Syringe Drip Guard Channel for Fluid Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional syringe designs with drip flanges face issues such as increased packaging size, potential rupturing of packaging, and inefficiency in trapping leaked medical fluids, which can lead to uncleanliness and malfunctioning of injectors.

Innovation Solution

A syringe assembly with a drip guard featuring a channel and adsorbent material that collects, absorbs, or adsorbs fluid, reducing the risk of fluid leakage and fouling of injector components, while maintaining a compact profile for improved packaging and shipping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional drip flanges are used to prevent fluid leakage, then fluid containment is improved, but syringe width and packaging size increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid containmentVSAvoidsyringe width
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The drip guard is positioned within the existing syringe structure, nesting the fluid containment function inside the syringe barrel rather than adding external protrusions. This allows fluid trapping without increasing the overall syringe width, resolving the contradiction between reliability and compact dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of extending the drip flange radially outward (increasing width in one dimension), the invention utilizes the longitudinal dimension by positioning the drip guard within the barrel length, thereby containing fluid without increasing the syringe's radial footprint.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If conventional drip flanges extend perpendicularly from the barrel, then fluid diversion is achieved, but the ability to trap and hold leaked liquid is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid diversionVSAvoidliquid retention capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The drip guard acts as an intermediary structure between the leakage source and the external environment. It provides both diversion (redirecting fluid away from the injector) and retention (trapping fluid within the guarded area), simultaneously achieving both functions that conventional flanges could only partially accomplish.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If larger drip flanges are used to improve fluid collection, then fluid containment is enhanced, but packaging size and shipping costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid collectionVSAvoidpackaging volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The drip guard utilizes a thin-walled structure that provides effective fluid containment without adding significant volume. The thin-film approach allows adequate fluid trapping capability while maintaining a compact profile that minimizes packaging requirements and shipping costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 syringe assembly effectively collects and absorbs leaked medical fluids, preventing contamination and malfunction, while minimizing packaging size and costs through a compact design.

Implementation Method 1

An adsorbent material may be located within the channel for adsorbing fluid within the channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

The syringe drip guard may be configured to at least one of collect, absorb, and adsorb fluid within the channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentEP3154467B1Syringe drip guard
Publication Date: 2022.07.13 BAYER HEALTHCARE LLC
  • EP3154467B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3154467B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3154467B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A syringe assembly may include a syringe having a distal end, a proximal end, and a sidewall extending between the distal end and the proximal end, and a syringe drip guard extending around at least a circumferential portion of the sidewall between the distal end and the proximal end of the syringe. The syringe drip guard may have an outer wall protruding radially outward relative to the sidewall. A channel may be defined between the outer wall of the syringe drip guard and the sidewall of the syringe. The channel may have a closed proximal end and an open distal end. The syringe drip guard may be configured to at least one of: collect, absorb, or adsorb fluid within the channel.