Menstrual Cup Placement Device With Protrusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face challenges with the manual placement and removal of menstrual cups, particularly in public settings where privacy is limited, leading to increased time and deterrence from using reusable menstrual cups compared to disposable products.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising an outer tube and plunger that is slidable along a longitudinal axis, allowing the menstrual cup to be staged in a collapsed configuration for easier placement and removal, with a protrusion that helps reduce suction and facilitate the transition between expanded and collapsed states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual placement and removal of menstrual cup is performed in public settings, then privacy requirements increase operation time and complexity, but using disposable products reduces time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
The device pre-collapses the menstrual cup within the outer tube before insertion, so the user does not need to perform the complex folding maneuver at the moment of insertion. The cup is already prepared in a compact, insertable state, eliminating the time-consuming step of manual folding in public restrooms.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer tube serves as an intermediary device that holds and delivers the menstrual cup. It provides a mechanical advantage system where the user pulls the outer tube to deploy the cup, rather than directly manipulating the cup itself, making the operation simpler and faster.
2Ease of operation
If menstrual cup is removed from vagina, then strong suction must be overcome which increases difficulty and time of removal, but device assistance reduces manual effort
Solution Approach 1:
The device applies a counteracting force to the suction force holding the cup in place. By pulling on the outer tube, the user generates a removal force that opposes and overcomes the suction force, facilitating easier cup removal without requiring excessive manual effort on the cup stem alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer tube acts as a mechanical lever and force amplifier. When the user pulls the outer tube, it translates this motion into effective force applied to the cup, overcoming the suction adhesion more efficiently than direct manual removal of the cup stem.
3Ease of operation
If menstrual cup is placed in collapsed configuration, then insertion ease is improved, but maintaining collapsed state requires additional structural components
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional segments: the outer tube for holding and deploying the cup, the inner tube or plunger for controlling cup expansion, and the menstrual cup itself. This segmentation allows each component to have a specific function, achieving compact storage and easy deployment without excessive overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner components (plunger or inner tube) are nested within the outer tube, and the menstrual cup is nested within the inner components. This nested arrangement minimizes the overall device size when not in use, allowing the collapsed cup to be stored compactly while providing the mechanical means for controlled deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for placement and removal of a menstrual cup according to various aspects of the present disclosure includes an outer component and an inner component. The outer component extends along a longitudinal axis between first proximal and distal ends. The outer component includes a peripheral wall, a first interior region, and a protrusion. The peripheral wall includes an interior surface. The first interior region is at least partially defined by the peripheral wall. The protrusion extends from the interior surface toward the longitudinal axis. In certain aspects, the outer component includes an upper portion and a lower portion removably coupled to the upper portion. The inner component extends between a second proximal and distal ends. The inner component is disposed at least partially within the first interior region. The inner component is slidable along the longitudinal axis with respect to the outer component.