Ostomy Drain Pursing Strips for Hygienic Resealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drainable ostomy appliances face issues with secure resealing, hygiene, and discomfort due to wet materials sticking together, and designs that add bulk or require unpleasant finger insertion for opening.
Innovation Solution
The ostomy appliance incorporates pursing strips with notches or lines of weakness that allow for efficient separation and resealing of the drain without adding bulk, using materials like HDPE and EVA, and a closure mechanism for secure fastening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pursing strips with intrinsic curvature are provided to assist with opening the drain, then the re-sealability of the drain is improved, but the size of the drain increases which causes user discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The pursing strips are pre-formed with a curved shape during manufacturing that allows them to automatically separate the drain walls when activated. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for additional bulk structures during use, as the opening action is achieved through the pre-configured geometry of the pursing strips themselves rather than adding separate mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The pursing strips utilize changes in their physical state from a compressed flat configuration to an expanded curved configuration during activation. This parameter change allows the same material to provide both structural integrity when flat and opening force when curved, without requiring additional materials or increasing overall drain size.
2Ease of operation
If the drain walls are made flexible to allow folding, then the comfort of the user is improved, but the re-sealability becomes difficult when the material is wet
Solution Approach 1:
The pursing strips are designed with a specific curved geometry that creates a mechanical advantage for separating the drain walls. This curvature allows the strips to effectively pry apart the flexible drain walls even when wet, maintaining re-sealability capability while preserving the flexibility needed for user comfort and folding.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain assembly combines flexible plastics material for the drain walls with pursing strips made of material having different mechanical properties. This composite structure allows the flexible walls to provide comfort and foldability while the pursing strips provide the rigidity needed for reliable opening and sealing actions even when wet.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If multiple use cycles are allowed to reduce replacement frequency, then cost savings are achieved, but the opposing internal walls of the drain become wet and stick together
Solution Approach 1:
The pursing strips are pre-formed with a curved shape during manufacturing that allows them to automatically separate the drain walls when activated. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for additional bulk structures during use, as the opening action is achieved through the pre-configured geometry of the pursing strips themselves rather than adding separate mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The pursing strips are designed to automatically separate the drain walls through their own elastic recovery when compressed and released. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional bulk structures or complex mechanisms, allowing the drain to be reliably opened even after multiple wet use cycles.
4Reliability
If additional bulk is added to the drain to provide rigidity for folding, then the re-sealability is improved, but the comfort of the user deteriorates due to increased size
Solution Approach 1:
The pursing strips transition dynamically between a flat compressed state during normal wear and a curved expanded state during opening. This dynamic behavior allows the same component to provide structural support when needed while remaining compact and comfortable during use, eliminating the need for permanent bulk additions.
Solution Approach 2:
The pursing strips utilize changes in their physical state from a compressed flat configuration to an expanded curved configuration during activation. This parameter change allows the same material to provide both structural integrity when flat and opening force when curved, without requiring additional materials or increasing overall drain size.
Data Source
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Figure 8
AI summary
An ostomy appliance comprises a pouch and a drain. The drain is formed of two walls attached to one another lateral edges to define a channel therebetween and comprises pursing strips to separate the walls when compressed in a direction perpendicular to the lateral edges of the drain. A pursing strip comprises a transverse edge perpendicular to the lateral edges and the transverse edge comprises a notch spanning at least half of the transverse edge. A pursing strip may comprise a line of weakness. The line of weakness may span between side edges of the pursing strip. The line of weakness may be curved. A pursing strip may comprise two converging lines of weakness spanning between upper and lower edges of the pursing strip. The drain may comprise two or three pursing strips. A gap may be provided between pursing strips.