Hand-Actuated Syringe Vacuum Chamber Auto Refill

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hand-actuated syringes require multiple fillings and materials for medical procedures, leading to inefficiency and waste, as they often need to be refilled multiple times to complete procedures, wasting time and resources.

Innovation Solution

A hand-actuated syringe design featuring a vacuum chamber and check valves that allows for automatic refilling using vacuum forces, reducing the need for manual refilling and minimizing material waste by enabling efficient fluid loading and discharge.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual refilling is used, then the syringe can be filled with medical fluid, but time and materials are wasted due to multiple fillings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverefilling efficiencyVSAvoidtime for manual refilling

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The syringe system performs self-refilling through automatic detection and vacuum-based fluid intake. When the fluid level drops, the system automatically activates the vacuum pump to draw fluid from the reservoir, eliminating the need for manual intervention and enabling continuous operation without time loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains a reservoir pre-filled with medical fluid and automatically transfers it to the syringe when needed. This preliminary preparation of fluid supply allows the syringe to be refilled on-demand without waiting for manual refilling operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If manual refilling is used, then the syringe can be filled with medical fluid, but materials are wasted due to multiple syringes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverefilling efficiencyVSAvoidmedical fluid and syringe materials

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a single syringe that can perform multiple fill/discharge cycles by connecting to a shared reservoir. The universal design allows one syringe to replace multiple disposable syringes, reducing material waste while maintaining the ability to deliver fluid multiple times.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of discarding the syringe after one use, the system recovers and reuses it by automatically refilling from the reservoir. This recovery process eliminates the need to discard and replace syringes, reducing material consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Extent of automation

If a vacuum chamber is added for auto-refill, then automatic refilling is enabled, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic refilling capabilityVSAvoidstructure with vacuum chamber and check valves

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a vacuum pump and check valves to create a pneumatic refilling mechanism. The vacuum chamber generates negative pressure to draw fluid into the syringe, while check valves control flow direction. This pneumatic approach enables automation without requiring complex mechanical or electronic systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The check valves act as intermediaries that automatically control fluid flow between the reservoir, vacuum chamber, and syringe. These passive flow control devices enable automated refilling by responding to pressure differences without requiring active control systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 system reduces waste and enhances efficiency by using vacuum forces for fluid loading, allowing for multiple fill/discharge cycles with minimal manual intervention and reduced material usage.

Implementation Method 1

A first syringe is typically interconnected with a bottle by using a combination of a syringe needle and a piercable membrane/diaphragm of the bottle... a user or clinician (typically a nurse) manually retracts the syringe plunger to draw medical fluid from within the bottle into the syringe

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Implementation Method 2

A hand-actuated syringe design featuring a vacuum chamber and check valves that allows for automatic refilling using vacuum forces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure difference: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 3

A hand-actuated syringe design featuring a vacuum chamber and check valves that allows for automatic refilling

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectValve: Valve

Data Source

PatentUS10166337B2Hand-actuated syringe with vacuum chamber for auto refill

Publication Date: 2019.01.01 LIEBEL FLARSHEIM COMPANY LLC

AI summary

A hand-activated syringe (14) is disclosed that uses a vacuum to retract a plunger (54) of the syringe (14) to draw fluid into a syringe body (18). A first seal (76) with the plunger (54) and a second seal (64) with the plunger (54) define a vacuum chamber (82). The spacing between the first seal (76) and the second seal (64) changes in response to the plunger (54) moving relative to the syringe body (18). Advancing the plunger (54) in a direction associated with a discharge stroke creates or increases a vacuum within the vacuum chamber (82) by increasing a spacing between the first seal (76) and the second seal (64). This vacuum thereafter may be used to retract the plunger (54) by decreasing a spacing between the first seal (76) and the second seal (64), and to thereby draw fluid into the syringe (14) from a fluid source (86).