Colored Ostomy Pouch Comfort Layer for Wet Opacity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ostomy pouches fail to address the issue of transparency when wet, particularly those with a greyish comfort layer and transparent front film, leading to visible contents and potential embarrassment, while also lacking racial sensitivity and discretion.

Innovation Solution

The ostomy pouch features a comfort layer with specific color values in the CIE L*a*b* system, ranging from L* = 50.0 to 70.0, a* = +1.8 to +10.0, and b* = -0.9 to +12.0, ensuring low transparency when wet and good visibility under clothing, thus providing discretion and racial sensitivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a white or flesh-coloured pouch is used to match skin tone, then the pouch becomes less noticeable on the body, but the pouch cannot provide colour coding for different ostomy types

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of pouch on bodyVSAvoidcolour coding capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The pouch is divided into multiple coloured panels (first panel, second panel, third panel) that can be selectively positioned. This segmentation allows the pouch to provide colour coding information while maintaining overall skin-tone matching, as different coloured panels can indicate different ostomy types or conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Specific local areas of the pouch (the coloured panels) are given different properties (distinct colours) from the rest of the pouch (white or flesh-coloured material). This allows colour coding to be provided in specific locations without compromising the overall skin-tone matching and aesthetic appearance of the pouch.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If coloured pouches are used to indicate different ostomy types, then colour coding is provided, but the pouch becomes more noticeable and less aesthetically pleasing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolour coding for ostomy typesVSAvoidaesthetic appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Colour coding is implemented in specific localized panels rather than the entire pouch. The majority of the pouch surface remains white or flesh-coloured to match skin tone, while only specific panels display colours to indicate ostomy type, thus maintaining aesthetic appearance while providing necessary information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The pouch is segmented into multiple functional zones: coloured panels for information coding and white/flesh-coloured panels for aesthetic matching. This segmentation allows the pouch to simultaneously provide colour coding and maintain skin-tone appearance in different areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple coloured panels are included in the pouch, then comprehensive colour coding is achieved, but the pouch structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolour coding informationVSAvoidpouch structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pouch is divided into multiple coloured panels (first, second, and third panels) that can be selectively positioned and configured. This segmentation enables comprehensive colour coding for different ostomy types while maintaining a relatively simple overall pouch structure that is easy to manufacture and use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4380515B1Coloured ostomy pouch
Publication Date: 2026.05.20 CONVATEC LTD
  • EP4380515B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4380515B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An ostomy pouch includes a front wall, a rear wall and an inlet for receiving human waste. The pouch has a comfort layer provided at least on the front wall. The comfort layer on the front wall has a colour with a value in the range L* = 50.0 to 70.0, a* = +1.8 to +10.0 and b* = -0.9 to -9.0 or +0.9 to +12.0 measured in the CIE L*a*b* colour code system.