Twin Port Adapter for Enteral Feeding Pump Flow Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Enteral feeding pump systems face challenges in maintaining cleanliness and preventing contamination, as components in contact with liquids must be disposable, and existing pinching mechanisms are not efficient in selectively controlling fluid flow from multiple sources.
Innovation Solution
A twin port adapter with a rotatable eccentric bearing is integrated into the enteral feeding pump system, allowing for selective pinching of feeding tubes using a digitally controlled motor, enabling the system to control fluid flow from multiple sources and ensuring cleanliness by compressing specific ports to prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a disposable component design is used to maintain cleanliness and prevent contamination, then hygiene reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to multiple disposable parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple disposable components (twin port adapter, feeding tube guide, and valve assembly) into a single integrated disposable unit. This merging approach maintains hygiene reliability by ensuring all liquid-contact components are disposable, while reducing overall device complexity by eliminating the need to manage and replace multiple separate disposable parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The twin port adapter serves multiple functions: it provides a secure mounting interface for the feeding tube guide, houses two input ports for separate feeding tube connections, and integrates with the valve assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the disposable nature of all liquid-contact surfaces.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing pinching mechanisms are used to control fluid flow, then flow control capability is limited, but device complexity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a rotatable valve assembly with an eccentric bearing that can dynamically switch between different positions to control fluid flow. The valve can be rotated to align different input ports with the output port, enabling selective flow control from multiple feeding tubes. This dynamic mechanism provides superior flow control capability compared to static pinching mechanisms, while the integrated design keeps overall complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The eccentric bearing acts as an intermediary element between the rotatable valve assembly and the fixed adapter body. It enables smooth rotation and precise positioning of the valve, facilitating efficient flow control. By introducing this intermediary component within the integrated disposable unit, the patent achieves enhanced flow control capability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple feeding tubes are connected to control fluid flow from multiple sources, then adaptability is improved, but difficulty in preventing contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The twin port adapter divides the fluid flow path into separate segments for each feeding tube connection. Each input port has its own dedicated passage to the output port, preventing cross-contamination between different feeding tubes. The rotatable valve assembly further segments control by allowing selective opening/closing of individual ports, enabling adaptability to choose from multiple sources while maintaining contamination prevention through physical separation of flow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The entire valve assembly including the twin port adapter, feeding tube guide, and internal flow control components is designed as a single disposable unit. This ensures that all components in contact with liquid nutrition are replaced after each use, eliminating contamination risk from repeated use. The disposable nature of the entire assembly maintains high adaptability for multiple feeding tube connections while guaranteeing contamination prevention through complete replacement rather than cleaning.
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 manages fluid flow from multiple sources, enhancing the cleanliness and efficiency of the enteral feeding pump system by allowing selective closure of input ports, thus preventing contamination and ensuring reliable nutrition delivery.
Implementation Method 1
The pump includes a peristaltic pump having an integral peristaltic tube section and a rotor that engages the peristaltic tube section and, when rotated, causes liquid to flow in a direction of rotation
Implementation Method 2
a rotor that engages the peristaltic tube section and, when rotated, causes liquid to flow in a direction of rotation
Data Source
AI summary
A flow selector valve assembly for an enteral feeding pump system (i.e., an enteral feeding pump system including a fluid delivery set with first and second feeding tubes, an enteral feeding pump and a pinching mechanism for regulating the flow of nutrient formula or water out of the first and second feeding tubes), and a twin port adapter for use in the valve assembly. The twin port adapter includes a body configured to receive the first and second feeding tubes therein, and a feeding tube guide rotatably connected to the body and configured to secure the first and second feeding tubes within the body.