Transducer Protector with Radially Outer Cavity for Membrane Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety inserts for extra-corporeal circuits, specifically transducer protectors, have a limited safety margin and are prone to membrane contamination due to improper solvent removal during assembly, leading to potential damage when assembly procedures are not strictly followed.
Innovation Solution
A transducer protector design featuring a seat with radially outer cavities and abutments that prevent excess solvent from reaching the hydrophobic membrane, allowing for solvent evaporation or collection, ensuring membrane protection even with non-rigorous assembly procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the branch pipe is manually inserted into the tubular connector using solvent bonding, then secure bonding is achieved, but excess solvent may contaminate and damage the hydrophobic membrane
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular connector is segmented into multiple functional zones: a bonding zone with solvent application, a transition zone with the seat and abutments, and a protected zone containing the membrane. This segmentation isolates the membrane from the solvent bonding process while maintaining secure pipe connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat and abutments act as intermediary structures between the pipe end and the membrane. They provide a mechanical stop that prevents the pipe from advancing too far, ensuring that excess solvent is contained in the bonding zone and cannot reach the membrane.
2Reliability
If the assembly procedure is strictly followed to remove excess solvent, then membrane safety is improved, but the process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The seat and abutments are pre-configured in the tubular connector to automatically limit pipe insertion depth. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that even if the operator does not carefully remove excess solvent, the membrane is already protected by the mechanical stop built into the connector design.
Solution Approach 2:
The tubular connector structure itself provides the protection function through its built-in seat and abutments. The design is self-protecting, meaning the structure automatically prevents solvent contamination without requiring additional protective measures or strict procedural compliance from the operator.
3Reliability
If a minimum safety margin is provided in the known transducer protector design, then some protection is achieved, but the safety margin is insufficient when assembly errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The seat and abutments create a cushioning effect by providing a mechanical barrier before excess solvent can reach the membrane. This prior cushioning structure absorbs the potential harm from assembly errors, allowing the system to tolerate deviations from the ideal assembly procedure without membrane damage.
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 new design effectively prevents membrane contamination in all cases, even when assembly procedures are not strictly followed, demonstrating a significant increase in safety margin and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a hydrophobic semi-permeable membrane (38) enclosed between the two half-shells (24 and 34)
Implementation Method 2
dipped in a solvent and manually inserted
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The present invention relates to a transducer protector (20) designed to be used in an extra-corporeal circuit (22). It comprises a first half-shell (24), a second half-shell (34) and a hydrophobic semi-permeable membrane (38) enclosed between the two half-shells (24) and (34). The first half-shell (24) comprises a first tubular connector (26) in turn comprising a seat (28) having a substantially cylindrical shape and defining an axis X. The second half-shell (34) comprises a second tubular connector (36) designed for connection to a transducer (21). The seat (28) is designed to receive an end (42) of a branch pipe (40) from the extra-corporeal circuit (22). The end (42) defines a front surface substantially in the form of an annulus (44) and can be inserted inside the seat (28) in the axial direction along the axis X. The seat (28) comprises one more abutments (30) designed to form a support for the front surface of the end (42) so as to define a limit stop in the axial direction for the end (42). The at least one abutment (30) defines at least one radially outer cavity (32), so as to define a partial support for the annulus (44) of the front surface of the end (42). The cavity (32) is designed to leave at least one radially outer zone of the annulus (44) without support. The invention also relates to an extra-corporeal circuit comprising a transducer protector.