherapy.
Innovation Solution
A priming device with a housing and cover body that fluidly couples with a male luer connector, featuring a valve and opening for gas release, and a hydrophobic filter to prevent fluid contamination, allowing for safe priming and decoupling of medical connectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a medical connector is used to deliver fluid without a hypodermic needle, then patient safety is improved by eliminating needle sticks, but trapped air in the system cannot be easily released
Solution Approach 1:
The priming device is activated before fluid delivery to preemptively remove trapped air from the system. The activator compresses the bellows, which opens the valve and allows air to be expelled through the discharge port before the medical connector is engaged with the patient, thus maintaining safety while enabling easy air release.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows acts as an intermediary mechanism between the activator and the valve. When compressed by the activator, the bellows transmits mechanical force to open the valve, enabling controlled air release without requiring direct manipulation of the valve or removal of the medical connector.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the medical connector is disconnected to release air, then trapped air can be vented, but the connector becomes contaminated and requires sanitization
Solution Approach 1:
The air release function is segmented from the medical connector by using a separate priming device with its own air discharge port. This allows trapped air to be vented through the priming device without disconnecting the medical connector, eliminating the need for sanitization while effectively removing air from the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The priming device serves as an intermediary that handles the air release function separately from the medical connector. The bellows and valve mechanism within the priming device enable air to be expelled through a dedicated path, preventing contamination of the medical connector and eliminating sanitization requirements.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If fluid is pushed through the system to release air, then air can be expelled, but medical fluid may be wasted or exposed to practitioners
Solution Approach 1:
The priming device performs air release as a preliminary action before fluid delivery begins. By activating the bellows to open the valve and expel air through the discharge port, the system removes trapped air without requiring excessive fluid to be pushed through, thereby minimizing medical fluid waste and practitioner exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows mechanism acts as an intermediary that enables air removal through mechanical compression rather than relying solely on fluid pressure. This allows trapped air to be expelled with minimal fluid loss, as the bellows can create the necessary pressure differential to vent air efficiently without requiring large volumes of medical fluid to be pushed through the system.
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 priming device effectively releases air from fluid delivery systems without introducing contamination, ensuring patient safety and reducing exposure risks for medical practitioners during repeated fluid handling.
Implementation Method 1
A priming device with a housing and cover body that fluidly couples with a male luer connector, featuring a valve and opening for gas release, and a hydrophobic filter to prevent fluid contamination
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a priming device to prime a gas from a fluid delivery system. A housing defines a fluidly coupled chamber and an inlet and includes a surface extending circumferentially outward from a longitudinal axis of the priming device and disposed between the chamber and the inlet port. An opening extends from within the chamber through the surface to outside the housing for gas to exit the chamber and a valve extending from the inlet port toward the chamber. The valve seals the inlet port and in an open position the valve does not seal the inlet port. A cover body has an open first end to couple with a male luer connector and an open second end to couple with the inlet port of the housing and disposed along the longitudinal axis, wherein the cover body is moveable relative to the housing.