Articulating Penile Implant Locking Mechanism for Easy Reconfiguration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing penile prostheses require significant effort to change configurations, such as moving between flaccid and erect states, often involving complex activation mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A penile implant with an articulating portion and control portion, featuring articulating members and locking members, allows for easy conversion between linear and curved configurations using an elongate member and a control mechanism involving a plunger and cam system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If complex activation mechanisms are used to change configurations, then the implant can be disposed in multiple configurations (erect-like and flaccid-like states), but the amount of effort required to change configurations increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration flexibilityVSAvoideffort to change configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical activation mechanisms with a simpler control system comprising a control member with activation surfaces that interact with articulating members. This substitution reduces the effort required to change configurations while maintaining the ability to achieve multiple stable states (erect-like and flaccid-like positions). The control member acts as a simplified interface that triggers configuration changes through controlled articulation of the articulating members.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If complex activation mechanisms are used to change configurations, then the implant can be disposed in multiple configurations, but the complexity of the device increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration flexibilityVSAvoidactivation mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary complex components from the activation mechanism. By removing intricate mechanical systems and retaining only the essential elements (control member with activation surfaces, articulating members with engagement features), the design achieves multiple configurations with reduced device complexity. The solution focuses on keeping only the critical components needed for configuration changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The implant is segmented into distinct functional components: a control member with activation surfaces, articulating members with engagement features, and an elongate member. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, reducing overall system complexity while enabling multiple configurations through coordinated interaction of simplified parts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20260000513A1Penile implant with multiple configurations

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC

AI summary

According to an aspect, a penile implant includes an articulating portion, a control portion, and an elongate member. The elongate member extends from the control portion to the articulating portion. In some aspects, the articulating portion includes a plurality of articulating members and a plurality of locking members.