Wound Washing Gun with Variable Pressure and Disposable Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wound washing devices lack the ability to provide variable pressure washing, target specific wound areas, prevent cross-contamination, and are not cost-effective or disposable, particularly for use in surgeries and open wound treatments.
Innovation Solution
A manual and battery-powered wound washing gun with a gun housing, reservoir, battery, pump, one-way valve trigger mechanism, and multiple hose configurations for sterile liquid delivery, allowing both battery-powered and user-controlled pressure settings, and designed for disposability and latex-free use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a battery-powered pump is used to provide automatic discharge at set pressure, then washing pressure control is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a dual-mode pressure delivery system that can dynamically switch between battery-powered constant pressure mode and manual variable pressure mode. The pump assembly includes a motor-driven pump for automatic pressure delivery and a manual squeeze bulb alternative, allowing the system to adapt to different clinical needs and wound types by changing the pressure delivery mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The washing gun is designed with multi-functionality to serve both automated and manual operation modes. The pump assembly can operate via battery power for consistent pressure, or the manual squeeze bulb can be used for variable pressure applications. This universal design allows a single device to handle various wound types and cleaning requirements without needing separate devices for each mode.
2Manufacturing precision
If a targeted delivery system with multiple hose configurations is implemented, then precision of wound washing is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system is segmented into multiple independent hose paths with separate control mechanisms. The main hose connects to the pump, while secondary hoses with individual one-way valves can be selectively activated. This segmentation allows precise targeting of specific wound areas by activating only the necessary hose paths, reducing cross-contamination risk and enabling customized washing patterns for different wound geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
One-way valves serve as intermediary components that control fluid flow direction and prevent backflow between different hose paths. These valves act as mediators that enable selective activation of specific delivery channels while maintaining system simplicity, allowing precise targeted washing without requiring complex valve assemblies or multiple independent pump systems.
3Ease of manufacture
If a disposable design is adopted, then cost-effectiveness and hygiene are improved, but manufacturing complexity and waste generation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The washing gun is designed as a disposable unit with a cost-effective construction that justifies single-use disposal. The device incorporates a disposable pump assembly, hoses, and nozzle that can be discarded after a single patient contact, eliminating the need for sterilization and reducing healthcare facility infrastructure requirements. The low cost of the disposable unit makes the waste generation economically acceptable compared to the benefits of improved hygiene and eliminated cross-contamination risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable design extracts the critical hygiene-sensitive components (pump assembly, hoses, nozzle) as separate replaceable units that can be discarded after use. This extraction allows the expensive battery and control mechanisms to remain reusable while discarding the contamination-prone components, reducing overall waste and improving cost-effectiveness by maintaining only the essential non-disposable elements in the final product.
4Ease of operation
If a one-way valve trigger mechanism is used, then ease of operation is improved, but pressure control flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The trigger mechanism incorporates a one-way valve that dynamically adapts to user input while maintaining ease of operation. The valve allows free flow in the direction of the trigger press (providing easy operation) but prevents backflow and maintains pressure control when the trigger is released. This dynamic behavior enables the simple trigger operation to translate into controlled pressure delivery while preserving flexibility for different washing scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The one-way valve acts as an intermediary between the simple trigger mechanism and the pressure control system. It translates the binary trigger input into controlled unidirectional flow, maintaining ease of operation while providing pressure flexibility through the valve's flow control characteristics. The valve mediates between the simplicity of the trigger and the need for adaptable pressure delivery by using its inherent flow characteristics.
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
Enables targeted wound washing with variable pressure, prevents cross-contamination, is cost-effective, and disposable, suitable for various surgical and open wound treatments without altering the wound's granulation process.
Implementation Method 1
a pump that is operatively connected to the battery that is housed within the housing
Implementation Method 2
an internal trigger mechanism that is a one way valve that is housed within the handle section
Data Source
AI summary
A manual and battery powered wound washing gun that is comprised of a gun housing that has a handle section and a barrel section, a reservoir that is housed within the barrel section, a battery that is housed within the housing, a pump that is operatively connected to the battery that is housed within the housing, an internal trigger mechanism that is a one way valve that is housed within the handle section, a nozzle that is attached to a front section of the barrel section, a first hose that is configured to inject a sterile liquid into the pump, a second hose that takes the sterile liquid into reservoir from the pump, a third hose that takes the sterile liquid from the reservoir to the internal trigger mechanism, a fourth hose that takes the sterile liquid to the nozzle from internal trigger mechanism.