Catheter Handle Cavity for Compact Urine Bag Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current urinary catheter kits are bulkier than desired, difficult to use, and require additional retention elements, making them expensive and complicated, with urine collection bags often needing to be folded multiple times and requiring extra assembly steps.
Innovation Solution
A urinary catheter kit design featuring a handle with a cavity that houses a compacted urine collection bag, eliminating the need for separate retention elements and allowing the bag to be easily unfolded for use, with a backflow prohibiting element to prevent urine from flowing back into the catheter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the urine collection bag is provided inside a package alongside the urinary catheter, then the kit can be compact, but the bag requires multiple folds and retention elements (clips or rubber bands) which increase weight, size, cost and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is designed to integrate both the catheter connection function and the urine collection bag retention function. The cavity within the handle houses the compacted urine collection bag, eliminating the need for separate retention elements like clips or rubber bands. This merging of functions reduces device complexity while maintaining compact kit size.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle serves multiple purposes: it connects to the catheter shaft, provides a grip for the user, and acts as a container with a cavity to house the urine collection bag. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional retention elements, reducing both complexity and cost while keeping the kit compact.
2Stability of the object's composition
If retention elements (clips or rubber bands) are added to retain the urine collection bag in compact storage, then the bag can be secured, but the kit becomes more expensive and complicated to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The handle's cavity structure combines the retention function with the existing handle design. The cavity naturally secures the compacted urine collection bag through its geometric constraints, eliminating the need for separate retention elements. This integration simplifies manufacturing while ensuring stable bag retention during storage and transport.
3Quantity of substance
If the urine collection bag is made large enough to hold sufficient urine, then the bag capacity is adequate, but the bag becomes bulky and difficult to store compactly alongside the catheter
Solution Approach 1:
The urine collection bag is nested within the cavity of the handle when in compact storage form. The bag can be fully extended for use to hold sufficient urine, but when not in use, it folds into a compact configuration that fits inside the handle's cavity, effectively hiding the bag within the handle structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The urine collection bag transitions between two states: a compact folded state for storage within the handle cavity, and an extended state for actual urine collection. This dynamic transformation allows the bag to provide adequate capacity when needed while maintaining a compact footprint during storage and transport.
4Reliability
If the external package is made thicker and more resilient to protect the catheter, then the catheter is better protected, but the overall kit becomes bulkier
Solution Approach 1:
The handle serves as both the catheter connector and the protective housing for the urine collection bag. The cavity within the handle provides protection for the bag while the handle itself maintains the necessary structural integrity. This eliminates the need for a separate thick external protective package, reducing overall kit size while maintaining catheter and bag protection.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a urinary catheter kit and a method for manufacturing the urinary catheter kit. The urinary catheter kit comprises a urinary catheter with a catheter shaft extending along an axial direction, at least one eyelet arranged at a proximal insertion end, and a handle arranged at an opposite distal end of the catheter shaft, wherein said handle defines a cavity. The catheter kit further comprises a urine collection bag made of a flexible material. The urine collection bag has a collection bag opening which is attached to the handle so as to enable the urine collection bag to communicate with a central lumen of the catheter shaft via said handle. Wherein the urine collection bag, in a storage state, is compacted and at least partially housed inside the cavity of the handle.