Bistable Support Collar for Ostomy Coupling Profile
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ostomy coupling designs with flexible collars, while reducing discomfort during post-operative care, face issues of increased profile height and sagging, which are exacerbated by the need for greater force to maintain the coupling part away from the adhesive wafer, making them inconvenient for everyday use, especially for elderly or less dextrous ostomates.
Innovation Solution
A bistable flexible support collar made of plastics film that allows the coupling part to be stably held in both an extended position for relieving attachment force and a retracted position to resist sagging, maintaining a low profile without requiring continuous pulling force, thus addressing the conflicting desiderata of prior art designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a flexible collar is used to allow the coupling part to float away from the adhesive wafer, then discomfort during post-operative care is reduced, but the profile height increases and sagging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is designed with dynamic flexibility to allow temporary displacement of the coupling part during application, then automatically returns to a low-profile stable position during use, combining the benefits of both floating and fixed designs
Solution Approach 2:
The collar material properties are optimized to provide sufficient flexibility for displacement but adequate stiffness to maintain low profile, changing the physical parameters of the material to resolve the contradiction between floating capability and profile height
2Length of stationary object
If the stiffness of the flexible collar is increased to reduce sagging and maintain low profile, then profile height is reduced, but greater force is required to displace the coupling part, increasing discomfort to the skin
Solution Approach 1:
The collar exhibits dynamic mechanical properties that allow easy displacement during application but maintain structural stability during use, with the material's effective stiffness changing based on the operational state
Solution Approach 2:
The collar uses composite material construction combining materials with different mechanical properties to achieve both flexibility for displacement and stiffness for maintaining profile, resolving the contradiction between ease of displacement and profile maintenance
3Length of stationary object
If the flexible collar is made thinner to reduce profile height, then profile height is reduced, but the collar becomes less effective at supporting the coupling part, increasing sagging
Solution Approach 1:
The collar utilizes thin film technology with optimized geometric structure and material properties to provide adequate support stability while maintaining low profile height, demonstrating that thin films can achieve both reduced thickness and maintained functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The collar incorporates curved and folded geometric structures that increase structural rigidity and support capability without increasing the linear thickness, allowing thin profile while maintaining support stability
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
The bistable support collar effectively reduces discomfort by allowing easy manual bracing of the coupling part without continuous force application, maintaining a low profile and preventing sagging, enhancing usability for both post-operative care and everyday use.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible collar comprises plastics film and has bistable shapes. The collar is configured to hold the coupling part stably in (i) an extended position spaced from the adhesive wafer, and (ii) in a retracted position close to the adhesive wafer.
Data Source
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AI summary
An ostomy coupling is disclosed comprising a floatable coupling part. The coupling part is supported with respect to an adhesive wafer by means of a flexible support collar that permits displacement of the coupling part in a floatable manner. The flexible collar comprises plastics film and has bistable shapes. The collar is configured to hold the coupling part stably in (i) an extended position spaced from the adhesive wafer, to facilitate an ostomate to manually brace the coupling part in order to relieve the attachment force when an ostomy appliance is press fitted to the coupling part, and (ii) in a retracted position close to the adhesive wafer.