Flushable Catheter with Grooved Funnel for Single-Flush Disposal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flushable catheters often fail to be fully disposed of in toilets due to buoyancy issues, sinking, or insufficient water force, leading to incomplete flushing and potential plumbing problems, especially in public restrooms with low-flow toilets, and raise environmental concerns due to non-biodegradable materials.
Innovation Solution
A flushable catheter assembly with a catheter shaft and a funnel or introducer cap assembly featuring grooves and channels that secure the catheter for easy disposal, made from water-disintegrable materials that break down in the sewage system, aiding in navigation through plumbing with compact configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the catheter is made from non-biodegradable polymeric materials to maintain structural integrity during use, then the catheter maintains sufficient strength and durability, but flushing it down the toilet causes plumbing clogging and environmental harm
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter material undergoes parameter changes in response to water exposure. The polymer composition is modified to include water-soluble components that remain stable during use but degrade when exposed to flushing water, transforming the material properties from non-biodegradable to biodegradable without compromising initial structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter is constructed from composite materials combining water-soluble polymers with reinforcing agents. This composite structure provides the necessary mechanical strength during use while ensuring complete degradation and dissolution in the sewage system, eliminating plumbing clogging risks
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the catheter is made from water-disintegrable materials to enable flushing disposal, then environmental impact is reduced, but the catheter may sink or fail to be carried down the toilet due to buoyancy issues
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter design incorporates buoyancy control features that counteract the sinking tendency of water-disintegrable materials. The funnel assembly and catheter shaft configuration create upward buoyant forces that prevent the catheter from sinking in the toilet bowl, ensuring it is carried down the plumbing system during flushing
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter is divided into functional segments with different density characteristics. The funnel assembly and shaft portions are configured to work together as a system where the overall buoyancy is optimized for flushing disposal, with the grooves and channels facilitating proper orientation and movement through the plumbing system
3Ease of operation
If the catheter is made from water-disintegrable materials to enable flushing disposal, then complete disposal in toilet is achieved, but the catheter may remain in the toilet bowl due to insufficient water force, requiring multiple flushes
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is pre-configured with grooves and channels that guide water flow and facilitate movement through the plumbing system. The funnel assembly geometry is designed to optimize water interaction, creating preparatory conditions that enable single-flush disposal without requiring multiple flushing actions
4Productivity
If the catheter shaft is wrapped around the funnel assembly for compact configuration, then disposal efficiency is improved, but the structure becomes more complex requiring grooves and channels for securing
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter shaft is nested within the funnel assembly structure, with the shaft wrapping around the funnel and being secured through integrated grooves and channels. This nesting configuration creates a compact package that improves disposal efficiency while the grooves and channels are formed as integral parts of the funnel assembly, minimizing additional 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
Ensures complete disposal of catheters in toilets by enhancing buoyancy and water interaction, reducing the need for multiple flushes and minimizing environmental impact through biodegradable materials.
Implementation Method 1
made from water-disintegrable materials that break down in the sewage system
Implementation Method 2
enhancing buoyancy and water interaction
Data Source
AI summary
A flushable catheter assembly includes a catheter shaft having proximal and distal end portions. The catheter may include a funnel assembly associated with the distal end portion of the catheter shaft and/or an introducer cap assembly associated with the proximal end portion of the catheter shaft. A groove is defined along at least a portion of an outer perimeter of the funnel assembly or introducer cap assembly, with the groove being configured to receive at least a portion of the catheter shaft for wrapping the catheter shaft around the outer perimeter when disposing of the catheter. Instead of (or in addition to) a groove, one or more channels may pass through the funnel assembly to receive a portion of the catheter shaft for securing the catheter shaft to the funnel assembly for disposal. The catheter assembly and/or its individual components may be formed of a water disintegrable material.