Vial Transfer Device with Nested Adapter for Leak-Proof Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vial adapters fail to provide adequate aerosol and leak-proofness, lack protection against contaminated needles, and can be easily detached, leading to exposure risks for personnel and patients during medical preparation.
Innovation Solution
A transfer device with a first adapter component that securely fixes to the vial and a second adapter component with a delivery element, forming a closed envelope to prevent leakage and aerosol escape, and featuring radially adjustable position-securing elements to ensure inseparability after use, thereby preventing detachment and needle-related injuries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional vial adapter with a steel cannula and hollow-cylindrical collar is used, then the adapter can be easily manufactured and assembled, but it fails to provide adequate aerosol-proofness and leak-proofness, leading to exposure risks for personnel and patients
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is divided into multiple components: an outer adapter component with a hollow-cylindrical collar, an inner adapter component with a delivery element, and a sealing component. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while collectively achieving aerosol-proofness and leak-proofness without excessive overall complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The inner adapter component is nested within the outer adapter component, with the delivery element extending through the hollow-cylindrical collar. This nested structure enables the adapter to maintain a compact form while incorporating multiple functional elements that work together to prevent aerosol escape and leakage
2Reliability
If the puncture needle is positioned in the centre of the seal to ensure leak-tight connection, then leak-proofness is improved, but the adapter may tilt during snapping onto the vial, causing eccentric puncture and tension stress on the seal
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter components are designed with pre-aligned features that guide the delivery element into proper centric positioning before the sealing action occurs. This preliminary alignment prevents tilting and eccentric puncture during assembly while maintaining the required leak-tight connection
3Ease of operation
If the adapter is designed to be detachable for reuse, then ease of operation is improved, but the adapter can be easily pulled off the vial after use, creating injury risk from contaminated needles
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter incorporates a dynamic safety mechanism where the inner adapter component can move relative to the outer component. After use, this mechanism automatically engages to lock the delivery element in a protected position, preventing accidental needle exposure while maintaining the ability to detach and reuse the adapter
4Ease of manufacture
If the adapter components are designed with simple interlocking, then manufacturing precision requirements are reduced, but the connection may not be secure enough to prevent detachment
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple securing functions are merged into a single integrated interlocking mechanism between the outer and inner adapter components. This combined mechanism achieves secure connection and prevention of detachment while maintaining simple manufacturing requirements through the unified design approach
Data Source
AI summary
A transfer device (10) for removing or transferring a medium out of or into a bottle (20) having a bottle neck (34) that can be closed by means of a closure (42), including a first adapter part (12), which can be positioned on the bottle, and a second adapter part (14), which interacts with the first adapter part, which can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the bottle, and has a conducting element (50) for piercing the closure. After the second adapter part (14) has been displaced along the first adapter part in the direction of the closure (42) and the second adapter part has been locked, the first adapter part (12) is non-releasably fastened to or around the bottle (20).