External Male Catheter Dual Sheath Suction Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing external male catheters lack ease of installation, comfort, and watertight sealing, making them less effective in hospital and home healthcare environments for both nurses and patients.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an inner drainage sheath and an outer suction sheath with one-way ports, connected at the junction of their caps, allowing for secure fitting over the penis using suction to create a fluid-tight seal, with the inner sheath unrolled partially and the outer sheath unrolled further to ensure a snug fit, maintaining attachment without continuous suction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single sheath design is used, then the device structure is simple, but ease of installation and watertight sealing are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is divided into two distinct sheaths: an inner drainage sheath and an outer suction sheath. Each sheath serves a specific function - the inner sheath for urine drainage and the outer sheath for creating suction seal. This segmentation allows for improved ease of installation and sealing while maintaining manageable complexity through functional specialization.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner drainage sheath is nested within the outer suction sheath, with the inner sheath positioned inside the lumen of the outer sheath. This nested configuration allows the smaller inner sheath to benefit from the sealing action of the outer sheath while maintaining independent drainage functionality, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and performance.
2Reliability
If suction is applied continuously, then watertight sealing is maintained, but comfort and ease of operation deteriorate due to constant pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The suction mechanism operates periodically rather than continuously. The outer sheath creates suction to establish the seal during installation and when needed, rather than maintaining constant suction. This periodic action maintains reliable watertight sealing while significantly improving patient comfort by eliminating continuous pressure exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction function is discarded (deactivated) when not needed for sealing or drainage, and recovered (activated) when required. This allows the system to maintain reliability on demand while improving comfort during normal wear periods when suction is not actively applied.
3Reliability
If the sheath is made tight-fitting, then watertight sealing is achieved, but comfort deteriorates due to restricted movement and pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is segmented to the outer suction sheath only, while the inner drainage sheath provides a separate, less restrictive pathway for urine collection. This allows the outer sheath to be tight-fitting for sealing purposes without requiring the entire catheter system to be constrictive, thereby maintaining reliability while improving comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer suction sheath is designed with localized tight-fitting properties at the sealing interface with the penis, while the rest of the catheter body remains flexible and non-restrictive. This local quality approach achieves watertight sealing exactly where needed without subjecting the entire patient interface to uncomfortable pressure.
4Reliability
If a single drainage path is used, then the device structure is simple, but reliability deteriorates due to potential pooling and leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage system is segmented into two independent pathways: the inner drainage sheath for primary urine evacuation and the outer suction sheath for secondary sealing and suction-assisted drainage. This segmentation eliminates pooling and leakage risks by providing redundant drainage paths, achieving superior reliability while keeping each individual drainage path relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer suction sheath acts as an intermediary between the environment and the inner drainage sheath, creating a sealed environment that directs urine flow to the inner drainage path. This intermediary structure prevents leakage and pooling by ensuring all urine is funneled through the controlled inner drainage pathway.
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
This configuration enhances ease of installation, comfort, and watertight sealing, ensuring the catheter remains firmly attached and leak-proof during use, improving usability in healthcare settings.
Implementation Method 1
a source of vacuum coupled to the catheter to draw the penis into the catheter
Implementation Method 2
Reduced pressure is applied interiorly within a rigid catheter sleeve and a thin elastomeric sheath
Implementation Method 3
a thin elastomeric sheath, which in turn covers and applies the reduced pressure to the penis
Data Source
AI summary
An external male catheter comprising an inner drainage sheath configured to unrolled and fitted over a penis like a condom, and an attached outer suction sheath configured to be unrolled over the fitted drainage sheath. A one-way drainage port extends from the inner drainage sheath through the outer suction sheath in fluid-tight manner, and a one-way suction port extends from the outer suction sheath. Suction is selectively applied to both the drainage and suction ports as the catheter is applied, in order to assist with fitting and retention of the catheter.