Ostomy Adhesive Trough-Crest Structure for Early Leak Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ostomy appliances face adhesive failure and leakage issues due to stomal output and peristomal moisture, leading to embarrassing and stigmatizing incidents, with current detection methods failing to provide reliable warnings of impending failure or leakage.
Innovation Solution
An ostomy appliance with a support layer and adhesive layer featuring electrode paths and trough/crest portions, allowing for early detection of liquid or moisture propagation through thin adhesive troughs and reliable moisture measurement via thick crest portions, facilitating timely intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the adhesive layer is made thin to enable early detection of liquid through electrode paths, then detection sensitivity is improved, but adhesive strength and moisture absorption capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive layer is designed with spatially varying thickness: thin trough portions (0.5-2 mm) over electrode paths for sensitive liquid detection, and thick crest portions (2-5 mm) at peripheral regions for strong adhesion and moisture absorption. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a uniform two-dimensional adhesive layer to a three-dimensional structure with varying thickness. The trough-crest topology creates depth variation that simultaneously provides thin detection zones and thick support zones, resolving the contradiction through dimensional expansion.
2Measurement precision
If the adhesive layer is made thin to enable early detection of liquid through electrode paths, then detection sensitivity is improved, but moisture absorption capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive layer is designed with spatially varying thickness: thin trough portions (0.5-2 mm) over electrode paths for sensitive liquid detection, and thick crest portions (2-5 mm) at peripheral regions for strong adhesion and moisture absorption. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive layer is segmented into functionally distinct trough portions and crest portions. The trough portions handle detection while the crest portions handle moisture management, allowing both requirements to be satisfied simultaneously through functional segmentation.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform thickness adhesive layer is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but detection reliability and adhesive performance cannot be simultaneously optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive layer is designed with spatially varying thickness: thin trough portions (0.5-2 mm) over electrode paths for sensitive liquid detection, and thick crest portions (2-5 mm) at peripheral regions for strong adhesion and moisture absorption. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a uniform two-dimensional adhesive layer to a three-dimensional structure with varying thickness. The trough-crest topology creates depth variation that simultaneously provides thin detection zones and thick support zones, resolving the contradiction through dimensional expansion.
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 ostomy appliance provides coherent adhesive layers with early warning signals for potential leaks and moisture content, enhancing user safety and reducing unexpected leakage incidents.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of electrode paths for forming one or more sensors, the plurality of electrode paths being arranged on the proximal surface of the support layer
Implementation Method 2
adhesives of base plates for ostomy devices include hydrocolloid materials which are capable of absorbing high levels of moisture, thereby stabilizing the polymer matrix of the adhesive material and prolonging the lifetime ('wear time') of the base plate
Data Source
AI summary
An ostomy appliance for attachment to the skin surface of a user, wherein the ostomy appliance is adapted to form a stomal opening with a centre point, the stomal opening being configured to allow passage of output through the stomal opening and into an ostomy pouch attached to the ostomy appliance, the ostomy appliance comprising: a support layer with a distal surface and a proximal surface; a plurality of electrode paths for forming one or more sensors, the plurality of electrode paths being arranged on the proximal surface of the support layer; and an adhesive layer including a distal surface and a proximal surface, the distal surface being arranged on the proximal surface of the support layer and covering the plurality of electrode paths, wherein the adhesive layer comprises one or more trough portions covering a first electrode path and a second electrode path of the plurality of electrode paths and having a substantially uniform thickness, and a crest portion comprising a maximum thickness of the adhesive layer and being distanced from the one or more trough portions, wherein the substantially uniform thickness of the one or more trough portions is less than a thickness of the crest portion.