Silicone Gel Sealing Element for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current negative pressure wound therapy devices face challenges in maintaining airtight closure over uneven skin surfaces, leading to leaks and interference with the therapy's effectiveness, particularly due to the limitations of existing sealing materials that are not durable, prone to sticking issues, and difficult to apply precisely.
Innovation Solution
A sealing element comprising a combination of a silicone gel adhesive and a film, where the silicone gel adhesive has a thickness of 1500 µm to 3500 µm and an adhesive force of 8 N/25 mm to 20 N/25 mm, allowing it to effectively seal leaks between the skin and air-impermeable covering materials, even on uneven skin surfaces, and can be cut to size for precise application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a thin adhesive layer is used to seal leaks, then the sealing material can conform to skin folds better, but the adhesive force becomes insufficient and the seal fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the adhesive layer from conventional thin layers to a thick layer of 1.5-3.5 mm. This parameter change allows the adhesive to maintain both conformability to skin folds and sufficient adhesive force, as the increased thickness provides both deformation capacity and bonding strength that thin layers cannot achieve.
2Manufacturing precision
If silicone sealant is applied using a syringe, then precise application is possible, but it is difficult to apply only to the desired area and sticking to fingers occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sealing function from the adhesive by using a separate sealing element (strip or foam) that is applied independently. This segmentation allows the adhesive to be applied broadly for bonding while the separate sealing element provides the seal, eliminating the handling difficulties of syringe-applied silicone while maintaining precise sealing at the desired location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable sealing element that is pre-formed and applied once, then discarded with the dressing change. This eliminates the need for repeated syringe applications and finger handling, as the sealing function is integrated into a single-use component that requires no manual manipulation during application.
3Ease of operation
If hydrogel sealant is used, then it can be applied easily, but it swells upon contact with wound exudate and must be replaced prematurely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite sealing element comprising a hydrophobic foam material combined with a hydrophilic adhesive layer. The hydrophobic foam core resists swelling when exposed to wound exudate, while the hydrophilic adhesive provides easy application and bonding. This composite structure maintains sealing durability for the full dressing duration while retaining ease of application.
4Strength
If the adhesive layer is made thicker to increase adhesive force, then sealing strength improves, but the ability to penetrate skin folds decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the adhesive layer thickness to a specific range of 1.5-3.5 mm, which is thick enough to provide sufficient adhesive force but thin enough to remain pliable and conform to skin folds. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by finding the threshold value where both strength and adaptability are simultaneously achieved.
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 sealing element provides a reliable and long-lasting airtight seal for up to five days, easy to apply, and reduces the risk of sticking, maintaining negative pressure therapy effectiveness while accommodating irregular skin surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
a silicone gel adhesive for closing leaks between a skin surface adjacent to the wound and an air-impermeable covering material
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates generally to a sealing element for use in negative pressure wound therapy. In particular, the invention relates to a sealing element provided in the form of strips for use in negative pressure wound therapy, comprising a composite of a silicone gel adhesive and a film.