Urinary Catheter Assembly with Folded Bag and Hydrophilic Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Urinary catheter assemblies are cumbersome and difficult to handle, especially for individuals with mobility issues, due to their length and the need for frequent disposal, and existing hydrophilic coatings are not suitable for indwelling catheters as they become adhesive over time.
Innovation Solution
A compact urinary catheter assembly with a collecting bag integrated into a package that includes a container and a cover, where the collecting bag is folded and coiled around the catheter, reducing length and providing a handle, and a hydrophilic coating with a liquid medium to maintain low friction, along with a screw-threaded joint for easy handling and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the catheter assembly includes a collecting bag connected to the catheter for urine collection, then the usability and convenience are improved, but the length and bulkiness increase making it troublesome to handle and dispose
Solution Approach 1:
The collecting bag is folded and coiled around the catheter, with the catheter passing through the bag's compartment. This nesting arrangement allows the bag to be compactly stored within the package while maintaining full functionality when deployed, effectively reducing the assembly's length and bulkiness for handling and disposal.
Solution Approach 2:
The collecting bag is configured with a three-dimensional compartment structure that can be folded and coiled in multiple directions. By utilizing spatial folding and coiling in different dimensions, the bag transitions from an extended linear form to a compact cylindrical shape that fits around the catheter, reducing overall length while preserving volume capacity.
2Ease of operation
If hydrophilic coating is applied to the catheter to reduce friction for easy insertion, then the ease of insertion is improved, but the coating becomes adhesive when left in the body for a longer period
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter employs different surface treatments in different regions: the insertable tip portion has a hydrophilic coating for low friction during insertion, while the indwelling portion has a different surface treatment that prevents adhesion to mucosa during prolonged residence. This local differentiation allows the catheter to satisfy both insertion ease and long-term reliability requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter surface properties are changed along its length, with the hydrophilic coating applied only to the insertable portion and alternative surface treatments applied to the indwelling portion. This parameter change in surface characteristics along the catheter's length enables the insertable part to be low-friction while the indwelling part remains non-adhesive.
3Volume of moving object
If the package forms an overlap where the cavity partly covers the accommodation, then the compactness is improved, but the packaging complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The package structure merges the container and cover into an integrated assembly where the cover forms a cavity that overlaps with the container's accommodation. This merging creates a compact unified package where the collecting bag folded around the catheter fits efficiently, reducing overall volume while the overlapping design simplifies the sealing and assembly process.
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 assembly is more compact, easier to handle, and reduces the risk of adhesive issues with the hydrophilic coating, providing a convenient and hygienic solution for users, particularly those with limited dexterity or mobility.
Implementation Method 1
hydrophilic coated catheters which are subsequently wetted by a swelling medium in order to produce a low friction surface
Implementation Method 2
the collecting bag is folded and coiled around the catheter, reducing length and providing a handle
Implementation Method 3
along with a screw-threaded joint for easy handling and assembly
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention provides a urinary catheter assembly which comprises at least one urinary catheter for collecting urine from a body opening and a collecting bag connected to the catheter, in a way that a urinary flow can be established in a flow path from the catheter into the bag. The assembly further comprises a catheter package with a container and a cover. The container forms an accommodation for an insertable part of the catheter, and the cover forms a cavity for the collecting bag. The cover is releasably fixed to the container. Furthermore, the package forms an overlap in which the cavity partly covers the accommodation.