Variable Diameter Elastomeric Seal for Medical Valves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical valves, such as hemostatic and iris valves, face issues with deformation, dislodgment, and ineffective sealing across a range of medical device sizes, leading to fluid leakage and wear, particularly when used with multiple devices during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A medical valve assembly featuring a tube with a plunger plate and valve housing, where an elastomeric seal is compressed between the plunger plate and a flange, allowing axial movement to adjust the seal's inner diameter, and a manual actuator varies the compression load for accommodating various medical device sizes, ensuring a secure seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a disk valve is modified to accommodate differently sized medical devices, then the adaptability is improved, but the resistance increases requiring excessive force for insertion and withdrawal
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is designed with dynamic compliance, allowing it to deform and adapt to different medical device diameters. The elastomeric material properties enable the seal to flex and conform to varying sizes without requiring excessive force, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and insertion force.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal's inner diameter is made variable through axial movement of the tube or valve housing, which changes the compression load on the elastomeric seal. This parameter change allows the seal to accommodate different medical device sizes while maintaining appropriate sealing force without requiring excessive insertion force.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single medical valve is used to insert multiple medical devices, then the versatility is improved, but the sealing effectiveness deteriorates due to inability to quickly adjust
Solution Approach 1:
The seal configuration is made dynamically adjustable through axial movement of the tube or valve housing. This allows quick adjustment of the seal's inner diameter to match different medical device sizes, maintaining sealing effectiveness across multiple device changes while preserving versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve assembly is designed with a universal seal mechanism that can accommodate multiple different sized medical devices through adjustable compression loading. This single valve design performs the function of multiple fixed-size valves, providing both versatility and reliable sealing across different device types.
3Reliability
If the elastomeric seal is continuously compressed to maintain seal, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the material wear increases leading to tearing
Solution Approach 1:
The compression loading on the elastomeric seal is made dynamically adjustable rather than continuous and fixed. By varying the compression load according to the specific medical device being used, the seal maintains reliable sealing while reducing unnecessary continuous compression that would accelerate material wear and extend seal lifespan.
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 valve assembly provides a reliable, adjustable seal for different medical devices, minimizing fluid loss and extending the lifespan of the elastomeric seal by reducing material creep and distortion.
Implementation Method 1
An elastomeric seal is compressed between the plunger plate and the flange
Implementation Method 2
One of the valve housing and the tube is axially movable relative to the other to vary the distance between the plunger plate and the flange and adjust the inner diameter of the elastomeric seal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4A
AI summary
A medical valve assembly includes a tube extending between a first tube end and a second tube end to define a passageway extending along a longitudinal axis between the ends. A plunger plate extends radially from the second tube end of the tube, and a valve housing surrounds the tube about the second tube end and extends from a first valve housing end to a second valve housing end. The valve housing includes a flange extending radially inwardly from the second valve housing end and disposed in spaced relationship with the plunger plate to define a distance dimension D extending therebetween. An elastomeric seal is compressed between the plunger plate and the flange, and one of the valve housing and the tube is axially movable relative to the other to vary the distance between said plunger plate and said flange and adjust an inner diameter of the elastomeric seal.