Tourniquet Jaw Offset and Frangible Safety Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tourniquet devices lack a reliable mechanism to control and proportionate blood flow restriction to anatomical and physiological needs, often leading to over-tightening or prolonged use issues, which can be detrimental during medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A tourniquet device with moveable jaws and a frangible component, along with a tensionable tether and sensing means, that applies graded pressure and automatically reduces pressure when predetermined thresholds are exceeded, ensuring safe and controlled occlusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tourniquet applies high constrictive pressure to control blood flow, then blood flow restriction effectiveness is improved, but the risk of over-tightening and tissue damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tourniquet device incorporates a frangible component that changes the pressure parameter from high to low when a predetermined force threshold is exceeded. This allows the system to maintain effective high pressure for blood flow restriction while automatically reducing to safe low pressure levels to prevent tissue damage
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses sensing means to detect force, pressure, or time duration parameters and provides feedback to the control system. This feedback mechanism enables automatic adjustment of the constrictive pressure to maintain effectiveness while preventing harmful over-tightening conditions
2Reliability
If a tourniquet applies sufficient pressure to occlude blood vessels, then blood flow occlusion is achieved, but the risk of prolonged occlusion and associated complications increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing means monitors time duration alongside force and pressure parameters, providing feedback to the control system. When the predetermined time threshold is exceeded, the system automatically triggers the frangible component to fail, thereby reducing pressure and preventing complications from prolonged occlusion
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates automatic periodic monitoring of pressure, force, and time parameters with automated intervention when thresholds are exceeded. This periodic assessment ensures continuous safety monitoring while maintaining effective occlusion when needed
3Reliability
If a tourniquet device includes automated sensing and control mechanisms, then safety and precision are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tourniquet device is designed to serve itself by using the tightening force applied to the member as the activation mechanism for the frangible component. The sensing means detects parameters and automatically triggers pressure reduction without requiring external intervention, thereby reducing operational complexity while maintaining precision
Data Source
AI summary
A tourniquet device includes a first jaw having a first tapered tip, and a second jaw having a second tapered tip. The first and second jaws are moveable towards one another to provide a pressure to a member positioned between the jaws. The first tapered tip is offset from the second tapered tip such that the first tapered tip and the second tapered tip are moveable relative to one another in separate planes and the first tapered tip is moveable past the second tapered tip as the first and second jaws are moved towards one another.