Breast Prosthesis Filling Channel Sealing with Flapper Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for sealing the filling channel in breast prosthesis manufacturing are problematic due to residual silicone material and inefficiencies in sealing during thermal curing, which can interfere with the welding process.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a flapper valve formed from strip-shaped plastic foil pieces that protrude into the inner space to prevent silicone from entering the filling channel after injection, combined with a support tube for injecting the curable mass and a venting pipe for removing air, ensuring the channel is sealed during curing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal or ultrasonic welding is used to seal the filling channel directly after injection, then the filling channel is sealed before thermal curing, but residual silicone material inside the filling channel interferes with the sealing process
Solution Approach 1:
A check valve is installed in the filling channel before injection to prevent silicone material from entering the channel during injection. This preliminary protective measure eliminates the need for complex post-injection sealing operations and avoids interference from residual material, thereby improving both sealing reliability and manufacturing ease
Solution Approach 2:
The check valve acts as an intermediary component between the injection system and the filling channel. It allows controlled flow during injection while blocking reverse flow, preventing silicone material contamination in the channel and simplifying the subsequent sealing process
2Productivity
If the filling channel is sealed after the curing process, then sealing is performed late, but this proves potentially problematic due to residual silicone material inside the filling channel
Solution Approach 1:
The check valve is installed beforehand to prevent silicone material entry during injection, ensuring the filling channel remains clean. This allows safe and effective sealing operations whether performed before or after curing, eliminating the risks associated with residual material
3Reliability
If a check valve is added to prevent silicone from entering the filling channel, then material leakage is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The check valve is constructed from flexible plastic foil pieces that are welded to the shell components. These thin-film elements form simple flapper-style valves that open during injection to allow material flow but automatically close to prevent reverse flow, providing reliable material containment with minimal structural complexity
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
This method effectively prevents silicone from leaking back into the filling channel, reducing the need for additional sealing measures and ensuring a leak-tight inner space without residual material interference, enhancing the manufacturing process's ease and safety.
Implementation Method 1
inner and outer plastic foils that are welded together along a common circumference to form a circumferential welding seam
Implementation Method 2
curing the fluid curable mass inside the inner space to form the filler material; the curing may be a thermal curing that is effected by the application of heat to the curable fluid mass
Implementation Method 3
the filling channel is provided with a check valve to prevent fluid curable mass from entering the filling channel after injection
Implementation Method 4
the check valve is a flapper valve formed from a pair of plastic foil pieces that are attached to the inner and outer plastic foils and protrude into the inner space from the filling channel
Implementation Method 5
the curing may be a thermal curing that is effected by the application of heat to the curable fluid mass
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a breast prosthesis, comprising: providing and superimposing inner and outer plastic foils; welding together the plastic foils to form the circumferential welding seam, thereby leaving a gap to form a filling channel connecting the inner space to an outside; filling the inner space with a fluid curable mass, which is a precursor of the filler material, by injecting the fluid curable mass into the inner space through the filling channel; and curing the fluid curable mass inside the inner space to form the filler material; wherein the filling channel is provided with a check valve to prevent fluid curable mass from entering the filling channel after injection. The invention additionally proposes a breast prosthesis made by such method.