Urinary Drainage Bag with Self-Expanding Flow Promoter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Urinary drainage devices with collecting bags often reduce the free flow of urine, leading to increased drainage duration and potential pressure in the urethra, which can hinder bladder emptying.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a flow promoting element that automatically expands from a collapsed to an expanded configuration within the urine collecting bag, and providing suction means through interaction with the bag to create negative pressure, thereby reducing flow resistance and increasing the bag's volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a collecting bag is used to collect urine, then urine collection is enabled, but the free flow of urine is reduced and drainage duration is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion element is pre-positioned within the collecting bag in a collapsed state before use. When activated, it automatically expands to create the desired flow-promoting structure, eliminating the need for manual setup and ensuring the flow-enhancing geometry is ready before urine drainage begins
Solution Approach 2:
The expansion element transitions from a collapsed to an expanded configuration during use, dynamically changing the internal geometry of the collecting bag. This dynamic transformation creates turbulence and mixing zones that promote urine flow while maintaining collection capability
2Productivity
If the collecting bag volume is increased to create negative pressure, then suction is provided to promote urine flow, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion element automatically expands when urine or swelling medium contacts it, self-generating the negative pressure required for suction. This self-activating mechanism eliminates the need for external power sources, control systems, or manual operation, maintaining simplicity while enabling active urine evacuation
Solution Approach 2:
The expansion element changes its physical state from collapsed to expanded, fundamentally altering the volume and pressure parameters of the collecting bag. This parameter transformation creates the suction force needed to overcome flow resistance and accelerate urine drainage without adding mechanical complexity
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
This solution reduces the duration of bladder drainage, minimizes pressure in the urethra, and ensures unhindered urine flow into the collecting bag, making the assembly easier to use and safer for users.
Implementation Method 1
the expansion element is able to automatically transform itself from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration
Implementation Method 2
suction means arranged for providing suction through the flow path into the bag, the suction means being provided by interaction with the collecting bag itself, as the volume of the collecting bag is expanded such that negative pressure is created
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention provides an assembly for urinary drainage. The assembly comprises a urinary drainage device for collecting urine from a body opening and a collecting bag for collecting the urine. The collecting bag comprises a compartment between sheets of a foil material and an inlet into the compartment, which inlet is connected to the device such that a urinary flow can be established in a flow path from the device through the inlet and into the compartment. The collecting bag further comprises a flow promoting element arranged between the sheets and having flow promoting properties. The collecting may also comprise suction means for providing suction through a flow path in the collecting bag.