Sintered Polymer Humidity Filter for Endoscopic Gas Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical access devices face challenges in effectively managing humidity during surgical procedures, leading to potential damage to electrical components, corrosion, and the growth of bacteria and fungi, which can compromise the functionality and safety of medical devices.
Innovation Solution
A filter cartridge system with a humidity filter element made of sintered polymer material, configured to provide tortuous flow paths for condensing humidity, is integrated into the surgical gas delivery system, along with optional activated carbon and pleated filter elements, to remove humidity from evacuation/return lumens and maintain gas quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional surgical access devices are used without humidity filtration, then the device structure remains simple, but humidity accumulates causing damage to electrical components, corrosion, and microbial growth
Solution Approach 1:
The filter system is divided into separate functional elements: a hydrophobic membrane filter for liquid removal, an activated carbon filter for gas purification, and a humidity trap. These modular components can be individually selected and combined based on specific surgical requirements, allowing the system to achieve reliable humidity management without unnecessarily increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A hydrophobic membrane filter serves as an intermediary component that selectively removes liquid water from the insufflation gas while allowing gas molecules to pass through. This intermediary element protects downstream electrical components and sensors from humidity damage without requiring direct contact between the gas stream and the protected components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a humidity filter element with tortuous flow paths is added, then humidity removal effectiveness increases, but the filter housing volume and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The humidity filter element utilizes a hydrophobic porous membrane material that provides tortuous flow paths for gas molecules while blocking liquid water. The porous structure naturally creates extended flow paths without requiring additional housing volume, as the tortuosity is inherent to the membrane's microstructure rather than its macroscopic dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter system changes the physical state of water from vapor phase (humidity) to liquid phase through condensation on the cold surface of the hydrophobic membrane. This parameter change allows efficient humidity removal without requiring large filter volumes, as condensation occurs on the membrane surface area rather than requiring bulk material volume.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple filter elements (humidity filter, activated carbon, pleated filter) are integrated, then gas purification effectiveness improves, but manufacturing complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filter cartridge housing is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate different combinations of filter elements (humid ity filter, activated carbon filter, pleated filter) depending on specific surgical requirements. This modular universal design allows manufacturers to produce standardized housing components that can be configured with different filter element combinations, reducing overall manufacturing complexity compared to designing custom housings for each filter configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple filter elements are nested within the single filter cartridge housing in a compact arrangement. The humid ity filter, activated carbon filter, and pleated filter are positioned sequentially within the same housing structure, allowing gas to pass through multiple filtration stages without requiring separate housings or complex external connections.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a humidity trap with cold surface is incorporated, then condensation efficiency increases, but the device complexity and potential for liquid accumulation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The humidity trap is designed to extract and separate condensed liquid water from the gas flow by providing a dedicated collection chamber. The trapped liquid is removed from the main gas pathway and isolated in a separate reservoir, preventing liquid accumulation from interfering with gas flow or damaging downstream components.
Solution Approach 2:
The condensed liquid water collected in the humidity trap is discarded from the insufflation system through a drain mechanism. By actively removing and discarding the condensed liquid rather than allowing it to accumulate, the system maintains gas quality while managing the byproduct of condensation efficiently.
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 system effectively removes humidity from surgical gases, preventing damage to device components and reducing the risk of bacterial and fungal growth, thereby enhancing the reliability and safety of surgical equipment.
Implementation Method 1
A humidity trap with a cold surface is included in the evacuation/return flow path for condensing humidity out of the flow
Implementation Method 2
A hydrophobic membrane filter is included in the evacuation/return flow path for removing liquid water from the flow
Implementation Method 3
An activated carbon filter element can optionally be seated in the filter housing between the humidity filter element and the second filter element
Implementation Method 4
The humidity filter element includes a sintered polymer material configured to provide tortuous flow paths therethrough to condense humidity out of a flow through the humidity filter element
Data Source
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AI summary
A filter cartridge for surgical gas delivery systems includes a filter housing configured to be seated in a filter cartridge interface of a surgical gas delivery system, with a plurality of flow paths defined through the filter housing including at least one evacuation/retum flow path and at least one insufflation/sensing flow path. A humidity filter element is included in the evacuation/return flow path for removing humidity from an evacuation/return lumen of a tube set. The humidity filter element can include a sintered polymer material configured to provide tortuous flow paths therethrough to condense humidity out of a flow through the humidity filter element.