Rotating Connector Coupling to Prevent Hazardous Drug Misconnection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing closed-system connecting devices for administering hazardous drugs risk misconnection between male and female connectors due to identical configurations, potentially leading to drug leakage and exposure, especially when catheters are placed at different administration sites.
Innovation Solution
The connecting device employs a male connector with a hood, lock lever, and claw, and a female connector with a rotatable rotating cylinder, featuring distinct fitting structures that prevent misconnection by allowing relative rotation and ensuring secure engagement through grooves and projections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If identical male and female connector configurations are used for all catheter placement sites, then device simplicity and ease of manufacture are improved, but misconnection risk increases leading to drug leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by providing different fitting structures for male and female connectors. The male connector has a fitting structure with specific geometric features (protrusions, recesses, or threading) that asymmetrically match corresponding features on the female connector. This asymmetric design ensures that connectors can only be joined in the correct orientation, preventing misconnection while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized asymmetric components.
2Reliability
If different fitting structures are provided for male and female connectors to prevent misconnection, then connection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing the fitting structures only at the connection interface of the male and female connectors, while the rest of the connector bodies maintain simple, standardized designs. The complex asymmetric features are localized to the fitting portion (protrusions, recesses, or threading at the joining surface), allowing high connection accuracy without requiring overall device complexity.
3Reliability
If a rotatable rotating cylinder is added to the female connector, then misconnection prevention is improved through proper alignment, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by incorporating a rotatable cylinder in the female connector that can rotate to align its fitting structure with the male connector during the connection process. This dynamic alignment mechanism allows the connectors to self-align through rotation, ensuring proper engagement while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing through a single rotating component with standardized features.
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
This configuration effectively prevents misconnection and drug leakage by ensuring proper alignment and secure attachment, while allowing easy connection and disconnection without transmitting rotational forces.
Implementation Method 1
a partition member (septum) made of an elastic material such as rubber and in which a slit is formed
Implementation Method 2
The shield is made of an elastic material such as rubber, and a hole through which the male member can pass is formed at a distal end of the shield
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A male connector (100) includes a first fitting structure (127) on an inner circumferential surface of a hood (120) surrounding a male member (110). Afemale connector (200) includes a rotating cylinder (250) rotatably provided on a female connector main body (210) that includes a partition member (220) made of an elastic material. A second fitting structure (257) is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the rotating cylinder. When the male connector is connected to the female connector, the male member passes through a slit (223) of the partition member, the female connector is inserted into the hood, and the first fitting structure fits to the second fitting structure.