Ostomy Pouch Foldable Outlet Night Drainage Adapter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ostomy pouches with upwardly-foldable closures are not suitable for attachment to night drainage systems due to a lack of an adequate coupling surface, requiring patients to replace pouches, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and can cause irritation.
Innovation Solution
An ostomy pouch with a foldable outlet featuring a coupling element that engages a drainage adapter, allowing secure connection to a night drainage system, and a locking element for secure attachment, enabling convenient night use without frequent replacements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an upwardly-foldable closure is used to close the discharge opening, then the pouch is flexible and easy to fold, but it lacks an adequate coupling surface for attachment to night drainage systems
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet is divided into distinct functional segments: a foldable portion for closure functionality and a coupling element with locking mechanism for night drainage attachment. This segmentation allows each part to specialize in its function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The outlet incorporates a dynamic locking mechanism that can transition between locked and unlocked states, allowing the coupling element to adapt between securing the pouch closed and enabling attachment to night drainage systems.
2Ease of operation
If the pouch is designed with a foldable outlet for closing, then it is convenient for daily use, but it cannot be securely attached to night drainage systems
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling element acts as an intermediary component between the foldable outlet and the night drainage system. It provides a reliable attachment interface while maintaining compatibility with the foldable outlet structure, enabling both daily convenience and night security.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is nested within the coupling element structure, with the locking element fitting into recesses or grooves on the outlet. This nested design ensures secure attachment while maintaining a compact form factor.
3Reliability
If patients replace ostomy pouches frequently for night use, then they can use pouches suitable for night drainage systems, but it is time-consuming and causes irritation
Solution Approach 1:
The pouch is designed with multi-functionality, incorporating both the foldable outlet for daily use and the coupling element for night drainage attachment within a single pouch structure. This eliminates the need for patients to replace pouches between day and night use.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling element and locking mechanism are pre-integrated into the pouch structure during manufacturing, so that the pouch is ready for night drainage attachment without requiring any preliminary preparation or replacement by the patient.
Data Source
AI summary
An ostomy pouch includes a collection pouch having a first side wall and a second side wall connected to one another along a periphery, the collection pouch having a collection cavity defined between the first and second side walls, an outlet connected to and extending from the collection pouch, the outlet defining an internal passageway connected to the collection cavity, the outlet having a coupling element, and a drainage adapter configured to engage the coupling element so as to be coupled to the outlet. The outlet is foldable to a closed condition to close the collection pouch and unfoldable to an open condition to drain the collection pouch.