Triangular Flow Controller for Enteral Feeding Tubes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flow controllers for enteral nutritional tubes suffer from cold flow issues, leading to unstable flow rates and frequent blockages due to the deformation of soft plastic tubes under compression, especially when administering feeds with fibers or large particles.
Innovation Solution
A flow controller design featuring opposed elongated surfaces with a variable included angle and a hinged mechanism, where the surfaces are at least five times longer than the tube diameter, minimizing cold flow effects and reducing the risk of blockages by providing a smooth cross-sectional reduction for fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional roller clamp compresses the tube to control flow rate, then the flow rate can be reduced, but the tube material deforms and cold flows leading to unstable flow rates and blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the conventional circular roller clamp with a triangular cross-section design where the compression surfaces are curved to match the tube's external geometry. This curved surface design distributes compression forces more evenly along the tube perimeter, preventing localized stress concentration that causes cold flow deformation and maintains stable flow rates over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression surfaces are designed with different geometries at different locations - the surfaces contacting the tube are curved to match the tube's external shape, while the internal geometry creates a triangular cross-section. This local differentiation optimizes both compression effectiveness and stress distribution to prevent tube deformation.
2Productivity
If the tube is compressed to reduce flow rate, then lower flow rates are achieved, but sharp corners in compression create nucleation sites for particles causing blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The triangular cross-section design eliminates sharp corners by using three curved surfaces that meet at rounded edges. This curvature prevents the formation of nucleation sites where particles could accumulate and cause blockages, while still achieving effective compression for flow rate control.
3Reliability
If a pump is used to control flow rate, then accurate and stable flow rates are achieved, but the expense increases considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex mechanical pump systems with a simplified triangular cross-section clamp design. The geometric configuration of the triangular clamp creates more stable and predictable flow characteristics compared to conventional circular clamps, achieving reliable flow control through pure mechanical compression without requiring expensive pump equipment.
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
This design achieves stable flow rates over several hours with minimal risk of blockages, allowing for precise control of flow rates as low as 50 ml/hr, even with feeds containing fibers, by eliminating sharp corners that could act as nucleation sites for particles.
Implementation Method 1
a means for reducing the distance between the surfaces so as to compress the tube between them by the desired amount
Implementation Method 2
the tube is received within the flow controller in use
Implementation Method 3
conventional flow controllers for enteral nutritional tubes suffer from cold flow issues, leading to unstable flow rates and frequent blockages due to the deformation of soft plastic tubes under compression
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A device for controlling the rate of flow of a liquid in a flexible tube comprising two opposed surfaces between which the tube is received in use wherein the surfaces are elongated in the direction of flow of the liquid in the tube and are either parallel to one another or arranged so that in use the included angle does not exceed 40°, and means for varying the distance between the surfaces so as to compress the tube between them by the desired amount.