Bodily Fluid Drainage Assembly with Segmented Opaque Cover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bodily fluid drainage assemblies lack an efficient method to obscure the visibility of collected fluid while allowing for the determination of fluid volume without direct visualization, which is essential for maintaining patient dignity and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a bodily fluid drainage assembly with a fluid bag and multiple covers, where the covers are designed to obscure the fluid while allowing volume determination through graduations and removable sections, enabling the fluid level to be assessed without direct viewing, using materials like polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane, and featuring RF welding or heat sealing techniques for assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the fluid bag is made transparent to allow direct viewing of fluid, then fluid visibility is improved, but patient dignity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The front face of the fluid bag is segmented into transparent and opaque portions, allowing different regions to serve different functions: the transparent portion enables fluid level monitoring while the opaque portion maintains patient dignity by obscuring the fluid contents.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the fluid bag have different optical properties: the front face includes both transparent and opaque portions, while the rear face is entirely opaque. This local differentiation allows the bag to simultaneously provide visibility where needed and privacy where required.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the entire fluid bag is made opaque to maintain patient dignity, then patient dignity is improved, but fluid volume determination becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The front face is divided into transparent and opaque portions, with the transparent portion positioned to allow viewing of fluid level indicators and volume measurements while the opaque portions maintain overall privacy.
Solution Approach 2:
Volume indicators and measurement markings are introduced as intermediary elements that enable accurate fluid volume determination through the transparent portion without requiring direct viewing of the entire fluid contents.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple covers are added to obscure fluid visibility, then patient dignity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The obscuring function is merged directly into the fluid bag structure through opaque portions of the front and rear faces, eliminating the need for separate cover components while maintaining patient dignity.
Solution Approach 2:
The front face serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, enables fluid level monitoring through its transparent portion, and maintains patient dignity through its opaque portion. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components.
Data Source
AI summary
A bodily fluid drainage assembly can include a fluid bag and one or more covers. The assembly can include one or more volume indicators from which an approximate volume of a bodily fluid that is retained within can be ascertained. In some arrangements, a cover includes a volume indicator that defines an opening through which a transparent or semitransparent portion of the bag can be viewed.