Vented Needle Hub With Porous Plug for Air-Free Infusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing infusion systems face challenges in effectively purging air from infusion lines, leading to messy installations, potential skin irritation, discomfort, and loss of treatment liquid due to the introduction of air or gas into subcutaneous tissues, especially in home infusion therapy and intravenous infusion.
Innovation Solution
A vented needle hub assembly with a porous plug in the sidewall, allowing air to escape while preventing liquid from passing through, ensuring self-priming and efficient delivery of medication without operator intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air is purged from the infusion system by running liquid through the system until liquid is observed at each needle, then air is removed from the system, but excessive liquid runoff occurs leading to messy installation and potential skin irritation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the air venting function from the main infusion needle by providing a separate vent needle that extends through the hub wall. This allows air to be removed from the infusion system through a dedicated venting pathway while the main infusion needle remains protected from liquid runoff, thereby eliminating skin irritation and messiness associated with excessive liquid discharge at the infusion site
Solution Approach 2:
The vent needle acts as an intermediary element between the pressurized liquid in the hub and the external environment. It provides a controlled pathway for air evacuation that is separate from the infusion pathway, mediating the pressure release function while preventing direct exposure of the infusion needle to excessive liquid runoff that would cause skin irritation
2Reliability
If air is purged by running liquid through the system, then air is removed, but treatment liquid is excessively lost leading to dosage shortage
Solution Approach 1:
The air venting function is extracted and separated from the main infusion pathway through the provision of a dedicated vent needle. This separation allows air to be purged through the vent needle while the main infusion needle is protected from excessive liquid runoff, thereby minimizing treatment liquid loss and ensuring adequate dosage is delivered to the patient
Solution Approach 2:
The vent needle is pre-positioned and pre-configured in the hub before infusion begins, establishing a dedicated air evacuation pathway in advance. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when infusion starts, air can be efficiently removed through the vent needle without causing excessive liquid loss from the main infusion needle, preserving treatment liquid for the intended dosage
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple needles are used in subcutaneous infusion systems, then comprehensive tissue coverage is achieved, but each needle requires separate air purging increasing complexity and time
Solution Approach 1:
The hub design incorporates multiple vent needles that can serve multiple infusion needles simultaneously, providing a universal air venting solution for multi-needle configurations. This multi-functional approach allows a single hub with integrated vent needles to handle air purging for multiple needles, reducing the overall complexity and time required compared to separate venting procedures for each needle
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 vented needle hub assembly efficiently vents air from the infusion system, preventing liquid loss and skin irritation, ensuring proper dosage and comfortable treatment sessions by distinguishing between air and liquid flow resistances.
Implementation Method 1
a porous plug structured and arranged to distinguish gas from liquid, gas permitted to pass from the fluid passageway through the porous plug and out the at least one vent
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a vented needle hub assembly for infusion of a liquid into subcutaneous tissue. More specifically, the vented needle hub assembly is provided by a needle hub having an inlet side and an outlet side and a fluid passageway therebetween; an infusion needle in fluid contact with the fluid passageway and extending from the outlet side; a flexible tubing joined to the inlet side in fluid contact with the fluid passageway; at least one vent disposed in a sidewall of the needle hub, the vent in fluid contact with the fluid passageway; and a porous plug disposed within each at least one vent adjacent to the fluid passageway, the porous plug structured and arranged to distinguish gas from liquid, gas permitted to pass from the fluid passageway through the porous plug and out the at least one vent. An associated method of use is provided as well.