Disposable Semen Transport Container with Passive Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for transporting cooled semen over long distances are costly and inefficient due to sensitivity of spermatozoa to temperature changes, contamination risks, and the need for specialized refrigeration, which can cause 'cold shock' and reduce fertility.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained, passively cooled, disposable container with a syringe housing and air-tight/moisture-tight design using a solid foam-type refrigerant pack to maintain semen motility and fertility, featuring a syringe housing with friction-fit passages to secure the syringe and test vials, ensuring stability during transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If motorized refrigeration units are used to transport semen over long distances, then sperm motility and fertility are maintained, but the cost and weight increase excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable insulated containers with pre-frozen coolant packs that are discarded after a single use. This eliminates the need for expensive, heavy motorized refrigeration units while maintaining sperm viability during transport. The disposable nature ensures sterility and eliminates the weight penalty of reusable refrigeration systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The transport system uses pre-frozen coolant packs that autonomously maintain the required temperature range without requiring external power sources or active refrigeration. The self-contained design allows the container to regulate its own temperature during transit, eliminating dependence on motorized refrigeration equipment.
2Loss of time
If rapid cooling is applied to semen, then cooling time is reduced, but cold shock damage occurs to spermatozoa
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pre-frozen coolant packs with specific thermal properties that provide controlled, gradual cooling. The coolant is positioned to contact the semen container in a manner that ensures uniform heat distribution, preventing localized cold shock while maintaining overall cooling efficiency. The insulated container walls further modulate the cooling rate to protect spermatozoa.
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant packs are pre-frozen to specific temperatures before use, and the container is pre-cooled before semen insertion. This preliminary preparation ensures that when semen is placed in the container, the cooling process begins immediately but proceeds at a controlled rate, avoiding sudden temperature drops that cause cold shock.
3Productivity
If conventional cooling systems are used, then semen can be transported, but contamination risk increases due to handling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable, single-use containers that are sterilized during manufacturing and sealed until use. This eliminates the need for repeated cleaning and handling of reusable equipment, thereby preventing contamination. Each container is independently packaged and remains sterile until the moment of use, ensuring no cross-contamination occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The containers are designed with sealed, sterile barriers that create an inert environment protecting the semen from contamination during transport. The packaging materials and sealing mechanisms are selected to maintain sterility without requiring complex sterilization procedures during handling.
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 solution effectively maintains sperm motility and fertility for extended periods, reducing the risk of contamination and temperature-related damage, making it feasible to transport semen over long distances without excessive costs or weight penalties.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant pack in the chamber of the container
Implementation Method 2
solid foam-type refrigerant pack
Implementation Method 3
The syringe is friction-fit in the passage of the syringe housing
Data Source
AI summary
A bodily fluid transporting unit that includes a container with a syringe housing and a refrigerant pack in the container. The container is covered by a lid and the engagement of the container and the lid results in an air-tight and moisture-tight bodily fluid transporting unit.