Tube Clip Locking Mechanism for Stable Medical Tube Repositioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Medical breathing tubes require effective positioning and support to prevent weight exertion on patients or associated medical devices, while also allowing for easy repositioning to maintain comfort and efficiency during medical treatments.
Innovation Solution
A component with a body engageable with external surface recesses of medical tubes, featuring a pair of jaws that can move along the tube in one orientation and resist movement in another, allowing for secure attachment to various items for support and repositioning, with projections and grips for secure engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the component is designed to be movable along the tube in one orientation, then ease of repositioning is improved, but stability of positioning is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The component incorporates a ratchet mechanism that allows movement in one direction (ease of repositioning) while preventing reverse movement (stability of positioning). The pawl and ratchet teeth enable the component to be freely adjusted along the tube but lock securely once positioned, resolving the contradiction between ease of repositioning and positioning stability.
2Force
If the component provides secure attachment to support the tube, then weight support capability is improved, but ease of repositioning is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The ratchet mechanism creates an asymmetric mechanical system where the component can be easily moved in the unlocking direction but requires significant force to move in the locking direction. This allows the component to provide secure attachment and weight support while maintaining ease of repositioning through simple pawl disengagement.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the component is designed to resist movement in a fixed orientation, then stability of positioning is improved, but ease of repositioning is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The ratchet mechanism provides conditional stability - the component resists movement in the locked orientation (stability improvement) but allows easy movement when the pawl is disengaged (ease of repositioning). The asymmetric tooth design enables one-way locking while maintaining freedom of movement in the adjustment direction.
Data Source
AI summary
A component useable with one or more tube comprises a body engageable with one or more external surface recesses of the one or more tubes. The component has a pair of jaws extending from the body for gripping an item. The component is configured, such that, in use, in a first orientation of the body relative to the respective tube(s) recesses, the component is movable along a length of the tube(s); and, in a second orientation of the body relative to the respective tube(s) recesses, the component is resistive to movement along a length of the tube(s).