Rotating Piercing Spike for Controlled Medical Fluid Supply

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for introducing a secondary liquid into a medical flow line, such as haemodialysis lines, require skilled operators and either syringes or expensive needleless devices, and involve preliminary extraction steps, making them cumbersome and costly.

Innovation Solution

A device with a rotatable hollow retaining body that pierces a bottle cap, allowing direct and controlled supply of the secondary liquid into the flow line, featuring a progressive opening mechanism and axial stop means to regulate flow, enabling easy and safe operation by non-skilled personnel without syringes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If simple syringes are used for introducing secondary liquid, then cost is reduced, but operation complexity increases and skilled personnel are required

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecostVSAvoidoperation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The device enables self-service operation where the bottle itself performs the injection function. The bottle is inserted directly into the retaining body, and rotation of the bottle or retaining body automatically opens the flow passage and activates liquid supply without requiring external syringes or skilled operators to manually control plunger pressure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The hollow retaining body acts as an intermediary mechanism between the bottle and the medical flow line. It provides the piercing spike to penetrate the cap, the flow passage to channel liquid, and the rotational mechanism to control opening/closing, thereby eliminating the need for syringes as intermediaries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If needleless supply devices are used, then ease of operation is improved, but cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of supplyVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The retaining body performs multiple functions: it holds the bottle, pierces the cap with its spike, controls the flow passage opening/closing through rotation, and directs liquid into the medical flow line. This multi-functional design replaces expensive specialized needleless devices while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If preliminary extraction of liquid from bottle is required, then controlled supply is achieved, but operation time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrolled supplyVSAvoidoperation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The device is prepared in advance with the flow passage in a closed position and the piercing spike ready. When the bottle is inserted and rotated, the preliminary actions of cap piercing and flow passage opening occur automatically, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual extraction steps while maintaining controlled supply through the rotational mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Enables simple, safe, and controlled supply of secondary liquids directly from bottles into medical flow lines, reducing operational complexity and costs by eliminating the need for syringes and preliminary extraction, suitable for use by non-expert personnel.

Implementation Method 1

a hollow axial spike designed to pierce said pierceable cap when said bottle or the like is fitted into the hollow retaining body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

progressive opening means of said flow passage of said spike towards said intermediate connector during the rotation of said retaining body from said first angular position, in which communication between said flow passage and said intermediate connector is completely closed, towards a second angular position in which such communication is completely open

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRotation:

Data Source

PatentEP2442849B1Device for the controlled supply of a liquid to a medical flow line
Publication Date: 2015.07.29 IND BORLA SPA
  • EP2442849B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2442849B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2442849B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Device for the controlled supply of a liquid within a medical flow line, comprising a retaining body (7) rotatable on an intermediate tubular connector (4) arranged between a tubular inlet connector (2) and a tubular outlet connector (3) of a primary liquid and within which a bottle (F) pierceable and containing a secondary liquid can be fitted. The retaining body (7) comprises a hollow piercing spike (11), and provided for are rotation blocking means (17, 18) of the retaining body (7) disengageable following insertion of the bottle (F), axial stop means (12, 29) of the inserted bottle (F), and progressive opening means (20, 23) of the flow passage from the hollow spike (11) to the flow line of the primary liquid during the rotation of the retaining body (7) with the bottle (F) inserted therein from a first angular position of complete closure to a second angular position of complete opening.