Multi-angle feeding cup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing feeding cups are inadequate for safely and efficiently feeding thickened liquid foods to patients with dysphagia, as they often result in aspiration and choking due to insufficient hole sizes and inability to maintain flow control, especially for patients who are neurologically compromised and unable to feed themselves safely.
Innovation Solution
A multi-angle feeding cup with a proprietary mouthpiece design featuring a bulb and valve system that controls tidal volume and flow, preventing liquid from entering the mouth unless the patient actively sucks, and an angled exit channel that allows feeding at various angles, ensuring safe and controlled delivery of thickened liquids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a standard cup with small hole is used for feeding thickened liquids, then flow control is improved, but feeding efficiency and adequacy for adult patients deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameter of hole size from small (standard cup) to large (20mm diameter), and compensates by introducing a valve mechanism that controls flow through the large hole. This allows adequate flow for adult feeding while maintaining control through the valve system.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve acts as an intermediary between the large hole and the patient's mouth. It mediates the flow control function, allowing the hole to be large for efficiency while the valve ensures controlled delivery, resolving the contradiction between hole size and flow control.
2Ease of operation
If a cup is used when patient is sitting upright, then patient comfort and safety are improved, but flow control becomes insufficient due to gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a dynamic valve mechanism that can open and close in response to patient action (sucking). This dynamic control compensates for the lack of gravitational assistance when feeding in upright position, maintaining reliable flow control through active patient participation.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve is designed to open automatically when the patient sucks, making the patient their own controller. This self-service mechanism ensures flow control is maintained through patient's own physiological action, eliminating the need for external control when upright feeding.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If spoon feeding is used for thickened liquids, then aspiration risk is reduced, but feeding time and labor increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the flow control function from the traditional spoon-feeding process and integrates it into the cup system itself. The valve mechanism provides inherent flow control, allowing direct cup-to-mouth feeding that combines the speed of cup feeding with the safety of controlled delivery, eliminating the need for spoon feeding.
4Productivity
If a long wide spout is used to dispense thick liquids, then flow of thick liquids is improved, but control over tidal volume and delivery timing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the delivery system into two parts: a large opening (20mm hole) for adequate liquid flow and a separate valve mechanism for volume control. This segmentation allows the hole to be large for productivity while the valve provides reliable tidal volume control, resolving the contradiction between flow and control.
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 multi-angle feeding cup significantly reduces the risk of aspiration and choking by ensuring controlled flow and delivery of thickened liquids, allowing safe feeding at any angle, including when the patient is sitting upright or inverted, thereby improving the safety and efficiency of feeding for patients with dysphagia.
Implementation Method 1
enabling liquid to be sucked up by the user through the mouthpiece which may contain a valve enabling liquid passage only when the mouthpiece is being sucked on
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a multi-angle cup for feeding liquid food to a patient, the cup including, a body including a wall and an exit channel extending at an angle from the wall. A mouth part is also included, extending from the angled exit channel and an inclined angle to enable the patient to be fed liquid food in a controlled manner to the posterior aspect of the tongue through use of a bulb with a hole and valve arrangement. The multi-angle feeding cup enables feeding at substantially any angle of tilt of the cup, and the flow of the liquid food is controlled by the mouth piece. The invention also relates to methods of use and a method of testing.