Inflatable Penile Prosthesis Cylinder with Internal Structural Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing penile prostheses with inflatable members require significant force and multiple activations to inflate, making them cumbersome for users with erectile dysfunction.
Innovation Solution
A penile prosthesis design featuring an inflatable member with a structural member disposed within its lumen, facilitated by a pump assembly that allows fluid transfer between a reservoir and the inflatable member, enabling easier inflation with less force and pressure, using a flexible structural member like a suture and a woven fabric sidewall for enhanced support and fluidic sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional inflatable member is used without internal structural support, then the device structure is simpler, but significantly more force and multiple pump activations are required to inflate the member
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible structural member (such as a suture or mesh) disposed within the lumen of the inflatable member. This internal flexible structure provides radial support to the inflatable member's sidewall, enabling it to maintain its shape and resist collapse during deflation while requiring significantly less force to inflate. The flexible nature of the structural member allows it to conform to the inflatable member's shape changes without restricting its expansion or contraction.
2Productivity
If multiple sequential pump activations are required to inflate the cylinder, then the pump mechanism can be simpler, but the operation becomes more time-consuming and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible structural member reduces the pressure threshold required to initiate and sustain inflation of the inflatable member. By providing internal radial support, it prevents the sidewall from collapsing during the inflation process, allowing fluid to flow more freely into the member with each pump activation. This reduces the number of sequential activations needed to achieve full inflation, thereby improving productivity without requiring a more complex pump mechanism.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the inflatable member sidewall is made more rigid to maintain shape, then shape stability is improved, but the force required to inflate and deflate increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible structural member (suture, mesh, or similar configuration) disposed within the lumen of the inflatable member to provide internal radial support. This flexible structure maintains the sidewall's shape stability during deflation by preventing complete collapse, while simultaneously requiring significantly less force to inflate and deflate compared to a rigid structure. The flexibility of the structural member allows it to dynamically adapt to the inflatable member's volume changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The inflatable member comprises a composite structure combining the elastomeric sidewall material with an internal flexible structural member. This composite configuration integrates the flexibility and elasticity of the elastomeric material with the shape-maintaining properties of the structural member (suture, mesh, or similar), achieving both shape stability during deflation and reduced inflation/deflation forces.
4Reliability
If no internal structural support is provided, then manufacturing is simpler, but the inflatable member lacks sufficient support during inflation and deflation cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible structural member can be integrated into the inflatable member during manufacturing through relatively simple processes. The suture or mesh structure can be sewn into, attached to, or formed as part of the inflatable member's construction, adding minimal complexity to the manufacturing process while significantly improving the reliability and support characteristics during inflation and deflation cycles.
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 design reduces the force required for inflation and deflation, allowing users to achieve desired rigidity with fewer pump activations, improving the reliability and efficiency of the penile prosthesis.
Implementation Method 1
a pump assembly configured to facilitate a transfer of a fluid from the reservoir to the inflatable member
Implementation Method 2
the structural member is flexible
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
A penile prosthesis (100) including an inflatable member (104) and a pump assembly (101) configured to facilitate a transfer of a fluid from a reservoir (102), configured to hold fluid, to the inflatable member. The inflatable member defines a lumen and includes a structural member (108). At least a portion of the structural member is disposed within the lumen defined by the inflatable member.