Syringe Support and Tube Clamp for One-Handed Infusion Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patients with bleeding disorders or coagulation deficiencies face ergonomic challenges in self-administering multiple syringes during intravenous therapy, as using the hand with an inserted needle becomes difficult, leading to discomfort and potential needle displacement.
Innovation Solution
A syringe stabilizing apparatus with a base and syringe support that elevates and orients the infusion set to utilize gravity for fluid delivery, featuring a selectively actuated tube clamp and ergonomic design to allow single-handed operation, enabling the user to stabilize the apparatus with one arm while administering therapy with the other.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple syringes are used for intravenous therapy, then the therapeutic dose can be achieved, but the patient experiences ergonomic challenges and discomfort when self-administering
Solution Approach 1:
The infusion system is divided into multiple syringes that can be sequentially connected to the infusion set. Each syringe contains a portion of the total therapeutic dose, allowing the patient to administer multiple syringes without needing to manually handle the entire volume at once. This segmentation makes self-administration more manageable and less cumbersome.
Solution Approach 2:
A stabilizing apparatus with a clamp mechanism serves as an intermediary device between the infusion set and the patient's arm. The clamp secures the infusion needle in place, freeing the patient's hand from the need to continuously hold or stabilize the needle during self-administration of multiple syringes, thereby improving ease of operation.
2Reliability
If the needle is inserted into the patient's arm for therapy, then fluid delivery is enabled, but the patient's hand becomes difficult to use and may cause needle displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizing apparatus with the clamp acts as an intermediary that takes over the function of holding the needle in place. This allows the patient's hand to be freed from the dual task of both receiving infusion and stabilizing the needle, eliminating the risk of needle displacement while maintaining hand usability for other tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp mechanism introduces a new spatial dimension for needle stabilization by securing it to a fixed surface or structure. This external stabilization point removes the burden from the patient's hand, allowing the hand to remain stationary or perform other functions while the needle position is maintained in a different spatial plane.
3Productivity
If the syringe is held manually during administration, then fluid delivery is controlled, but the patient experiences discomfort and difficulty when using the affected arm
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizing apparatus serves as an intermediary that assumes the function of holding and stabilizing the infusion set. This allows the patient to control fluid delivery through the syringe plunger without needing to manually support the entire infusion assembly, reducing physical strain and discomfort on the affected arm.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the functions of stabilization and fluid delivery control. The stabilizing apparatus handles the stabilization function, while the syringe plunger mechanism handles fluid delivery control. This functional segmentation allows the patient to operate the plunger with minimal effort and discomfort.
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
Facilitates comfortable and stable self-administration of therapeutic fluids by maintaining the syringe in an elevated position, allowing one-handed manipulation of the syringe and clamp operation, reducing discomfort and preventing needle displacement.
Implementation Method 1
The syringe support is vertically disposed above the base, elevating a fluid-filled portion of an infusion set vertically above the base and orienting a delivery end of the fluid-filled portion upwardly relative to a horizontal plane to take advantage of a gravitational effect on a fluid during delivery of the fluid from the fluid-filled portion to a patient
Data Source
AI summary
A syringe stabilizing apparatus has a base and a syringe support. The syringe support is vertically disposed above the base, elevating a fluid-filled portion of an infusion set vertically above the base and orienting a delivery end of the fluid-filled portion upwardly relative to a horizontal plane to take advantage of a gravitational effect on a fluid during delivery of the fluid from the fluid-filled portion to a patient. The syringe support comprises a first retainer and a selectively actuated tube clamp. The first retainer has an opening in which a rigid portion of the infusion set is received and retained therein without further user intervention. The selectively actuated tube clamp is operatively aligned with the first retainer. A flexible tube extending from the rigid portion of the infusion set extends through the selectively actuated tube clamp.