Hinged Catheter Package Seal Integrity Under Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging for urinary catheters is wasteful, difficult to open for users with limited dexterity, prone to premature opening, and fails to maintain sterility under compression forces, leading to issues with resealing and disposal.
Innovation Solution
A compact catheter package with a hollow tube and a cap connected by a hinge, featuring a seal that maintains sterility and allows for easy opening and reclosing, with design elements like tabs, detents, and soft liners to resist vertical and lateral forces, ensuring reliable sealing and user-friendly operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional packages are used for catheters, then the catheter is protected during transport and storage, but the packages are difficult for users with limited dexterity to open and may break open prematurely
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is designed to pivot between closed and open positions around a hinge axis, transforming from a static sealed state to a dynamic accessible state. This rotational movement allows users with limited dexterity to easily open the package without compromising the sealed environment when closed
Solution Approach 2:
A hinge mechanism serves as an intermediary between the cap and case, enabling controlled movement while maintaining the seal when closed. The hinge allows the cap to rotate open for access while preserving the integrity of the sealing surface when in the closed position
2Volume of moving object
If the package is designed to be compact and portable, then it can be discreetly carried by the user, but it may be subjected to compression forces that could compromise the seal
Solution Approach 1:
The case is designed with a substantially cylindrical shape, which distributes compression forces uniformly around the structure. This curved geometry prevents stress concentration at corners or edges, maintaining seal integrity even when the compact package is subjected to compression forces during portable storage
Solution Approach 2:
The package utilizes a combination of rigid materials for the case and cap structure, and flexible materials for the seal, creating a composite system that maintains structural integrity under compression while preserving seal functionality
3Ease of operation
If the package allows easy removal of the catheter, then user convenience is enhanced, but the package may become difficult to reclose securely
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism enables dynamic movement of the cap, allowing it to pivot open for catheter removal and then return to a closed position for secure reclosing. This rotational freedom facilitates both easy catheter access and reliable package closure
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge acts as an intermediary that maintains the connection between cap and case while allowing movement. This ensures the cap remains attached and properly aligned for secure reclosing after catheter removal, preventing misplacement while enabling easy access
4Reliability
If the package uses extensive sealing mechanisms to maintain sterility, then sterility is preserved, but the package becomes more complex and difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible seal member is used to create the sterile barrier between the cap and case. This thin film approach maintains sterility effectively while being simple to manufacture and integrate into the package structure, avoiding complex sealing mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The seal design utilizes material property parameters such as flexibility and elasticity to achieve reliable sterility maintenance. By selecting appropriate material parameters, the package achieves effective sealing with simple manufacturing processes
Data Source
AI summary
A urinary catheter package with a case having a hollow tube which is closed at one end and open at the other end, the hollow tube having a wall and a pierceable cover attached to the open end of the hollow tube. Also an assembly including the urinary catheter package and a catheter with a funnel at a first end.