Y-Connector Hydrogel Delivery for Intermittent Clog Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing delivery devices face issues with unintended clogging and inability to customize the shape and placement of materials like hydrogels due to continuous injection requirements, limiting their application to specific patient anatomy.
Innovation Solution
The delivery device incorporates a Y-connector with access ports and movable/static mixers, allowing for intermittent injection and clearance of clogs, enabling customizable material placement and preventing clogging through a combination of shear-thinning hydrogels and self-healing properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous injection is required to prevent clogging, then material delivery reliability is improved, but flexibility in customization of material placement is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery device enables intermittent injection by incorporating access ports that allow periodic interruption of the injection process. The shear-thinning hydrogel material can be injected in pulses rather than continuously, allowing the operator to pause, reposition, or adjust material placement while preventing clog formation through periodic flow resumption.
2Ease of operation
If access ports are added to enable clearance of clogs, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery device is segmented into multiple functional components with access ports positioned at specific locations along the injection path. This segmentation allows targeted access to different sections of the device for clog clearance while maintaining overall system integration. The access ports are strategically placed to enable clearance of clogs at critical points without requiring complete device disassembly.
3Productivity
If shear-thinning hydrogels are used to prevent needle clogging, then productivity is improved, but control over material shape retention is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrogel material exhibits parameter changes in its rheological properties in response to shear stress. During injection, high shear stress reduces viscosity for easy flow through the needle. Upon delivery to the target site, the removal of shear stress triggers a transition to higher viscosity, enabling the material to retain its injected shape and position. This parameter change resolves the contradiction between injection efficiency and shape retention.
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 customizable material placement and prevents clogging, allowing for controlled injection and removal of clogs, enhancing the efficiency and flexibility of hydrogel delivery.
Implementation Method 1
Hydrogels with shear-thinning properties are known which undergo a reversible gel-sol transition upon the application of shear stress
Implementation Method 2
the hydrogels returning to their original properties once mechanical load (shear stress) is removed
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery device comprises a first syringe, a second syringe, a needle or a tube, and a Y-connector that includes at least one access port.