Single Lumen Adapter for Automatic Valve Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nasogastric tube systems are cumbersome and prone to leakage, leading to contamination and health risks for practitioners during fluid administration, as they require frequent disconnection and reconnection, which can result in splattering and leakage of intestinal fluids.
Innovation Solution
A single lumen adapter with a valve system featuring multiple ports and a rotatable valve member that allows for easy switching between suction and introduction ports without disconnection, minimizing leakage and disease propagation by using a fluid adapter with a housing and flanges for secure tube connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If frequent disconnection and reconnection of tubing is performed to switch between suction and feeding applications, then adaptability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to leakage and fluid splattering
Solution Approach 1:
The valve connector is designed with multiple ports (suction port, introduction port, and attachment port) that can serve different functions. A single device structure enables both suction drainage and fluid introduction applications through port selection, eliminating the need for separate devices and reducing connection/disconnection operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable valve member can be rotated to different positions to dynamically switch fluid pathways between ports. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to adapt between suction and feeding modes without physical disconnection, maintaining continuous sealed connections.
2Adaptability or versatility
If disconnection and reconnection of tubing is performed to alternate applications, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to cumbersome procedures and contamination risk
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable valve member provides a simple rotational motion to switch between ports, making application changes easy and quick. This dynamic port selection mechanism is much simpler than the cumbersome disconnection and reconnection procedures of conventional systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve connector integrates multiple functions (suction, introduction, and attachment) into a single device structure. This consolidation allows practitioners to switch applications by selecting different ports on the same device, eliminating the need for separate connection procedures.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional connection methods are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but object-generated harmful factors worsen due to fluid leakage and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member acts as an intermediary component that controls fluid flow between ports. By using this intermediate controlling element, the system can switch applications without direct exposure to fluid pathways, preventing leakage and contamination while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable valve member dynamically controls fluid pathways, allowing the system to switch between suction and feeding modes while maintaining sealed connections. This dynamic control prevents fluid leakage and contamination that occurs during static disconnection procedures.
Data Source
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AI summary
A fluid adapter (300) for connection between a valve having a plurality of ports and a tube has a housing with a distal end and a proximal end. The tube has a single lumen. The proximal end has a first opening (326) connecting to a first lumen being disposed through the housing. The proximal end has a second opening (324) being separated by the first opening by a distance. The second opening is connecting to a second lumen being disposed through the housing. The distal end has the first lumen connecting to a single outlet (304) and the second lumen terminates in the housing The adapter also has the single outlet of the housing connected to the intermediate tube. The intermediate tube is connected to the tube to permit fluid to traverse through the tube and the valve.