Penile Prosthetic Pump Inlet Valve Lockout Flange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Penile prosthetics often experience unintended autoinflation due to pressure spikes, leading to undesirable erections, as the existing pump systems lack effective mechanisms to prevent pressurized liquid from flowing directly from the reservoir to the cylinders.
Innovation Solution
A pump with a rotatable inlet valve featuring a lockout flange that prevents high-pressure liquid from flowing from the reservoir to the pump bulb or cylinders, ensuring that the liquid flows only through the pump bulb for controlled inflation and deflation, thereby preventing autoinflation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple pump system is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but unintended autoinflation occurs due to pressure spikes
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet valve acts as an intermediary component between the reservoir and pump bulb, introducing a lockout flange that mediates the flow of pressurized liquid. This intermediary structure prevents direct communication between high-pressure zones, thereby preventing autoinflation while maintaining overall system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The inlet valve is segmented into distinct functional components: a valve body and a lockout flange. This segmentation allows the lockout flange to independently perform the function of preventing pressure spike transmission, while the valve body handles normal fluid flow, thus resolving the contradiction between simplicity and reliability.
2Reliability
If a lockout flange is added to the inlet valve, then autoinflation is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lockout flange is merged with the inlet valve assembly rather than being a separate component. This integration combines the flow control function of the valve with the pressure spike prevention function of the flange, achieving autoinflation prevention without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The inlet valve assembly is designed with multi-functionality: it simultaneously controls fluid flow during normal operation and prevents pressure spike transmission during abnormal conditions. The lockout flange serves dual purposes by both guiding flow and providing pressure relief, thereby reducing the need for additional specialized components.
3Reliability
If the inlet valve maintains a seal to prevent pressure spikes, then autoinflation is prevented, but fluid flow during normal operation may be restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet valve incorporates dynamic sealing that adapts to pressure conditions. During normal operation, the seal maintains adequate closure to prevent leaks while allowing sufficient fluid flow. During pressure spikes, the dynamic seal responds by engaging the lockout flange to prevent autoinflation, thus balancing productivity and reliability through dynamic adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing characteristics of the inlet valve are designed to change parameters based on pressure conditions. At normal operating pressures, the seal provides moderate resistance to maintain flow efficiency. When pressure exceeds the threshold, the seal parameters change to engage the lockout mechanism, preventing pressure spike transmission while minimizing impact on normal flow operations.
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 prevents unintended erections by maintaining a seal between the inlet valve and the pump body, ensuring that pressure spikes do not cause the reservoir liquid to flow directly into the cylinders, thus providing a reliable and user-friendly mechanism for controlling penile prosthetic inflation and deflation.
Implementation Method 1
prevents high pressure (or pressurized) liquid from flowing from the reservoir to the pump bulb or the cylinders
Implementation Method 2
maintaining a seal between the inlet valve and the pump body, ensuring that pressure spikes do not cause the reservoir liquid to flow directly into the cylinders
Implementation Method 3
ensuring that the liquid flows only through the pump bulb for controlled inflation and deflation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A pump includes a pump bulb connected to a pump body. An exhaust valve assembly is disposed in the pump body within an exit flow path communicating between the pump bulb and the cylinder. An inlet valve is rotatably disposed in the pump body within an inlet flow path communicating between the reservoir and the pump bulb. The inlet valve includes a spherical part retained in a seat formed by the pump body, an inlet flange connected to and extending radially away from the spherical part, and a lockout flange connected to and extending radially away from the spherical part. A channel is formed through a portion of the spherical part of the inlet valve. The channel includes an outlet hole that is blocked from the inlet flow path by the seat formed in the pump body and opened to the inlet flow path by rotation of the inlet valve.