External Urine Collection Sleeve with Liquid-Tight Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing urinary incontinence treatments for female hospital patients, such as indwelling catheters, are invasive, lead to urinary tract infections, and are uncomfortable and inconvenient, especially for elderly and overweight patients, while alternative external systems are not designed for mobility and can cause skin irritation.
Innovation Solution
An external urine collection system comprising a sleeve adhered to the user's body around the urethral orifice, a removably connected cup with a collection chamber, and a liquid-tight seal, allowing urine to flow into a collection container without inserting components into the urethra, using adhesives like hydrogel or silicone-based materials and a flexible design for comfort and mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If indwelling catheters are used to treat urinary incontinence, then urine collection is effective, but the risk of urinary tract infection increases and patient comfort decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the urine collection function into two separate components: an external collection bag that adheres to the perineal area and an internal insert that can be removed for cleaning. This segmentation allows effective urine collection while eliminating the need for urethral insertion, thereby reducing infection risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the collection function from the urethra and places it externally on the perineal area. By taking out the collection bag from the internal urethral route and positioning it externally, the system maintains collection effectiveness while eliminating the harmful effect of urethral catheterization.
2Reliability
If indwelling catheters are inserted, then urine collection is reliable, but the insertion procedure becomes invasive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into an external collection bag and a removable internal insert. This allows the collection bag to be applied externally without invasive urethral insertion, while the insert can be easily removed and reinserted for cleaning, greatly simplifying the overall operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The collection function is extracted from the urethra and placed externally. The insert portion can be easily removed from the collection bag for cleaning and reinserted when needed, eliminating the complexity of traditional catheter insertion while maintaining collection reliability.
3Ease of operation
If external collection bags are adhesively attached to the body, then patient mobility is improved, but skin irritation occurs due to urine contact
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the collection function into an external adhesive bag and a removable insert. The insert can be removed for thorough cleaning and inspection, ensuring that urine does not remain in contact with the skin, thereby preventing irritation while maintaining mobility benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert can be removed, cleaned, inspected, and reinserted as needed. This allows for regular maintenance and cleaning of the insert, preventing urine accumulation that could cause skin irritation, while the adhesive bag remains in place to maintain patient mobility.
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 system reduces the risk of urinary tract infections, is easier to install than indwelling catheters, provides comfort and mobility, and allows for easy cleaning and inspection without removing the adhesive, minimizing skin discomfort and infection risk.
Implementation Method 1
The interface surface can be configured to be secured via an adhesive to an external surface of the female user
Implementation Method 2
A liquid tight seal can be formed by a male connector that is removably joined with the female connector
Data Source
AI summary
An external urine collection system for collecting urine excreted by a user through the user's external urethral orifice includes a urinary assembly having a sleeve and a cup that define a collection chamber. The sleeve can be attached to an area around the user's external urethral orifice by an adhesive. The cup can be coupled to the sleeve through a male connector and female connector that form a liquid tight seal between the sleeve and the cup. An outlet is defined by at least one of the sleeve and the cup for draining urine excreted by the user into the urinary assembly.