External Female Catheter Suction Regulator for Safe Urine Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing external female catheter systems face challenges in efficiently removing urine from female patients without risking injury to delicate tissues due to insufficient flow at low vacuum pressures and the risk of increased vacuum pressure causing harm.
Innovation Solution
The development of an external female catheter system integrated with a suction regulator that provides a safe and effective means of urine removal by allowing higher flow rates at low suction pressures, minimizing the risk of tissue injury.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If higher vacuum pressure is used to increase urine flow rate, then urine removal efficiency is improved, but the risk of tissue injury increases
Solution Approach 1:
A suction regulator is introduced as an intermediary device between the suction source and the external catheter. The regulator includes a flow control mechanism with an adjustable orifice that mediates the suction force, allowing the system to operate at lower vacuum pressures while maintaining adequate urine flow rates through optimized flow path design and controlled suction regulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operating parameters by using lower vacuum pressures (e.g., 20-40 mmHg) compared to traditional high vacuum systems. The suction regulator dynamically adjusts the suction pressure parameter to maintain optimal flow rates without exceeding safe tissue pressure thresholds, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and harm reduction.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If lower vacuum pressure is used to reduce tissue injury risk, then safety is improved, but urine flow rate becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The suction regulator acts as a flow control intermediary that optimizes the relationship between suction pressure and urine flow. By incorporating a precisely controlled orifice and flow path design, the regulator enables adequate urine removal at low vacuum pressures, eliminating the need to choose between safety and effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes pneumatic principles through the suction regulator's flow control mechanism. The adjustable orifice creates controlled pressure differentials that optimize urine flow through the catheter at low vacuum pressures, demonstrating how pneumatic flow control can resolve the contradiction between safety and productivity.
3Device complexity
If conventional suction systems are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but flow rate at low pressure becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The suction regulator merges multiple functions into a single integrated device: flow control, pressure regulation, and suction delivery. This consolidation maintains relative simplicity while achieving superior flow rates at low pressures, as the combined design eliminates the need for separate flow control components.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction regulator changes the system's pressure-flow parameters through its controlled orifice design. By optimizing the orifice size and shape, the device achieves high flow rates at low vacuum pressures, transforming the conventional suction system's performance characteristics without adding significant 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
The integrated system achieves efficient urine removal with reduced risk of tissue injury, ensuring safe and effective operation by maintaining a controlled suction level.
Implementation Method 1
Regulated suction from the suction source applied through the central passageway of the elongated suction tube to the chamber draws urine voided by the female through the cover into the chamber and from there through the elongated suction tube out of the proximal end of the suction tube for collection
Data Source
AI summary
System and methods for automatically removing by suction urine voided by a female. The systems include an external catheter and a suction regulator for providing regulated suction to the external catheter. The external catheter includes a suction tube, a fluid pervious cover, a malleable wire, and a positioning member. The cover is mounted on a portion of the elongated suction tube at a desired position by the positioning member and is applied at the female's urethra opening to receive urine voided by the female, whereupon urine from the external female catheter passes through the cover into the suction tube, from which it is carried by suction out of the external catheter for collection. The malleable wire enables the external to conform to the anatomy of the female.