Adjustable Breast Prosthesis Fluid Volume Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing breast prostheses lack the ability to be easily and cost-effectively adjusted to match individual user needs in terms of volume, which is crucial for comfort and natural feel, especially after surgical removal.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a breast prosthesis with a fluid space between two shell bodies, accessible through a valve, allowing for the insertion or removal of fluid, such as air or a crosslinkable liquid, to adjust volume, using deformable silicone rubber shell bodies and optional phase change materials or granules for improved comfort and heat regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If breast prostheses are made with fixed volume during manufacturing, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The breast prosthesis incorporates a fluid injection system that allows the volume to be dynamically adjusted after manufacturing. The prosthesis shell is designed with an injection port and internal fluid channels, enabling users to inject or remove fluid to achieve desired volume and shape, thus resolving the contradiction between fixed manufacturing precision and post-manufacturing adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of the prosthesis volume from a fixed manufacturing parameter to a variable operational parameter. By incorporating fluid injection capability, the volume can be modified after manufacturing without affecting the structural integrity or manufacturing precision of the shell itself.
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom-made breast prostheses are produced for each patient, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of manufacturing custom-volume prostheses for each patient, the invention provides a standardized prosthesis with adjustable volume through fluid injection. This dynamic adjustment capability allows a single manufacturing process to serve multiple patients with different volume requirements, significantly reducing production costs while maintaining individual adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The prosthesis design incorporates a universal fluid injection system that can be applied to a standardized prosthesis shell. This multi-functional design allows the same base product to be adapted to various patient needs through simple fluid injection, eliminating the need for expensive custom manufacturing for each individual.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the prosthesis shell is made rigid to maintain shape, then shape stability is improved, but comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The prosthesis shell is constructed from flexible materials that can deform and conform to the patient's body contours. This flexible shell design maintains shape stability when filled with fluid while simultaneously providing wearing comfort by adapting to individual body shapes and movements, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and flexibility.
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 user-adjustable volume of breast prostheses to match the size of remaining breasts or personal preference without expensive individual production, ensuring comfort and natural feel while preventing adhesion issues through the use of adhesion-reducing mediums.
Implementation Method 1
Phase-change materials serve to improve thermal regulation on the wearer's skin and are therefore preferably blended with the silicone rubber of the first shell body
Implementation Method 2
the fluid for volume adjustment can be a liquid, in particular a subsequently cross-linkable viscous liquid. A particularly suitable example includes a cross-linkable silicone fluid. In this case, the method can further comprise a step of subsequently cross-linking the liquid filled into the fluid space
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for volume adaptation of a breast prosthesis, wherein the breast prosthesis comprises a first shell body (10), a second shell body (20) connected circumferentially thereto, and a fluid chamber (30) arranged between the shell bodies. The fluid chamber is accessible from the outside by way of a passage provided having a valve (40), wherein the method comprises the following steps: (a) Inserting the breast prosthesis into a brassiere worn by a patient; (b) filling the fluid chamber with a fluid, or removing a fluid from the fluid chamber while the breast prosthesis is inserted in the brassiere worn by the patient.