Integral Soft Tail Closure for Drainable Stoma Pouches
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stoma pouch systems, particularly those with integral soft closure systems, face difficulties in easy opening and cleaning, leading to hygiene issues when disposing of liquid stool.
Innovation Solution
A flexible pouch tail closing system with parallel plastic strips and a velcro-like fastening mechanism, combined with a 'finger pocket' for hygienic opening, is introduced for both 1-piece and 2-piece stoma systems, ensuring secure locking and easy access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a soft integral closure system is used, then the pouch is more flexible and comfortable, but it becomes difficult to open the pouch tail after rolling it out
Solution Approach 1:
The closure system is divided into two distinct components: a male closure member with protrusions and a female closure member with recesses. This segmentation allows the soft integral closure to maintain flexibility while providing a defined mechanical interface for reliable opening and locking, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and locking strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure members act as an intermediary mechanism between the user's manual opening action and the sealed pouch tail. By introducing this intermediate locking structure, the system translates simple finger manipulation into effective opening while maintaining secure closure, thus improving ease of operation without compromising locking strength.
2Ease of operation
If fingers are used to open the pouch directly, then the opening action is simple, but it is difficult to keep the fingers clean during disposal and cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The closure members serve as an intermediary that the user manipulates instead of directly handling the pouch contents. The male and female closure members provide a clean interface for opening the pouch tail, allowing users to maintain finger hygiene while still performing the opening action simply, thus resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and contamination risk.
3Ease of operation
If the pouch tail is made flexible for comfort, then user comfort is improved, but the base to roll up the tail becomes less rigid
Solution Approach 1:
The pouch tail structure is segmented into a flexible main body for comfort and a reinforced closure area with male and female members that provides the necessary rigidity for rolling. This segmentation allows different parts of the pouch tail to have different mechanical properties, resolving the contradiction between overall flexibility and localized rigidity needed for rolling.
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 system provides a secure, flexible, and hygienic method to open and close the pouch tail, reducing the risk of contamination and improving user comfort during disposal and cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
a small strip of a male velcro-like fastening material is bonded to the pouch film... These hoods are designed to grip into the special loops of a female type of velcro
Data Source
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AI summary
Most people with ileostomas produce a continuous flow of liquid stool and therefore use drainable pouches, which need to be emptied several times a day. This invention comprises of an integral soft and flexible closure for drainable stoma pouches, including a 'hook-less' Velcro type locking system and provided with an integral finger pocket, to make the emptying of the pouch easier and more hygienic'.