Roller Clamp Locking Mechanism for Stable IV Flow Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional roller clamps used in medical IV setups are prone to inadvertent or unauthorized adjustments, which can alter the infusion flow rate, compromising therapy effectiveness and patient safety.
Innovation Solution
A roller clamp design featuring a housing with a roller wheel and a locking device that prevents unintended movement of the roller wheel, ensuring authorized adjustment of the flow rate by engaging the roller wheel with mating teeth or a locking mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a roller clamp is designed to allow easy adjustment of the roller wheel for flow rate control, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to inadvertent or unauthorized adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The roller clamp incorporates a dynamic locking mechanism that transitions between locked and unlocked states. The roller wheel can be freely adjusted when unlocked but becomes fixed when locked, allowing the system to adapt between ease of operation and flow rate stability based on operational needs
Solution Approach 2:
A locking device acts as an intermediary between the roller wheel and the housing. This intermediary component prevents direct unintended movement of the roller wheel while allowing authorized adjustment when engaged, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of adjustment and flow rate stability
2Reliability
If a locking device is added to prevent unauthorized movement of the roller wheel, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking device is merged with the existing roller clamp structure, integrating the locking functionality into the housing and roller wheel assembly. This combination approach adds reliability through locking capability while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity by reusing existing components and structural elements
Data Source
AI summary
Roller clamps are described herein. A roller clamp includes a housing, a roller wheel, and a locking device. The housing includes a first wall and a second wall, wherein the first wall and the second wall are spaced apart to define a longitudinal channel therebetween, the housing including an upper opening and a lower opening configured to allow a tubing to pass through the longitudinal channel. The roller wheel is disposed at least partially within the longitudinal channel and configured to engage the tubing, the roller wheel including a plurality of teeth extending from an outer surface of the roller wheel, wherein a longitudinal position of the roller wheel relative to the channel adjusts a flow rate through the tubing. The locking device is releasably engaged to the housing and the roller wheel, wherein the locking device prevents movement of the roller wheel from the longitudinal position.