Vacuum Urine Collection Chamber for Backflow-Free Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing urine collection systems experience issues with urine retention and backflow due to tubing loops, leading to inaccurate measurements and hydrostatic pressure on the bladder, which can be mitigated by a vacuum-assisted system with a plunger valve and isolation chamber to ensure complete urine drainage.
Innovation Solution
A urinary collection system featuring a vacuum chamber, plunger valve, and isolation chamber to manage urine flow, utilizing a vacuum pump to transition between states for purging and flowing modes, ensuring complete urine collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If gravity flow is used to transport urine from patient to collection bag, then the system is simple and passive, but urine loops in tubing cause retention, inaccurate measurements, and backflow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by introducing a vacuum pump to create negative pressure in a vacuum chamber, which actively draws urine through the drainage tube and prevents backflow. This pneumatic mechanism replaces passive gravity flow with active vacuum-assisted drainage, ensuring complete urine removal from loops while maintaining system reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static gravity flow to dynamic vacuum-assisted flow. The vacuum pump can be activated to create vacuum pressure when needed (e.g., to clear loops), and the plunger valve dynamically opens/closes to control flow direction. This dynamic operation allows the system to adapt between normal drainage and loop-clearing modes
2Reliability
If vacuum pump is added to clear tubing loops, then complete urine drainage is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum chamber serves multiple functions: it acts as a vacuum source when the pump is activated, provides a collection space for urine during vacuum-assisted drainage, and can be used to clear loops. The plunger valve also serves dual purposes by controlling both normal flow and vacuum activation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to be manually activated by clinicians when loop formation is detected. The plunger valve can be manually opened to activate vacuum, and the system self-regulates the drainage process without requiring continuous external control. This on-demand activation reduces the need for complex automated control systems
3Object-affected harmful factors
If plunger valve closes to prevent backflow, then urine backflow is blocked, but vacuum chamber may retain urine
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic activation of the vacuum pump rather than continuous operation. The vacuum is activated when loop clearance is needed, allows drainage to complete, then deactivated. This periodic operation prevents continuous vacuum from holding urine in the chamber, ensuring complete drainage while maintaining backflow prevention when needed
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 prevents urine backflow and ensures accurate urine output measurements by clearing tubing loops and maintaining bladder integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum chamber (120) configured to receive a volume of urine from the drainage tube
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a vacuum pump to transition between states for purging and flowing modes
Implementation Method 3
the plunger valve transitionable between an opened state and a closed state. When the plunger valve is transitioned to the opened state, urine is allowed to flow from the vacuum chamber to the urine collection bag
Implementation Method 4
the isolation chamber includes an inclined bottom surface to inhibit the reflux
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a urinary collection system including a urine collection bag and a vacuum chamber coupled to the urine collection bag. The vacuum chamber is positioned in a vertical orientation. A top end of the vacuum chamber includes a drainage inlet and a vacuum port, and a bottom end of the vacuum chamber includes a drainage outlet. An isolation chamber is disposed between the vacuum chamber and urine collection bag, where the isolation chamber is configured to prevent reflux of urine from the urine collection bag into the vacuum chamber. A vacuum tube extends between the vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump. A plunger valve in line with an outlet of vacuum chamber is transitioned to a closed state when a vacuum is applied to the vacuum chamber and transitioned back the open state when the vacuum is removed from the vacuum chamber.