Urinary Catheter System with Storage Bag

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing urinary catheter systems can be inconvenient and pose an infection risk due to the need to connect and disconnect urine collection bags, and they often lack resealable options, leading to urine spillage.

Innovation Solution

A urinary catheter system that includes a urinary catheter and a urine collection bag coupled via a hub, featuring an inlet opening for fluid communication, an outlet that transitions from a closed to an opened state for urine drainage, and a storage bag for secure containment in a storage state.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the user connects a urine collection bag to the catheter for drainage, then urine can be collected and stored, but the connection process is inconvenient and introduces infection risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinfection riskVSAvoidconnection convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into separate functional components: a catheter with hub, a urine collection bag, and a storage bag. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and reduces the complexity of connections, thereby minimizing infection risk while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The storage bag is designed to receive and contain both the catheter and the urine collection bag within it. This nesting arrangement consolidates multiple components into a single compact unit, eliminating the need for separate connections during storage and transport, thus reducing infection risk without compromising operational convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If the urine collection bag is disconnected from the catheter for storage, then mobility is improved, but the bag may not be resealable leading to urine spillage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemobility freedomVSAvoidurine spillage prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The storage bag is designed to receive and contain both the catheter and the urine collection bag within it. This nesting arrangement consolidates multiple components into a single compact unit, eliminating the need for separate connections during storage and transport, thus reducing infection risk without compromising operational convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs a disposable storage bag that is used once and then discarded. This eliminates the need for complex resealing mechanisms, ensuring that urine cannot spill during storage while maintaining user mobility. The disposable nature also prevents cross-contamination and infection risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Volume of moving object

If the urine collection bag is made compact for storage, then portability is improved, but the volume for urine collection is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage compactnessVSAvoidurine collection capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The storage bag is designed to receive and contain both the catheter and the urine collection bag within it. This nesting arrangement consolidates multiple components into a single compact unit, eliminating the need for separate connections during storage and transport, thus reducing infection risk without compromising operational convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The urine collection bag is designed to be dynamically expandable. In its stored state, it occupies minimal space within the storage bag. When in use, it can be unfolded and expanded to provide adequate urine collection capacity. This dynamic transformation allows the system to meet both portability and capacity requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250114231A1Urinary Catheter System

Publication Date: 2025.04.10 CR BARD INC

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a urinary catheter system including a urinary catheter, a drainage tube connecting the urinary catheter to a urine collection bag. The urine collection bag is configured to transition between a storage state and a usage state. The urine collection bag includes an intake port coupled to a first opening, an outlet, where the outlet is configured to transition from a closed state to an opened state to allow the volume of fluid to be displaced from the urine collection bag. A storage bag detachably coupled to the urine collection bag, the storage bag having a storage bag opening and configured to receive the male urinary catheter, the drainage tube, and the urine collection bag in the storage state.