Vaginal Insertion Assembly With Segmented Retention Web
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tampons are uncomfortable during insertion and removal due to friction, and existing flexible retention webs for low flow bodily discharges often fail to ensure effective delivery and retention of therapeutic agents within the vaginal cavity, leading to reduced effectiveness and increased agent usage.
Innovation Solution
A vaginal insertion assembly featuring a partially hollow applicator with a flexible retention web that is strangled along its axis, creating a shorter and longer flap, where the shorter flap is housed within the applicator and the longer flap protrudes to ensure efficient unrolling and contact with the vaginal wall, preventing pouch formation and ensuring complete agent delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a flexible retention web is housed entirely within the applicator for insertion, then insertion comfort is improved, but the web cannot unroll properly and pouch formation occurs preventing agent delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The retention web is divided into two distinct flaps: a first flap housed within the applicator for comfortable insertion, and a second flap that extends outward to unroll and contact the vaginal wall for effective agent delivery. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by assigning different functional roles to different portions of the web.
Solution Approach 2:
The first flap of the retention web is nested within the applicator body, allowing the applicator to guide insertion while the nested flap gradually unrolls. This nesting arrangement enables both comfortable insertion (first flap contained) and effective treatment (second flap available for unrolling).
2Reliability
If the retention web is made larger to ensure complete agent delivery, then agent delivery effectiveness is improved, but friction during insertion and removal increases causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The web is segmented into a first flap for insertion (housed in applicator) and a second flap for agent delivery (extending outward). This allows the total web area to be sufficient for complete agent delivery while the insertion portion remains compact and manageable, reducing friction-related discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the web have different functional qualities: the first flap is designed for low-friction insertion when housed in the applicator, while the second flap is designed for maximum contact with the vaginal wall to ensure complete agent delivery. Each portion is optimized for its specific function.
3Quantity of substance
If a pouch is formed to retain therapeutic agent, then agent retention is improved, but the pouch may not unfold causing incomplete agent delivery to the treatment zone
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming a closed pouch, the web is divided into two flaps where the second flap extends outward to create an open configuration. This segmentation prevents pouch formation issues while ensuring the agent can be delivered to the treatment zone through direct contact of the second flap with the vaginal wall.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than enclosing the agent in a pouch that may fail to unfold, the design inverts the approach by using an open flap configuration where the second flap naturally extends to contact the treatment surface, ensuring reliable agent delivery without the risk of pouch entrapment.
4Quantity of substance
If the web material is highly absorbent to retain bodily discharges, then retention effectiveness is improved, but friction during insertion and removal increases causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The web is segmented into a first flap for insertion and a second flap for discharge retention. The first flap (housed in applicator) is optimized for low-friction insertion, while the second flap (extending outward) provides the absorbent surface for effective discharge retention, separating the conflicting functions into different portions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the web have different functional qualities: the first flap is optimized for low-friction insertion when housed in the applicator, while the second flap is optimized for high absorbency to retain bodily discharges. Each portion is locally optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between retention effectiveness and insertion comfort.
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 assembly provides enhanced comfort during insertion and removal, ensures complete contact of therapeutic agents with the vaginal wall, and effectively retains low flow bodily discharges, reducing discomfort and agent leakage.
Implementation Method 1
flexible retention web for low and very low flow of bodily fluids, intended to be introduced into the vaginal cavity
Implementation Method 2
The web is particularly designed to afford exceptional comfort to a user who produces small amounts of bodily discharge
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a vaginal insertion assembly and methods of manufacturing it, which comprises a flexible retention web made by an atraumatic material intended to be introduced into the vaginal cavity with the aid of an applicator, said web comprising removal means and a shorter web flap F1 obtained by strangling the web in a site P, and being arranged into the applicator such that the web becomes more rigid and makes it less penetrable.