Rotatable Angled Outlet Drain Valve for Bioreactor Bags
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drain valves for fluid containers lack a rotatable outlet, requiring additional tubing and components for efficient fluid drainage, which can lead to leaks and kinks in tubing, and do not allow for easy routing of tubing to the correct position.
Innovation Solution
A drain valve with a rotatable angled outlet, comprising a hollow drain inlet, a valve member, and a rotatable collar, where the collar's rotation moves the valve member to control fluid flow, and the outlet can be rotated independently without affecting the valve position, allowing for efficient fluid drainage without additional components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional drain valves use fixed outlets requiring additional tubing, then fluid drainage can be achieved, but the system complexity increases and reliability decreases due to potential leaks and kinks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the outlet function directly into the valve body by creating a rotatable outlet structure that is integrated with the valve member. This eliminates the need for separate tubing and external components, merging multiple functions (valving and fluid routing) into a single integrated device, thereby reducing system complexity and eliminating potential leak points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a rotatable outlet structure that can dynamically change its orientation and position. The outlet can rotate independently to achieve different routing configurations, providing adaptability without requiring additional tubing or components. This dynamic capability allows the same structure to serve multiple routing functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional tubing and components are used for fluid drainage, then routing flexibility is achieved, but the risk of leaks and kinks increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the routing function directly into the valve body through the rotatable outlet structure, the patent eliminates external tubing that could potentially leak or kink. The harmful factors associated with separate tubing are removed while the adaptability is maintained through the rotatable mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the problematic elements (separate tubing and external routing components) from the system and replaces them with an integrated rotatable outlet structure. This extraction removes the sources of leaks and kinks while preserving the necessary routing flexibility through the rotatable mechanism.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed outlet structures are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but tubing installation and routing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable outlet structure provides operational flexibility for easy tubing installation and routing while maintaining manufacturing feasibility. The rotation mechanism can be integrated into standard manufacturing processes, and the ability to rotate the outlet allows installers to easily route tubing in different directions without complex assembly steps.
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 rotatable angled outlet reduces the risk of leaks and kinks, enables easy tubing routing, and provides fast drain times, making it suitable for single-use systems like bioreactor bags, while ensuring thorough mixing and distribution of ingredients in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical applications.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient ring arranged in the circumferential channel
Data Source
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AI summary
Drain valves with rotatable angled outlets that can be rotated without allowing flow or stopping flow through the valve, containers including the valves, and methods of using the valves, are disclosed.