External Catheter Harness with Aeration Tube for Leakage and Irritation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current external catheters for male incontinence are often uncomfortable, prone to leakage, cause skin irritation, and are not adaptable to varying penis sizes, leading to ineffective urine collection and potential infections.
Innovation Solution
An external catheter design featuring a harness with adjustable straps and an aeration tube to secure the catheter in place, providing a flexible and leak-proof seal, and allowing for air circulation to prevent irritation and infection, while accommodating different penis sizes with a customizable fit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a one-size-fits-all catheter design is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but the seal reliability deteriorates for men with varying penis sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter incorporates an adjustable harness system with straps that can be configured to fit different penis sizes and body types. The harness includes adjustable components that allow dynamic adaptation to individual user needs, maintaining a secure seal across varying anatomical dimensions while preserving manufacturing simplicity through a modular design approach.
2Reliability
If the catheter is made secure and leak-proof, then urine collection reliability is improved, but air circulation is reduced causing moisture buildup
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter design incorporates localized ventilation features such as air vents or breathable zones in specific areas of the catheter structure. This allows targeted air circulation in regions where moisture accumulation occurs, maintaining overall seal integrity for leak-proof urine collection while preventing localized moisture buildup and skin irritation through strategic ventilation placement.
3Reliability
If the catheter is secured tightly to prevent dislodging, then collection reliability is improved, but comfort and blood flow are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The harness system incorporates adjustable straps and fastening mechanisms that can be tuned to provide secure attachment without excessive tightness. The dynamic adjustment capability allows the catheter to be firmly secured for reliable urine collection while maintaining sufficient comfort and blood flow by preventing overly restrictive constriction through user-adjustable tension control.
4Ease of operation
If conventional external catheters are used, then ease of operation is maintained, but adaptability to different body types and penis sizes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter system incorporates an adjustable harness with multiple straps and fastening options that can be configured to accommodate various penis sizes and body types. This dynamic adjustment capability maintains ease of operation through simple user-friendly mechanisms while significantly improving adaptability to different anatomical dimensions, allowing secure fitting across a wide range of user specifications.
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 design ensures a secure, comfortable, and leak-free urine collection system that is reusable and easy to use, reducing the risk of skin irritation and infection, and allowing for greater mobility without dislodging the catheter.
Implementation Method 1
an aeration tube to secure the catheter in place, providing a flexible and leak-proof seal, and allowing for air circulation to prevent irritation and infection
Data Source
AI summary
A harness has a harness body, a belt strap, two leg straps, a small opening to slidably accommodate an aeration tube, and a larger opening to accommodate a catheter sleeve. The catheter sleeve has a length of cylindrical body which has a tapered end and a flexible end that extends though the harness body about a half inch. The one end of the aeration tube extends into the catheter sleeve cylindrical body through the small opening to provide aeration into the catheter sleeve, and the other end extends slidably through the small opening in the harness body.