Spiral IV Flow Regulator Assembly for Drift-Free Tube Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roller clamps for IV tubes suffer from instability at high flow rates, leading to inaccurate fluid delivery due to wheel slippage and the need for preassembly, making them disposable and unsuitable for reuse.
Innovation Solution
A stable flow regulator assembly with a spiral slide groove and rotating tube arm that allows for adjustable and consistent fluid flow control, compatible with various tube sizes, and enables one-handed operation with positive locking elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a typical roller clamp is used to control fluid flow, then the device can be simple in structure and easy to manufacture, but the flow rate becomes unstable and inaccurate over time due to wheel drift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a spiral slide groove with a curved, spiral configuration instead of a linear path. This curved geometry allows the tube arm to follow a rotational trajectory that progressively compresses the IV tube, providing stable and drift-free flow rate control through the continuous curved engagement path.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a one-dimensional linear compression mechanism to a two-dimensional spiral rotational mechanism. The tube arm moves along a spiral path in a plane, converting linear compression into rotational motion that engages multiple teeth sequentially, thereby preventing wheel drift through distributed engagement points.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a roller clamp is preassembled with a specific IV set or tube, then the assembly is ready for use, but it becomes disposable and cannot be reused with different tubes
Solution Approach 1:
The flow regulator assembly is designed as a universal device that can accommodate different IV tube sizes and types. The spiral slide groove and tube arm mechanism are configured to work with various tube diameters, allowing a single assembly to be reused across multiple IV sets and tube types without modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is divided into separable components including the body with spiral groove, the tube arm, and the toothed engagement mechanism. This segmentation allows the flow regulator to be detached from one IV set and attached to another, enabling reuse while maintaining ease of assembly through modular construction.
3Measurement precision
If a roller clamp relies on friction and transient fit to maintain wheel position, then the initial setup is simple, but the wheel drifts at high flow rates causing inaccurate delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral slide groove is designed with a progressive compression path that anticipates and compensates for forces generated at high flow rates. The curved geometry distributes mechanical stress along the spiral path, preventing the tube arm from slipping or drifting under pressure, thereby maintaining accurate flow rate delivery throughout operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spiral slide groove acts as an intermediary mechanism between the tube arm and the IV tube. Instead of direct friction-based holding, the groove provides a guided rotational path with multiple tooth engagement points that mediate the force transmission, preventing slippage while maintaining operational simplicity.
4Stability of the object's composition
If multiple teeth are disposed on the body perimeter to engage with the tube arm, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple teeth are integrated directly into the perimeter of the body structure rather than being separate components. This merging of the toothed engagement features with the main body reduces the number of discrete parts while maintaining the stability benefits of multiple engagement points along the spiral path.
Data Source
AI summary
A stable flow regulator assembly includes a spiral slide groove enclosed within a perimeter of a body, the spiral slide groove narrowing as the spiral slide groove extends further into the body, a plurality of teeth disposed on the perimeter of the body, and a tube arm rotatingly coupled to the body, the tube arm having a slot open to the spiral slide groove to slidingly receive an IV tube when the slot is aligned with a portion of the spiral slide groove having equal to or wider than a diameter of the IV tube, wherein the stable flow regulator assembly is configured to regulate a flow rate of fluid flowing through the IV tube based on an amount of compression of the IV tube due to a position of the IV tube within the spiral slide groove. Methods of operating a stable flow regulator assembly are also provided.