Variable Diameter Medical Valve Seal Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical valves, such as disk valves and iris valves, face issues with deformation, leakage, and wear during medical procedures, failing to provide a reliable seal across a range of medical device sizes and requiring excessive force for operation.
Innovation Solution
A medical valve assembly with a variable seal arrangement using an elastomeric seal with alternating planar and radiused portions, compressed by a compression member, allowing for adjustable inner diameter to accommodate different medical device sizes and reducing the force required for sealing, featuring a manual actuator for easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a disk valve is modified to accommodate different sized medical devices, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases and excessive force is required for operation
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is designed with a compliant, deformable structure that dynamically adapts its shape and size to accommodate different medical devices. The seal member can be compressed radially inward by the biasing member and simultaneously deforms to conform to the contours of various device sizes, eliminating the need for complex adjustable mechanisms while maintaining versatility across device dimensions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a disk valve is modified to accommodate different sized medical devices, then adaptability is improved, but the force required for insertion and withdrawal increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member's physical parameters are optimized to reduce friction and resistance. The compliant material properties and geometric configuration allow the seal to deform smoothly during device passage, changing its dimensional parameters dynamically to minimize the force required for insertion and withdrawal while still providing effective sealing when closed.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member is constructed as a flexible, thin-walled structure that can easily deform and flex during device insertion and withdrawal. This flexible construction reduces the frictional resistance compared to rigid disk valves, allowing smooth passage of medical devices while maintaining sealing capability when in the closed position.
3Reliability
If an elastomeric sleeve is twisted and constricted to close the iris valve, then closure is achieved, but gaps or channels extend through the sleeve causing fluid leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member features a substantially spherical outer surface that conforms to a spherical sealing chamber. This curved, spherical geometry allows the compliant seal material to evenly distribute compression forces and form a uniform seal against the spherical chamber wall, eliminating gaps and channels that would occur with twisted or infolded flat structures.
4Reliability
If continuous twisting and constricting of the elastomeric sleeve is used for closure, then valve closure is achieved, but wear of the sleeve occurs through tearing
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member dynamically changes its configuration from an expanded open state to a compressed closed state through radial compression rather than continuous twisting. This dynamic compression mechanism reduces wear by eliminating the repeated shear stresses and torsional forces that cause tearing in continuously twisted sleeves, thereby extending service life while maintaining reliable closure function.
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 medical valve assembly provides a consistent and reliable seal with reduced compression force, improving performance and durability by maintaining closure with less force and minimizing leakage, suitable for various medical devices during procedures.
Implementation Method 1
An elastomeric seal is compressed between the plunger plate and the flange
Implementation Method 2
The inner surface of the elastomeric seal has a plurality of planar portions and a plurality of radiused portions, with adjacent ones of the plurality of planar portions interconnected with one of the plurality of radiused portions
Data Source
AI summary
A medical valve assembly includes a tube extending between a first and second tube end along an axis, and a plunger plate extends radially from the second tube end. A valve housing surrounds the tube and includes a radially inwardly extending flange. A compression member is biased against the plunger plate and compresses an elastomeric seal from a non-compressed condition to a compressed condition to establish a sealed condition of the medical valve assembly. An inner surface of the elastomeric seal in the non-compressed condition has a plurality of planar portions and a plurality of radiused portions, with adjacent planar portions interconnected with one of the radiused portions to improve a closure of the elastomeric seal during compression. The inner surface preferably includes three planar portions and three radiused portions to define a generally triangular-shaped inner surface as viewed in cross section in the non-compressed condition.