Collapsible Reservoir Pressure Gradient for Residual Volume Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Infusion pumps struggle to accurately detect residual fluid volumes in collapsible reservoirs, leading to potential under-delivery of medication, as existing systems can only detect empty or nearly empty conditions, failing to alert patients in time for intermediate volumes.
Innovation Solution
A reservoir design with a biasing means that induces a predefined pressure gradient or threshold, allowing a pressure sensor to detect residual volumes, ensuring accurate delivery and notification of remaining fluid, particularly for insulin pumps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a collapsible reservoir with a hard shell and flexible film is used, then the reservoir volume can be reduced to negligible levels during emptying, but the system cannot detect intermediate residual volumes and only detects complete emptying
Solution Approach 1:
A biasing means (spring element) is introduced as an intermediary component between the flexible film and the pump unit. This spring element mediates the force transmission from the collapsing film to the pump, creating a detectable pressure gradient that serves as an intermediate signal for residual volume detection before complete emptying occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes changes in pressure parameters to detect residual volumes. The biasing means creates a predefined pressure gradient that changes as the reservoir empties, allowing the pressure sensor to detect specific pressure thresholds that correspond to intermediate residual volumes, rather than only detecting the final empty state.
2Reliability
If pressure sensors are used to detect reservoir pressure, then dysfunction detection is improved, but the system cannot distinguish intermediate residual volumes from complete emptying
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing means is positioned locally between the flexible film and the pump unit, creating a localized pressure gradient in a specific region of the system. This local pressure change is detectable by the pressure sensor and provides specific information about residual volumes, enhancing the local detection capability without affecting overall system reliability.
3Quantity of substance
If the film collapses completely into the cavity, then the remaining volume becomes negligible, but the pressure drops dramatically making it impossible to detect intermediate situations
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing means is pre-configured to exert a restoring force before complete collapse occurs. This preliminary action of the spring element maintains a predefined pressure gradient during the emptying process, preventing the dramatic pressure drop that would otherwise occur and enabling detection of intermediate residual volumes before the film fully collapses.
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 solution enables accurate detection and delivery of a predefined residual volume, ensuring patients receive the intended dose by maintaining constant pressure and varying it at specific volumes to alert when the reservoir is nearly empty, thus preventing under-delivery.
Implementation Method 1
A reservoir design with a biasing means that induces a predefined pressure gradient or threshold, allowing a pressure sensor to detect residual volumes
Implementation Method 2
allowing a pressure sensor to detect residual volumes
Data Source
Figure 1~2a
Figure 2b~3b
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Sensor for dynamically detecting the residual liquid volume V res of a collapsible reservoir (1,3) characterized by the fact that it is adapted to detect a threshold pressure P th which corresponds to a phase within said reservoir (1,3) when only said residual liquid volume V res remains, said residual volume V res corresponding to a safety volume sufficient to ensure a safety margin to alert the user before the reservoir (1,3) is empty.