Tube Clip Track Assembly for Single-Use Fluid Path Securing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in the high-purity drug and pharmaceutical industries is organizing and managing temporary tubing and fluid paths created during the manufacturing of liquid drug products, as existing systems lack effective mechanical securing mechanisms for single-use fittings and tubing.
Innovation Solution
A tube management assembly comprising a track with slidably mounted mounting clips and clamps, where the clips securely hold tubing components in place using a mating geometry and mechanical forces, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly, and accommodating various tubing lengths and configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If temporary tubing systems are used for single-use drug manufacturing, then ease of manufacture and disposal is improved, but mechanical securing and organization of tubing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mounting system consisting of a track, mounting clips, and clamps that mediates between the temporary tubing components and the fixed work surface. This intermediary structure provides mechanical securing without requiring permanent installation, enabling both ease of manufacture and ease of operation by organizing flexible tubing through a structured mounting framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The tubing system is segmented into modular components (tubing sections, fittings, clamps, and mounting clips) that can be independently assembled and secured at different locations along the track. This segmentation allows flexible configuration while maintaining organized tube management through discrete, manageable segments rather than continuous unsecured tubing.
2Reliability
If clamps are used to secure tubing, then mechanical securing is improved, but assembly and disassembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the clamp and mounting clip into an integrated assembly where the clamp is directly mounted to the clip which is secured to the track. This merging reduces overall assembly complexity by creating a pre-coordinated unit that simplifies both installation and disassembly while maintaining reliable mechanical securing of the tubing.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting clip incorporates resiliently flexible walls that provide dynamic adjustment capability during assembly. These flexible walls automatically adapt to the clamp geometry during insertion and provide secure retention, reducing the need for complex fastening mechanisms while maintaining reliable mechanical securing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple mounting clips are used at variable locations, then adaptability to different tubing lengths is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs universal mounting clips that can be positioned at any location along the track and used with various clamp types and tubing configurations. This universality provides adaptability to different tubing lengths and arrangements while minimizing system complexity by using repeated identical components rather than specialized variants for each configuration.
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 solution effectively secures single-use fittings and tubing, facilitating controlled fluid paths in drug production areas, enabling efficient setup and teardown of temporary systems while maintaining cleanliness and organization.
Implementation Method 1
the walls 16 are resiliently flexible and, when the clamp 21 is pressed against the lips 18 and into the clip 10, the walls 16 flex outwardly of each other to allow the lips 18 to clear the arcuate grooves 30
Implementation Method 2
with each lip 18 snap-fitted into the arcuate groove 30... friction between the lips and the arcuate grooves secures the clamp to the mounting clip
Data Source
AI summary
The tube management assembly employs a track, one or more mounting clips that are slidably mounted in the track and clamps that are snap-fitted into the mounting clips. In one embodiment, the mounting clip has a pair of resilient walls with inwardly directed lips for engaging in arcuate grooves in the sides of the clamp. In another embodiment, the mounting clip has a base slidably mounted in the track and a mounting block extending from the base and including a recess for receiving a tube transversely of the track.