Poppet Valve Guides Stabilize Pump Assembly Oscillation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing penile prostheses with inflatable cylinders experience noise and vibration due to oscillation of the poppet within the pump assembly, which can be annoying and unnatural for patients during fluid transfer operations.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a valve with multiple guides extending toward a longitudinal axis, symmetrical about the center, and a poppet biased to rest against an entry portion, reducing oscillation and noise by stabilizing the poppet during high flow conditions, thereby minimizing vibrations and noise emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the pump mechanism is designed to maximize fluid transfer efficiency, then fluid transfer speed is improved, but oscillation noise and vibration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces guides as intermediary structures within the valve assembly that mediate between the high-speed fluid flow and the poppet. These guides constrain the poppet's motion path, preventing uncontrolled oscillation while allowing the fluid transfer efficiency to be maintained through proper valve design
2Speed
If the poppet is allowed to move freely for efficient fluid transfer, then fluid flow rate is improved, but oscillation and noise are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing guides only in specific regions where the poppet moves during high-flow conditions. The guides are positioned to constrain oscillation in the critical zones while leaving other areas open for efficient fluid transfer, thus achieving both high flow rate and reduced oscillation
3Object-generated harmful factors
If guides are added to stabilize the poppet, then oscillation noise is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the valve structure by incorporating guides as separate, modular elements within the valve assembly. This segmentation allows the guides to be added without completely redesigning the valve, reducing the overall complexity increase while still achieving the noise reduction benefit
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
The solution effectively reduces noise and vibration, providing a more discreet and comfortable operation of the penile prosthesis by stabilizing the poppet within the valve, enhancing the user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a poppet biased to rest against an entry portion
Implementation Method 2
The pump mechanism includes a pump bulb that creates a vacuum by expanding after a manual compression, which creates negative pressure (vacuum) pulling fluid through a refill valve
Implementation Method 3
compression of the pump bulb results in pressure rising in the pump bulb until the point at which an inflation valve opens which allows the fluid to transfer out of the pump valve and into the inflatable cylinders
Data Source
AI summary
An inflatable penile prosthesis can comprise a reservoir, an inflatable member, and a pump assembly. The pump assembly can include at least one valve comprising an entry tube interface configured to attach to the entry tube and defining an entry passageway, an entry portion adjacent to the entry tube interface, a middle portion adjacent to the entry portion, an exit portion adjacent to the middle portion, the exit portion being narrower than the middle portion, the exit portion defining an exit portion passageway and comprising multiple guides extending toward a longitudinal exit axis, the multiple guides being symmetrical about the longitudinal exit axis, the exit tube interface adjacent to the exit portion, and a poppet disposed inside the chamber, the poppet being biased to rest against the entry portion.