Urethra Compression Device

In order to ensure success upon market entry, a start-up medical device manufacturer teamed with Mechlogic to take a fresh approach to the problem of male vesicle incontinence in the development of an innovative Urethra Compression Device (UCD) that improved upon existing technology.

We provided concept development, proof-of-concept testing, functional and aesthetic product design, bio-compatible/FDA materials selection, CAD drawings and FEA performance prediction in order to out-perform competitive technologies while maintaining in the strictest confidence the identity of their company.

Challenge

Existing technology consisted of ‘crude, cruel and in-humane’ devices which indiscriminately squeezed or ‘crushed’ the urethra by application of excessive external force. Understanding that the device need be effective and comfortable, we invented the two-stage UCD that enabled single-handed operation to selectively compress the urethra to control flow.

Solution

•  created geometric models to establish the product design parameters
•  developed spreadsheet-based math models to simulate urethra compression function
•  created crude but functionally representative prototypes with which we performed proof-of-concept testing to verify design basis
•  created 2-D and 3-D CAD models in order to analyze and predict part function using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software
• revised the design and 3-D CAD models, then output the parts in digital format directly to CAM for prototype machining
• interacted directly with the client throughout the product development process, provided design summaries and progress reports

Services/Skills

•  3-D CAD modeling
•  Mechanical Engineering
•  Mechanical Design
•  DFM (Design for Manufacture) principles

Results

The outcome of our efforts resulted in the world’s lightest, most comfortable and only 2-stage UCD for men. Made of injection moldable thermoplastic, engineering prototypes were nearly production ready and the client relied upon the performance strength of the highly-functional prototypes to proceed with marketing and production funding efforts.

US Patents 6,289,895;  6,609,522.