Variable Wall Syringe Barrel for Power Injector Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical syringes face challenges in withstanding high pressures during fluid delivery, particularly due to creep and swelling issues during sterilization, which can lead to structural weaknesses and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
A syringe design featuring a barrel with a thick wall section for high pressure capability adjacent the distal end and a thin wall section adjacent the proximal end, sharing a common inner surface for plunger engagement, and made from thermo-plastics like polypropylene, allowing for efficient fluid delivery without an outer pressure jacket.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a thicker wall is used throughout the syringe barrel, then the pressure capability is improved, but the material usage and device weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe barrel features a thick wall section in the distal end (fluid delivery end) and a thin wall section in the proximal end (plunger engagement end). The thick wall section provides high pressure capability (at least 460 psi) to withstand injection pressures, while the thin wall section uses less material where high pressure resistance is not critical, thus resolving the contradiction between pressure capability and material usage.
2Strength
If an outer pressure jacket is added to the syringe, then the pressure capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the outer pressure jacket that is typically added to conventional syringes to withstand high pressures. Instead, the syringe uses a thick wall section made from creep-resistant thermoplastic material that inherently provides the necessary pressure capability without requiring an additional jacket layer, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The syringe is made from a single thermoplastic material (such as polypropylene, polycarbonate, or polyester) with creep resistance properties that enable it to function both as the structural barrel and as the pressure-resistant component, eliminating the need for composite construction with an outer pressure jacket.
3Quantity of substance
If the wall thickness is reduced to minimize material usage, then the quantity of substance is improved, but the pressure capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe implements different wall thicknesses in different sections: a thick wall section in the distal end for high pressure capability and a thin wall section in the proximal end for reduced material usage. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing high strength only where needed while minimizing material in less critical areas.
Data Source
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AI summary
A syringe for a power injector includes a barrel having a distal end and a proximal end. The barrel defines an interior volume therebetween the distal and proximal ends. A circumferential flange extends about the proximal end. A delivery tip extends from the distal end. The barrel includes a thick wall section adjacent the distal end and a thin wall section adjacent the proximate end.