Removable Syringe Volume Indicator for Heart Valve Inflation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional syringes used for inflating balloon-expandable prosthetic heart valves struggle to accurately measure the precise amount of inflation fluid needed to expand the valve to a selected functional size within a range of functional sizes, as the required volume often does not correspond with the existing volume markings on the syringe.
Innovation Solution
Removable volume indicators that can be clipped onto a syringe, featuring a window portion and inflation indicia, allowing for precise measurement of fluid volume, even when the required volume falls between existing markings, enabling expansion of prosthetic heart valves to specific diameters within a range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional syringe volume markings are used, then the syringe structure remains simple, but the measurement precision is insufficient when the required volume does not correspond with existing markings
Solution Approach 1:
The volume indicator is divided into multiple segments: an indicator body, a window portion, and multiple removable indicators. Each removable indicator corresponds to a specific volume range or increment, allowing the user to select and attach the appropriate indicator for the required volume. This segmentation enables precise measurement of volumes that do not correspond to the syringe's existing markings without redesigning the entire syringe.
Solution Approach 2:
The volume indicator system is designed to be dynamic and adaptable. The removable indicators can be attached or detached from the indicator body based on the specific volume measurement needed. This dynamic configuration allows the same syringe to accurately measure various volumes by simply changing the attached indicator, rather than requiring fixed markings for every possible volume.
2Measurement precision
If the syringe includes fixed volume markings for all possible volumes, then the measurement precision would be improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost would increase
Solution Approach 1:
The detailed volume measurement scale is extracted from the syringe body and placed on separate removable indicators. The syringe itself only needs basic markings or no markings at all, while the precise measurement scale exists on the detachable indicators. This extraction simplifies syringe manufacturing while maintaining measurement precision, as the complex scaling is contained in separate, easily manufactured indicator components.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator body and window portion serve multiple functions: they provide the measurement scale, they allow visualization of the plunger position, and they can accommodate different removable indicators for different volume ranges. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for the syringe to have fixed markings for all possible volumes, as the indicator system provides the measurement capability universally.
3Measurement precision
If the syringe plunger position is not precisely visible, then the syringe design remains simple, but the measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator body includes a window portion at the specific location where plunger position needs to be observed. This window provides a localized view of the plunger, allowing precise measurement at the critical measurement point without requiring the entire syringe to be transparent or complex. The local quality of transparency is applied only where needed for measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The window portion acts as an intermediary between the plunger (which is inside the syringe barrel) and the observer (outside the syringe). It allows the plunger position to be visualized without direct line of sight, enabling accurate measurement while maintaining the integrity and simplicity of the syringe barrel structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A volume indicator for a syringe can include an indicator body configured to removably clip onto a syringe body and a window portion extending through a thickness of the indicator body. The volume indicator can include inflation indicia corresponding to a range of expanded diameters for a prosthetic heart valve. The volume indicator can include one or more first engagement elements that correspond to one or more second engagement elements on a syringe.