Retractable Outlet for Ostomy Pouch Drainage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current drainable ostomy pouches face challenges in easy drainage, secure closure, and reduced risk of leakage and odor, with existing closure systems requiring improvement for user convenience and hygiene.
Innovation Solution
A retractable outlet system in ostomy pouches that moves between a retracted and extended position, featuring a closure mechanism to allow or prevent discharge, enabling easy drainage and cleaning while minimizing leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the outlet is extended outwardly for drainage, then waste can be discharged easily, but the risk of leakage and soiling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet is designed to nest within the pouch body when retracted, creating a compact configuration that minimizes exposure and leakage risk. When extended for drainage, it provides easy access while maintaining a secure connection to the pouch, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of drainage and leakage prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The outlet is made movable between retracted and extended positions, allowing dynamic adaptation to different operational needs. This dynamic design enables easy drainage when extended while minimizing leakage risk when retracted, directly addressing the technical contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If the outlet remains extended for easy access, then drainage and cleaning are simplified, but the risk of odor and contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet nests within the pouch body when not in use, creating a protected configuration that prevents odor and contamination while maintaining easy access when extended for cleaning or drainage operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable outlet design allows the user to extend the outlet only when needed for cleaning or drainage, and retract it when not in use to minimize odor and contamination risk, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of cleaning and contamination prevention.
3Reliability
If a secure closure system is implemented, then leakage risk is reduced, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closure system utilizes the nested configuration of the outlet within the pouch body to provide security without requiring complex additional components. The geometric relationship between the outlet and pouch opening itself provides a degree of sealing, reducing the need for elaborate closure mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic nature of the movable outlet allows it to be positioned to engage with the pouch opening in a way that provides secure closure when retracted, while simplifying the closure mechanism compared to fixed designs that require more complex sealing arrangements.
Data Source
AI summary
A drainable ostomy pouch (10) includes a collection pouch (12) having a collection cavity (20), a retractable outlet (14) movable between a first position retracted substantially into the collection cavity and a second position extending outwardly from the collection cavity, a discharge opening (30) formed at a distal end of the retractable outlet and a closure (22) configured to selectively allow or prevent discharge of a waste material from the collection cavity or the retractable outlet.