Reinforced Therapy Wrap Structure for Kink-Resistant Fluid Flow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Therapeutic wraps experience kinking and buckling when applied to complex anatomical shapes, leading to inconsistent heat transfer, increased backpressure, and reduced fluid flow, which compromises patient comfort and wrap performance.
Innovation Solution
The therapy wrap is reinforced with strategically positioned attachment points and a kink-resistant zone to enhance the wrap's ability to conform to complex shapes, reducing the risk of kinking and maintaining efficient fluid flow under compressive force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the wrap is made flexible to conform to complex anatomical shapes, then adaptability is improved, but the wrap becomes prone to kinking and buckling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies reinforcement members selectively at specific locations within the wrap where kinking is most likely to occur, rather than making the entire wrap rigid. This allows the wrap to remain flexible in most areas while providing localized structural support to prevent kinking in critical regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The wrap combines flexible material with reinforcement members to create a composite structure. This composite construction allows the wrap to maintain flexibility for conformability while the reinforcement members provide the necessary structural integrity to prevent kinking and buckling.
2Reliability
If reinforcement members are added to prevent kinking, then kink resistance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Reinforcement members are placed only in specific locations where kinking is most likely to occur, rather than throughout the entire wrap. This localized approach provides effective kink resistance while minimizing the addition of structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement members are designed to be thin and flexible, allowing them to be integrated into the wrap without significantly increasing bulk or complexity. The reinforcement members conform to the wrap's flexible nature while providing the necessary structural support.
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 reinforced therapy wrap effectively maintains consistent heat transfer and fluid flow, enhancing patient comfort and wrap performance by minimizing kinking and buckling, even when applied to complex anatomical areas.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible fluid bladder for containing a heat exchange medium, the fluid bladder including an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid flowpath connecting the inlet and the outlet
Implementation Method 2
a gas pressure bladder for applying a compressive force to a portion of the fluid bladder in contact with the body part
Data Source
AI summary
A therapy wrap for treatment of at least a portion of an animate body having improved kink resistance. The therapy wrap may be selectively reinforced for improved kink resistance in only a portion of the wrap. The reinforcement may decrease the kink radius. The wrap may include a kink reducer in all or only a selected kink-prone region. The kink reducer may be selectively configured attachment points or spot welds. The therapy wrap may include a reinforcement layer of one or more discrete reinforcement members. The wrap may be formed by pre-tensioning the material layers while forming the fluid bladder and/or gas pressure bladder. The therapy wrap may be adapted to compensate for conditions that normally cause kinking of the wrap or buckling of the fluidic channels. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing the wrap and methods of administering a temperature-controlled treatment to an anatomical body part.