Tracheostomy Insertion Aid With Positive-Locking Shield

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tracheostomy tube insertion devices face issues with unintentional detachment of shields at sudden caliber changes, leading to difficult and potentially injurious insertions, especially in narrow or curved tubes, due to the requirement for precise handling to maintain the shield's position.

Innovation Solution

A device with a guide element and dilator featuring a first and second securing means for a positive-locking connection, allowing the shield to engage with the dilator's inner surface in its first state, preventing unintentional detachment and ensuring atraumatic transition during insertion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a shield is attached to a guide element to cover the distal end of the dilator, then the transition between dilator and tracheostomy tube becomes smoother, but the shield may unintentionally detach during insertion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecartilage fracture and tracheal injuryVSAvoidshield detachment risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The device is divided into separate components (guide element with shield, and dilator) that can be introduced separately and then connected. This allows the shield to be positioned correctly on the guide element before connection, ensuring proper coverage of the caliber change while maintaining the ability to secure it reliably to the dilator.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shield is pre-attached to the guide element before the dilator is introduced. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the components are connected inside the tracheostomy tube, the shield is already in the correct position to cover the distal end of the dilator, preventing accidental detachment during the insertion process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the guide element with shield is introduced separately from the dilator, then assembly flexibility is improved, but the risk of misalignment and detachment increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparate introduction capabilityVSAvoidprecise handling requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guide element acts as an intermediary component that carries the shield and facilitates its proper positioning. By introducing the guide element with shield separately and then connecting it to the dilator inside the tracheostomy tube, the system achieves both separate introduction capability and reliable alignment through the connection mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the shield covers a sudden change in calibre, then atraumatic transition is achieved, but the device becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrauma during insertionVSAvoidmultiple component assembly

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide element with shield is inserted into the dilator, creating a nested structure. This allows the shield to cover the caliber change while both components are contained within a single operational unit during insertion, simplifying the overall device structure despite the multiple functional elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS10869980B2Insertion aid

Publication Date: 2020.12.22 COLOPLAST AS

AI summary

The present invention relates to a device for inserting a tracheostomy tube, comprising a guide element and a dilator, wherein the guide element has a shield, wherein, according to the invention, the guide element has a first securing means and the dilator has a corresponding second securing means, whereby the guide element can be detachably connected by positive locking to the dilator in a position in which a distal end of the dilator is engaged with an inner surface of the shield when the latter is in the first state.