Multi-chamber Rotating Valve for Fluid Delivery Adaptability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid delivery systems are not easily adaptable to new pre-treatment steps or fluid delivery procedures, are customized for specific processes, and lack the flexibility to accommodate varying fluid needs, making them difficult to manufacture and customize.
Innovation Solution
A rotating valve system with a multi-chamber reservoir insert and cartridge body design that allows for easy configuration and customization, featuring a plunger mechanism for fluid handling and injection molding for cost-effective production, enabling the system to be disposable and compatible with existing equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single fluid delivery system is designed to handle multiple fluids with different pre-treatment steps, then the system becomes highly customized and process-specific, but the device complexity increases and adaptability to new processes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid delivery system is segmented into multiple independent chambers, each dedicated to a specific fluid or pre-treatment step. This segmentation allows each chamber to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system simplicity and enabling easy reconfiguration for different processes by changing individual chambers rather than redesigning the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs a universal chamber design with standardized interfaces and a common drive mechanism that can accommodate multiple different fluid handling functions. Each chamber can be configured for different pre-treatment operations (heating, mixing, reaction) while sharing the same structural framework and actuation system, providing multi-functionality without increasing overall device complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If distinct chambers are configured for each fluid and pre-treatment step, then fluid handling precision is improved, but the ease of manufacture and customization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses replicated chamber modules that can be manufactured using identical molds and assembly procedures. Each chamber is a copy of the basic design with standardized features, allowing precise fluid handling through consistent manufacturing while maintaining ease of production through repeatable processes and minimal tooling variations.
3Reliability
If a rotating valve design with single plunger is used, then the number of moving parts is reduced and reliability improves, but the configurability for different fluid amounts decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a rotating valve mechanism that dynamically reconfigures fluid pathways between chambers and the output. The rotation angle and stopping positions can be adjusted to control which chambers are connected to the plunger, enabling variable fluid amounts to be drawn while maintaining the simplicity and reliability of a single plunger design. The dynamic reconfiguration provides configurability without adding multiple plungers or complex valve systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid delivery system having a rotating reservoir insert and a cartridge body. The rotating reservoir insert having a plurality of reservoirs in communication with ports on the external surface of the insert. The ports are positioned such that upon rotation the port is in-line with a fluid extracting device, such as a syringe, capable of extracting fluid from the reservoir.