Catheter Gripping Device for Urinary Pouch Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current urinary catheterization methods require significant dexterity and grip strength, making it difficult or impossible for individuals with limited strength or dexterity, such as quadriplegics or those with low grip strength, to self-catheterize without the catheter retracting into the pouch due to fluid pressure or weight.
Innovation Solution
A gripping device with a gripper assembly comprising first and second gripper members that define a catheter pathway, allowing the catheter to be gripped through the pouch walls, providing a mechanical advantage to prevent retraction and facilitate catheter advancement, with pincher points and lever-like action to enhance grip strength without damaging the catheter or pouch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the catheter is heavily lubricated to facilitate insertion, then the catheter can be easily inserted into the urethra, but the catheter becomes slippery and difficult to grip, requiring excessive grip strength and dexterity that may be impossible for users with limited strength
Solution Approach 1:
The pouch walls act as an intermediary gripping surface between the user's fingers and the slippery catheter. The catheter is gripped indirectly through the pouch material, which provides friction and grip without requiring the user to directly grasp the lubricated catheter surface. This mediator approach allows users with limited grip strength to effectively control the catheter during insertion.
2Reliability
If the user continuously grips the catheter to prevent retraction into the pouch, then the catheter remains positioned for voiding, but the process becomes extremely difficult or impossible for users with limited dexterity or strength
Solution Approach 1:
The pouch structure itself provides the gripping function needed to prevent catheter retraction. By gripping the pouch walls rather than directly manipulating the catheter, the system uses the pouch as a self-serving mechanism that maintains catheter position without requiring continuous active gripping by the user. This reduces the operational difficulty while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If two hands are used to accomplish catheterization with proper dexterity, then the catheter can be advanced without retraction, but the procedure becomes impossible for quadriplegic or high paraplegic users who lack hand function
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the need for manual dexterity and hand-based manipulation with a mechanical system involving pouch wall gripping. Instead of requiring coordinated hand movements to grasp and advance the catheter, the user simply needs to grip the pouch walls, which mechanically transmit the force to advance the catheter. This substitution makes the procedure accessible to users with limited hand function.
4Reliability
If the catheter is held between pouch walls to resist movement back into the pouch, then the catheter position is maintained during insertion, but the grip strength required exceeds the capability of users with low grip strength
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping action is transferred from the linear dimension of direct finger-to-catheter contact to a different dimensional approach where the user grips the pouch walls which then transmit force to the catheter. This dimensional change in the gripping mechanism allows users with limited hand strength to effectively control catheter position through the intermediary pouch structure.
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 individuals with limited dexterity or strength to securely grip and advance the urinary catheter out of the pouch, reducing the risk of retraction and improving the self-catheterization process by distributing grip force effectively.
Implementation Method 1
The catheter is gripped between the walls of the pouch advanced out of the pouch and into the urethra
Implementation Method 2
Catheters are normally heavily lubricated and have to be gripped between the walls of the plastic pouch
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a urinary catheter gripping device for use with a urinary catheter located within a urinary catheter pouch. In one aspect, the urinary catheter pouch has a port defined in its exterior surface, whereby the port is in communication with the interior cavity of the urinary catheter pouch. In this aspect, the urinary catheter is substantially disposed therein the pouch and is configured to selectively pass therethrough the port. The gripping device can be positioned on the pouch at any convenient location that aids in the holding of the catheter.