Integrated Pressure Regulator and Ejector Pump for Urinary Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircrew, especially female pilots, face challenges in bladder relief during long flights due to dehydration from reducing liquid intake to minimize urination, necessitating a safe and effective urinary relief system that can operate without removing flight equipment.
Innovation Solution
A pressurized urinary relief system featuring a control unit with a pressure regulator, ejector, and CO2 cartridges, which creates a vacuum to collect and store urine in a storage device integrated into a compact, modular design that can be worn under flight suits, allowing for bladder relief without removing restraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If aircrew reduce liquid intake to minimize urination during long flights, then the frequency of bladder relief is reduced, but dehydration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables aircrew to perform bladder relief autonomously during flight without requiring external assistance or removing flight equipment. The integrated pressure regulator and ejector pump create vacuum automatically to extract urine from the bladder through the wearable device, allowing aircrew to maintain hydration while preventing dehydration by providing reliable bladder relief during long flights
2Ease of operation
If a urinary relief system is integrated into flight equipment, then bladder relief is available during flight, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the pressure regulator and ejector pump into a single integrated control unit that can be worn on aircrew persons. The pressure regulator reduces pressurized gas from CO2 cartridges to drive the ejector pump, which creates vacuum to extract urine. This integrated design combines multiple functions (gas storage, pressure regulation, vacuum generation, urine extraction) into one compact wearable device, making bladder relief accessible during flight without requiring complex separate systems
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pneumatic principles by employing CO2 cartridges as a pressurized gas source to drive the ejector pump. The pressure regulator reduces the gas pressure to appropriate levels, and the ejector pump utilizes this pressurized gas to create vacuum for urine extraction. This pneumatic mechanism enables reliable bladder relief without requiring electrical power or complex mechanical systems, simplifying the overall device integration
3Duration of action of moving object
If CO2 cartridges are used as pressurized gas source, then operation time is extended, but gas consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure regulator changes the pressure parameter of CO2 gas from high pressure (cartridge storage) to reduced pressure (ejector pump input). This pressure reduction allows the same amount of CO2 gas to provide extended operation time by delivering gas more efficiently to the ejector pump, reducing the rate of gas consumption while maintaining adequate vacuum generation for urine extraction throughout the flight duration
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 provides a reliable and efficient means of bladder relief, reducing dehydration risks and extending operation time by using CO2 cartridges efficiently, with a compact design that can be easily maintained and reused.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure regulator having a high pressure inlet and a reduced pressure outlet, the high pressure inlet having a first air pressure, and the reduced pressure outlet having a second air pressure
Implementation Method 2
an ejector having an pressurized air input, an vacuum port, and an air output, the pressurized air input of the ejector coupled to the reduced pressure outlet of the pressure regulator and the vacuum port connected to a storage device
Data Source
AI summary
A control unit for a urinary relief system is disclosed herein. The control unit includes a pressure regulator having a high pressure inlet and a reduced pressure outlet, the high pressure inlet having a first air pressure, and the reduced pressure outlet having a second air pressure, an ejector having an pressurized air input, an vacuum port, and an air output, the pressurized air input of the ejector coupled to the reduced pressure outlet of the pressure regulator and the vacuum port connected to a storage device, an ejector head housing the pressure regulator and the ejector, and a pressurized gas source coupled to the high pressure inlet of the pressure regulator, the pressurized gas source providing an air flow having the first air pressure.