Two-part dialyzer with reusable housing reduces plastic waste

Solution Overview

Problem

Current dialyzer systems generate significant plastic waste and are labor-intensive and risky to reprocess, as the entire unit is typically discarded after use, with the housing being inseparably connected to blood-contacting parts.

Innovation Solution

A two-part dialyzer design where blood-contacting components form a first element without housing and dialysis fluid-contacting components form a second element with housing, allowing the housing to be reused and cleaned, while blood-contacting parts are disposed of, reducing plastic waste and microbiological risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire dialyzer is discarded after use, then patient safety is ensured by eliminating contamination risks, but plastic waste is significantly generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient safetyVSAvoidplastic waste

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The dialyzer is divided into two separable parts: a reusable housing (second element) and a disposable blood-contacting component (first element). This segmentation allows the non-contaminated housing to be recovered and reused multiple times, reducing plastic waste while the blood-contacting part is discarded to ensure patient safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The housing component is designed to be recovered and reused after the blood-contacting element is discarded. The housing can be cleaned and disinfected between uses, enabling multiple treatment sessions from a single housing unit while minimizing overall plastic waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Device complexity

If the housing is inseparably connected to blood-contacting parts, then structural simplicity is maintained, but reprocessing becomes labor-intensive and microbiologically risky

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidreprocessing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The dialyzer is divided into two separable parts: a reusable housing (second element) and a disposable blood-contacting component (first element). This segmentation allows the non-contaminated housing to be recovered and reused multiple times, reducing plastic waste while the blood-contacting part is discarded to ensure patient safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The blood-contacting first element is extracted as a separate removable component from the housing. This extraction allows the housing to be easily separated for reuse while the contaminated element can be quickly removed and discarded, streamlining the reprocessing workflow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If the sheathing film is removed after housing insertion, then dialysis fluid flow is improved, but the housing cannot be easily reopened for reprocessing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedialysis fluid flowVSAvoidhousing reprocessability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The dialyzer is divided into two separable parts: a reusable housing (second element) and a disposable blood-contacting component (first element). This segmentation allows the non-contaminated housing to be recovered and reused multiple times, reducing plastic waste while the blood-contacting part is discarded to ensure patient safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The housing is designed with a dynamic opening/closing mechanism that allows it to be opened for inserting the blood-contacting element during assembly, then closed for use, and reopened for reprocessing. This dynamic design enables the housing to adapt to different operational states while maintaining fluid flow during dialysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20240342351A1Multi-part dialyzer

Publication Date: 2024.10.17 B BRAUN AVITUM

AI summary

A housing-free first dialyzer element has a hollow-fiber bundle, a fluid-permeable sheath wrapped around the periphery of the hollow-fiber bundle, cast elements at the axial ends of the hollow-fiber bundle, and end caps fastened to the cast elements for connection to an extracorporeal blood circulation. A second dialyzer element has a housing and can be closed, opened and reused. A dialyzer includes the housing-free first dialyzer element and the second dialyzer element that has a housing. A blood treatment device includes the second dialyzer element that has the housing, the second dialyzer element being rigidly fastened to a machine front. A method for reprocessing the second dialyzer element that has the housing can be used after blood treatment therapy.