Ergonomic Suction Syringe with Forward Piston Inversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manual suction devices, such as conventional syringes, require a two-handed operation to create suction, making it difficult to maintain suction during medical procedures like needle biopsies and angioplasty balloon deflation, leading to slow and laborious deflation times that can result in adverse outcomes.
Innovation Solution
An ergonomic suction syringe that generates suction through a forward motion of the piston into the cylinder, allowing single-handed operation and maintaining suction without continuous manual force, featuring a hollow cylinder with a piston head that separates two air-tight chambers and a mechanism to transmit vacuum pressure to a medical device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional syringe is used to create suction, then suction can be generated, but two-handed operation is required which reduces procedural efficiency and increases operator fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional syringe design by reversing the direction of piston movement relative to suction generation. In a conventional syringe, pulling the piston back creates suction; in this patent, pushing the piston forward creates suction. This inversion allows the operator to maintain suction with a simple forward push motion using one hand, while the other hand remains free to manipulate the medical device, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and procedural efficiency
2Reliability
If continuous manual force is applied to maintain suction with a conventional syringe, then suction is maintained, but operator fatigue increases and deflation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a latch mechanism that, once engaged by a preliminary pushing motion, automatically maintains suction without requiring continuous manual force. The latch holds the piston in the forward position, sustaining the vacuum state. This allows the operator to apply force only once to engage the latch, after which suction is maintained automatically, reducing both operator fatigue and deflation time while ensuring reliable suction maintenance
3Reliability
If two-handed operation is used to maintain suction during needle biopsy, then suction can be maintained, but the other hand is unavailable for device manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the suction generation mechanism so that pushing the piston forward (rather than pulling it back) creates and maintains suction, the operator can secure suction with a one-handed forward motion and latch mechanism. This leaves the other hand completely free to manipulate the needle, control its positioning, and perform other procedural tasks, thereby simultaneously maintaining reliable suction and enabling device manipulation
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 faster and more ergonomic deflation of angioplasty balloons and tissue sampling, reducing operator fatigue and improving procedural efficiency by allowing hands-free suction maintenance during medical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a piston head that separates two generally air-tight chambers, comprising a back chamber disposed toward said back end and a forward chamber disposed toward said forward end
Implementation Method 2
a means to transmit said vacuum pressure from said back chamber to said forward chamber
Data Source
AI summary
An ergonomic suction syringe and method for performing medical procedures in which suction is generated and can be delivered to a medical device by a single-handed compression motion, with suction actuated by forward motion of a piston into a cylinder, and in which suction can be maintained essentially permanently once activated without any further effort by the operator, even hands-free.