Tube Joining Device With Slidable Cover For Visual Alignment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tube joining devices face challenges in ensuring accurate alignment and preventing joining failures due to the flexibility of tubes, which can be set in distorted or folded states, making it difficult for users to visually confirm the setting position before closure.

Innovation Solution

A tube joining device with a slidable cover member that allows parallel alignment and pressing of tubes, enabling visual confirmation of the setting position and preventing joining failures by maintaining the tubes in close contact through a link mechanism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the cover member is closed to cover the fusing-joining site, then sterilization and aseptic condition are ensured, but the setting position of the tubes cannot be visually confirmed

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesterilizationVSAvoidvisual confirmation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The device enables visual confirmation of tube setting positions before the cover member is closed. The user can check whether the tubes are correctly positioned in the holding portions before closing, allowing preliminary verification to prevent setting errors while maintaining sterilization when the cover is closed during the actual joining process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the tubes are manually superimposed by the user, then the setting operation is simple, but the tubes may be set in a distorted or folded state due to tube flexibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesetting operationVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The device introduces tube holding portions as intermediaries between the user's manual operation and the actual tube joining. These holding portions guide and constrain the tubes to maintain proper alignment and prevent distorted or folded states, while still allowing simple manual insertion operations by the user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If the tubes are held in a fixed position, then alignment precision is improved, but the user cannot visually confirm the setting position before closure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidvisual confirmation
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The device employs a dynamic cover member that transitions from an open state (allowing visual confirmation) to a closed state (maintaining sterilization). The tube holding portions maintain fixed alignment during this transition, enabling both visual verification before closing and precise alignment during the joining process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 device simplifies the setting process, prevents distorted alignments, and ensures accurate joining by allowing users to visually confirm tube positions before closure, thereby reducing the occurrence of joining failures.

Implementation Method 1

a plate-shaped cutting member that is heated, and replaces the fused end of the first tube and the fused end of the second tube and joins the fused ends

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3603735B1Tube joining device
Publication Date: 2025.01.15 TERUMO KK
  • EP3603735B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3603735B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3603735B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Object] Provided is a tube joining device that allows a user to easily and appropriately perform setting of tubes which become a joining target, and is capable of preventing occurrence of a joining failure caused by a setting error of the tubes in advance . [Solving Means] A tube joining device 1 includes: a first tube holding portion 41 that is capable of holding a first tube T1; a second tube holding portion 42 that is disposed in adjacent to the first tube holding portion, and is capable of holding a second tube T2 at a position that is parallel to the first tube; and a housing 2 that is provided with a cover member 20 that is closed to cover fusing-joining sites C of the first tube and the second tube. The cover member is slidable along a direction in which the first tube and the second tube are disposed in parallel.