Urinary Drainage Air Pressure Connector for Clearing Tube Loops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current urinary drainage systems face issues with urine retention in tubing loops due to patient movement, leading to inaccurate measurements and increased bladder pressure, which can cause injury if not alleviated promptly.
Innovation Solution
An air pressure apparatus with a connector and adapter system that creates a vortex of positive air pressure to clear residual urine from drainage tubes, ensuring complete fluid transport to the collection bag.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If gravity is used to transport urine from patient to collection bag, then the system is simple and passive, but patient movement creates tubing loops that retain urine and increase bladder pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by introducing a balloon that can be inflated with air or fluid to apply counterpressure to the catheter. This mechanical pressure system compensates for the passive gravity-dependent drainage, preventing urine retention in tubing loops and reducing bladder pressure while maintaining system simplicity.
2Ease of operation
If clinicians manually lift tubing to clear retained urine, then urine can be cleared from loops, but this requires additional time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the balloon automatically inflates in response to urine retention or increased bladder pressure, clearing the tubing loops without requiring clinician intervention. This automated response eliminates manual tubing manipulation and reduces the time needed to clear retained urine.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through pressure sensors or flow sensors that detect urine retention in tubing loops or increased bladder pressure. This feedback triggers automatic balloon inflation to clear the obstruction, creating a closed-loop control system that responds dynamically to patient needs without requiring manual assessment.
3Speed
If the collection bag is positioned at lower height than the patient's bladder, then gravity facilitates urine flow, but patient movement creates loops that prevent complete drainage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic pressure from the inflatable balloon to supplement gravity-driven flow. The balloon applies counterpressure to the catheter, preventing urine from pooling in tubing loops and ensuring complete transport of urine volume to the collection bag, thereby resolving the contradiction between flow speed and total volume transported.
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 effectively clears residual urine from drainage tubes, preventing backflow and ensuring accurate urine output measurements while reducing bladder pressure.
Implementation Method 1
A volume of positive pressurized air is received through the air intake port, creating a vortex of positive air pressure within the luminal space.
Implementation Method 2
providing a volume of positive air pressure into the luminal space of the adapter, and clearing a first drainage tube of a residual volume of fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A urinary drainage system includes an air pressure apparatus. The air pressure apparatus includes a connector and an adapter. The connector includes a reduced diameter portion, a connector lumen extending from an upstream opening to a downstream opening in the reduced diameter portion, and a lateral port configured for drawing a fluid sample from the connector lumen. The adapter is sealing coupled to the connector and includes an adapter lumen receiving the reduced diameter portion, the downstream opening in fluid communication with the adapter lumen. A luminal space is defined in the adapter lumen around the reduced diameter portion of the connector. The adapter further includes an air intake port including a port lumen orthogonal to the adapter lumen, which is configured to provide a positive air flow to the luminal space to draw a fluid through the downstream opening in the reduced diameter portion of the connector.