Ribbed Vial Adapter Structure for Secure Septum Piercing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vial adapters face issues with misalignment and incomplete attachment during liquid transfer, leading to inefficiencies and potential safety hazards in the reconstitution of bioactive agents.
Innovation Solution
A vial adapter design featuring axially and circumferentially oriented ribs and a conical piercing member, which ensures snug and secure attachment by reducing the angle of vial cap reception, providing sensory feedback, and enhancing the stability of the connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vial adapter uses a conventional cylindrical chamber without ribs, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the attachment is unreliable and misalignment occurs during liquid transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber is segmented into multiple functional zones: a first chamber portion for receiving the vial cap, a second chamber portion for receiving the vial body, and a piercing member for penetrating the septum. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function reliably, preventing misalignment during liquid transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the chamber have different geometries tailored to their specific functions. The first chamber portion has dimensions matched to the vial cap, the second chamber portion is matched to the vial body, and the piercing member has a conical tip for effective septum penetration. This local optimization ensures reliable attachment without requiring complex structures throughout the entire device.
2Reliability
If the vial adapter uses a conical piercing member, then the piercing action is effective and safe, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing member uses a conical geometry with specific dimensional parameters: the tip angle is between 10-45 degrees, the length is between 1-10 mm, and the diameter at the base is between 0.1-1 mm. These optimized parameters ensure effective and safe piercing while remaining manufacturable with standard precision tolerances.
3Manufacturing precision
If the vial adapter chamber is designed to receive both vial cap and vial body, then the alignment precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber is divided into a first chamber portion for the vial cap and a second chamber portion for the vial body, allowing sequential reception and precise alignment of both components without requiring a single complex receiving structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The vial is nested within the chamber structure, with the vial cap inserted first into the first chamber portion, followed by the vial body into the second chamber portion. This nested arrangement ensures precise alignment while maintaining a relatively simple overall chamber configuration.
4Reliability
If the vial adapter uses fastening means to fix the adapter to the cap, then the attachment security is improved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening means are designed to engage dynamically during insertion. As the vial adapter is pushed onto the vial cap, the fastening means automatically engage with the cap features, providing secure attachment without requiring manual fastening operations. This dynamic engagement maintains ease of operation while ensuring attachment security.
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 design significantly reduces the risk of misalignment and incomplete attachment, ensuring reliable and efficient liquid transfer, while maintaining user safety and simplicity.
Implementation Method 1
the axially oriented ribs are configured as vial crown retainers or wedges, and optionally configured to be elastically compressive outwardly towards the chamber wall
Implementation Method 2
The piercing member of the vial adapter comprises a cylindrical section and a conic shaped tip section
Implementation Method 3
the circumferentially oriented rib is configured as a vial crown retainer, and optionally configured for snap fitting over the vial crown
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3(A)~3(B)
AI summary
The invention regards a vial adapter, comprising two chamber parts in axial extension of each other, wherein the first chamber part is configured for slidably receiving at least a part of the vial crown, and the second chamber part is configured for slidably receiving at least a part of the vial body, wherein the first chamber part and/or the second chamber part comprises one or more ribs extending radially inwardly of the chamber wall.