Archive from the Spring 2001 semester

Mechanical Valve for Bodily Fluid Drainage

Skip navigation (Alt + s).
Contact information.

[ BME Department | BME Design Classes | BME Design Projects ]

Table of Contents.

• Project Overview.
• Project Status.
• Project Timeline.
• Presentations and Reports.
• Contact Information.

Return to Table of Contents.

Project Overview.

Disabled individuals who rely on urine drainage bags need a quick, reliable method for emptying liquid wastes from the 1000 cc bag attached to their leg. The system must incorporate a valve that can be operated at the user's discretion using a switch he or she can easily reach. Care must be taken to ensure clogging will not result from urine crystalization, the appearance of the device remains unobtrusive, and the system is affordable even without health care.

Spring 2001 Project Team Members:

Team Leader- Sarah Schram
Communications- Shannon Kane.
BSAC Leader- Jeffrey Phillips.
BWIG Representative- Angela Heppner.

Client- Mr. Dan Egan
(see picture to right)
Primary Advisor- Dr. Willis J. Tompkins, Ph.D.

Return to Table of Contents.

Project Status.

At midsemester, three tentative design options were selected to be reviewed. These included:
1) Improve the currently used Red Hat solenoid valve
2) Incorporate a pre-manufactured pinch valve
3) Design an electromagnetic cap or plunger that would control fluid drainage.

We tested the Red Hat solenoid valve on April 10, 2001. For more information, view our testing page.

The electromagnetic cap idea was eliminated as a design solution, as we believed the energy required for it to function would make it inefficient. For more information, see Reports.

The pinch valve underwent numerous tests after its arrival on April 18. For more information, view our testing page. All results indicated that it was a very feasible solution to this design problem, and it was presented as the final design at our presentation on Friday, April 4, 2001. For more information, see Reports.

Return to Table of Contents.

Project Timeline.

Week 1: Choose project and obtain contact information.
Week 2: Meet with client and define problem.
Week 3: Start PDS and continue refinining throughout semester.
Week 4: Background research.
Week 5: Brainstorm, continue background research, begin midsemester paper and presentation.
Week 6: Finish and give midsemester presentation while continuing to brainstorm and research.
Week 7: Order valves.
Week 8: Spring break.
Week 9: Order pinch valve and leg bag, discuss electromagnetic idea with a professor.
Week 10: Meet with customer, get tubing.
Week 11:
Week 12: Select final design, modify design, make schematics and building plans.
Week 13: EXAMS!!!
Week 14: Begin building.
Week 15: Final presentation and paper due.

Return to Table of Contents.

Presentations and Reports

Electromagnetic Cap (Adobe PDF, 52 KB)
Product Design Specifications (Adobe PDF, 10 KB)
Final Paper "Valve for Bodily Fluid Drainage for Paralyzed Individuals" (Adobe PDF, 786 KB)
Final Powerpoint Presentation "Bodily Fluid Drainage Valve" (Zipped MS PowerPoint File, 13.9 MB)

Return to Table of Contents.

Contact Information.

For more information concerning the project or this website, please contact Angela at alheppner@students.wisc.edu.

This page complies with CSS and HTML 4.01 Transitional standards as set forth by the W3C. Further, this page conforms to W3C's "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0", available at http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505, level Double-A.

. . .

Back to navigation bar (Alt + n).
Back to top.