Anti-Autoinflation Valve for Penile Prosthetic Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing penile prosthetics experience autoinflation due to pressure spikes in the reservoir, leading to unintended and undesirable erections, which existing solutions like one-way reservoir valves fail to adequately address without adding bulk or being vulnerable to deactivation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an anti-autoinflation (AAI) valve in the pump body that prevents fluid flow from bypassing the pump bulb and flowing directly from the reservoir to the cylinders, using a seal biased to block pressure spikes and ensure fluid flow only occurs through the pump bulb during intentional pumping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a one-way reservoir valve is used to prevent autoinflation, then autoinflation is reduced, but the device adds bulk and becomes vulnerable to deactivation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the one-way reservoir valve from the system and replaces it with an anti-autoinflation valve located in the pump body. This extraction eliminates the bulk and vulnerability issues associated with the reservoir valve while maintaining the autoinflation prevention function through a different structural location and mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new intermediary component - the anti-autoinflation valve with a movable seal - that mediates between the reservoir and cylinders. This seal acts as a dynamic barrier that responds to pressure differentials, allowing normal operation while blocking autoinflation pathways without requiring the bulky reservoir valve structure.
2Stress or pressure
If the reservoir is compacted by external pressure, then pressure spikes occur, but this causes unintended inflation of cylinders
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by positioning the anti-autoinflation valve and biased seal in advance to counteract pressure spikes before they can cause unintended inflation. The seal is pre-biased to close the bypass pathway, proactively preventing the harmful effect rather than reacting to it after occurrence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the pressure spike phenomenon into a beneficial signaling mechanism. The pressure differential caused by compression or autoinflation attempts actually activates the anti-autoinflation valve by forcing the seal against its seat, thereby using the harmful pressure spike as the very mechanism that triggers the protective response.
3Ease of operation
If fluid flow is allowed directly from reservoir to cylinders, then inflation occurs, but this bypasses the pump bulb and causes loss of user control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the anti-autoinflation valve with movable seal as an intermediary that enforces flow through the pump bulb. The seal blocks direct bypass pathways, ensuring that all fluid transfer must pass through the user-operated pump mechanism, thereby maintaining user control while enabling reliable inflation when needed.
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
Effectively prevents unintended inflation of the cylinders by blocking pressure spikes, ensuring reliable and comfortable operation without adding bulk or vulnerability to deactivation, maintaining user control over the prosthetic's inflation and deflation.
Implementation Method 1
The AAI valve is disposed in the pump body and has a seal that is biased to prevent fluid flow from bypassing the pump bulb and flowing from the reservoir to the cylinder
Data Source
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AI summary
A pump is provided for a body implantable prosthesis that includes a reservoir maintaining a fluid volume that is transferrable into a cylinder. The pump includes a pump bulb (40), an inlet valve (54), an exhaust valve (56), and an anti-auto inflation (AAI) valve (60). The pump bulb is connected to a pump body that is in fluid communication with the reservoir and the cylinder. The inlet valve is operable to allow a portion of the fluid volume to be drawn from the reservoir and delivered into the pump bulb. The exhaust valve is operable to allow the portion of the fluid volume delivered into the pump bulb to be pumped into the cylinder. The AAI valve is disposed in the pump body and has a seal that is biased to prevent fluid flow from bypassing the pump bulb and flowing from the reservoir to the cylinder.