Tracheostoma Prosthesis Inner Cannula Removal Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tracheostoma prostheses face difficulties in easy insertion and removal of the inner cannula due to jamming, tearing of components, and discomfort during levering, which complicates the process and can lead to injury.
Innovation Solution
The tracheostoma prosthesis features an outer cannula with arc-shaped recesses for thumb and forefinger grip and an inner cannula with a bead-like edge, allowing for easy and ergonomic removal with minimal effort, even under strong tensile forces, without damaging components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking element with actuating handle is used to secure the inner cannula, then the locking connection is reliable, but the actuating handle tears off under high pulling forces during removal
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the actuating handle from the inner cannula structure entirely. Instead of having a handle attached to the inner cannula that can tear off, the solution uses a separate outer cannula with an opening that directly receives and exposes the bead-like edge of the inner cannula, allowing removal without any handle component
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the removal function from the inner cannula itself by providing a separate outer cannula with a specifically designed opening. This opening acts as an independent access point that allows direct manipulation of the inner cannula's bead-like edge without requiring any attached handle or loop structure
2Reliability
If a button closure requiring lateral levering is used to attach the inner cannula, then the connection is secure, but the levering action injures the fingernails of thumb and forefinger
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring lateral levering motion to release the connection, the invention inverts the approach by allowing direct axial pulling motion. The bead-like edge of the inner cannula is exposed through the opening in the outer cannula, enabling removal by simple pulling in the direction of the finger insertion, completely avoiding lateral levering actions that injure fingernails
3Stability of the object's composition
If the inner cannula is locked in the outer cannula to prevent displacement, then the position is stable, but the removal requires great effort due to jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating a specific geometric relationship between the opening in the outer cannula and the bead-like edge of the inner cannula. The opening is shaped and positioned to provide stable engagement during normal use while simultaneously allowing easy access to the bead-like edge for removal, creating different functional qualities in different operational states
Data Source
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AI summary
A tracheostoma prosthesis includes a tubular outer cannula with a proximal part and a distal part, a tubular inner cannula, wherein the inner cannula can be guided into the opening at the proximal part of the outer cannula and can he locked by locking or retaining means, and the outer edge of the proximal part of the outer cannula has two recesses lying opposite to each other, wherein the recesses are in the shape of an arc of a circle and are designed to receive a thumb and index finger of a hand for gripping the proximal end of the inner cannula at surfaces of the proximal end of the inner cannula exposed by the recesses, and the inner cannula has a bead-like edge at its proximal end.