Adjustable Micturition Cup with Slide Plate for In-Flight Voiding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Female pilots face uncomfortable and risky options when needing to void bodily fluids mid-flight, including the use of diapers that cause tissue maceration or the risk of urinary tract infections from holding urine.
Innovation Solution
A micturition device and system that includes a micturition cup configured to encircle vaginal anatomy, a slide plate with a fitting for fluid evacuation, and a garment with a slide track for adjustable positioning, along with a disposable tube and vacuum system for safe and hygienic fluid removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a pilot uses a diaper to void bodily fluid mid-flight, then the pilot can empty the bladder, but the pilot endures discomfort and risks tissue maceration from prolonged moisture exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful moisture from the contact between the bladder and the pilot's body by introducing a collection cup that captures urine as it exits the urethra, preventing direct contact with skin and thereby eliminating tissue maceration while maintaining easy bladder voiding capability
Solution Approach 2:
The collection cup acts as an intermediary device between the urethra and the external environment, capturing urine flow and directing it into a collection container, thereby mediating the voiding process to avoid direct skin contact with moisture while preserving operational ease
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a pilot holds urine mid-flight, then the pilot avoids discomfort from moisture exposure, but the pilot risks urinary tract infection
Solution Approach 1:
The collection cup system enables self-service bladder voiding during flight by providing a passive collection mechanism that automatically captures urine as it exits the urethra, allowing the pilot to empty the bladder without active intervention while avoiding both moisture exposure and infection risk
Solution Approach 2:
The collection cup is positioned and ready to receive urine before voiding occurs, with the cup already in place to capture the urine flow as soon as it exits the urethra, preventing both skin contact and urinary retention while eliminating the need for mid-void adjustments
3Quantity of substance
If a pilot dehydrates to avoid mid-flight voiding, then the pilot maintains hydration levels, but the pilot suffers negative impacts on energy, cognition, and judgement
Solution Approach 1:
The collection cup system provides automatic, passive bladder emptying that requires minimal pilot intervention, enabling frequent hydration and voiding during flight without the cognitive burden of monitoring bladder fullness or manually managing voiding, thereby maintaining both hydration levels and cognitive function
Data Source
AI summary
A micturition device for fluid removal. The micturition device includes a micturition cup configured to encircle a user's urethra and vaginal anatomy and to facilitate evacuating a fluid from the micturition cup. The micturition cup is joined to a slide plate to form a common flow passage from the micturition cup through the slide plate. A garment, configured to be worn over a pelvic area, includes a slide track. The slide plate slidably engages with the slide track to allow a user to adjust a position of the micturition device relative to the user's vaginal anatomy in a seated or laying position and/or on the positioning of a seat. Also, a method of using the micturition device. Further, a micturition system for evacuating and receiving a fluid from the micturition device.