Vented Transfer Lid for Enteral Fluid Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid container systems for enteral fluids like breast milk and formula lack effective solutions for maintaining sanitary and aseptic conditions during transfer, storage, and delivery, particularly in ensuring air-tight seals and preventing contamination.
Innovation Solution
A vented transfer lid with an attachment collar, inner collar, and a fluid transfer port that allows for removability and aseptic fluid transfer, featuring a vent slot for pressure relief while minimizing liquid leakage, compatible with various container designs and standards like ENFit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a sealed lid is used on the fluid container, then contamination is prevented, but pressure changes during fluid transfer cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is segmented into multiple functional components: a sealed collar region for contamination prevention, a vent opening for pressure equalization, and a fluid transfer port for controlled fluid movement. This segmentation allows each component to address specific requirements without compromising others.
Solution Approach 2:
The vent opening acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the sealed container interior and the external environment, allowing pressure equalization while maintaining the overall seal integrity. It provides a controlled pathway for air exchange without compromising contamination prevention.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a vent opening is added to the lid, then pressure changes are accommodated, but liquid leakage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the lid have different functional properties: the collar region maintains a tight seal for contamination prevention, the vent opening provides pressure equalization, and the fluid transfer port enables controlled fluid movement. Each region is optimized for its specific function, allowing the lid to accommodate pressure changes without causing leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid design allows dynamic pressure equalization through the vent opening while maintaining static seal integrity at the collar-container interface. The system dynamically adjusts to pressure changes during fluid transfer without compromising the overall seal.
3Reliability
If the lid is made permanently sealed, then aseptic conditions are maintained, but fluid transfer efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is segmented into a sealed collar region for maintaining aseptic conditions and a dedicated fluid transfer port for efficient fluid movement. This segmentation allows the bulk of the lid to remain sealed while providing a controlled pathway for rapid fluid transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid transfer function is extracted from the general sealing function by providing a dedicated transfer port. This allows fluid transfer to occur through a specialized opening designed for efficiency while the rest of the lid maintains its sealed, aseptic configuration.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a complex sealing mechanism is used, then contamination prevention is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is designed to engage with the container opening in a self-sealing manner, where the act of attachment itself creates the seal without requiring additional sealing components or complex mechanisms. The geometry of the collar and container opening work together to automatically prevent contamination upon engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function, attachment function, and structural support function are merged into the collar component. This integration eliminates the need for separate sealing elements while maintaining effective contamination prevention, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
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
Ensures aseptic and efficient transfer of enteral fluids by maintaining an air-tight seal, preventing contamination, and accommodating pressure changes within the container, while allowing controlled venting to facilitate fluid transfer without leakage.
Implementation Method 1
a vent slot extending through at least a portion of the inner collar
Data Source
AI summary
A transfer lid for a fluid container, having an attachment collar for removably attaching the transfer lid to the fluid container, and an inner collar arranged generally concentrically with and spaced inwardly from the attachment collar, the inner collar having a vent opening such as a vent slot extending therethrough.