Pump Bulb Projections for Prosthesis Orientation and Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing penile prostheses face challenges with patients having difficulty orienting, actuating, or locating the pump bulb assembly, leading to inefficiencies in inflation and deflation processes.
Innovation Solution
The pump bulb assembly features a design with horizontal and vertical projections on its outer surface, facilitating user orientation and grip, preventing slipping and rotation, and aiding in locating the deflation mode actuator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a smooth pump bulb assembly is used, then the device is easier to manufacture, but patients have difficulty orienting and locating the pump bulb assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The pump bulb assembly incorporates localized tactile features (protrusions and recesses) on its outer surface that provide orientation cues and grip points. These localized modifications enhance patient ability to orient and operate the device without requiring a complete redesign of the entire pump bulb structure, thus maintaining manufacturing simplicity while improving operability.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump bulb assembly employs asymmetric protrusions and recesses arranged in specific patterns on its outer surface. This asymmetric design creates distinct tactile landmarks that help patients quickly identify the correct orientation of the device, solving the orientation difficulty without adding complex manufacturing steps.
2Device complexity
If a simple pump bulb design is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but patients have difficulty locating the deflation mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The deflation mechanism is marked with distinct tactile features (protrusions or recesses) on the pump bulb outer surface that create localized detectable points. These features serve as guides to help patients locate the deflation mechanism without requiring them to understand the internal complexity of the device or perform complex searches.
3Ease of manufacture
If a pump bulb assembly without tactile features is used, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the pump bulb may slip or rotate during use
Solution Approach 1:
The pump bulb assembly incorporates asymmetric protrusions and recesses on its outer surface that create mechanical interlocking with the patient's fingers during operation. This asymmetric geometry prevents the pump bulb from rotating or slipping during the pumping action, ensuring reliable fluid transfer while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an aspect, an inflatable implant includes a fluid reservoir configured to hold fluid; an inflatable member; and a pump assembly configured to transfer fluid from the fluid reservoir to the inflatable member, the pump assembly including a pump bulb, the pump bulb having an outer surface, the pump bulb having a horizontal projection disposed on the outer surface and a vertical projection disposed on the outer surface.