Active Lung Assist Device for Impaired Gas Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current respiratory devices fail to provide active expiration support for patients with impaired lung functionality, especially when chest movements are restricted or lungs are flooded with liquid, and they cannot expel carbon dioxide and other substances effectively, limiting their gas exchange capability.
Innovation Solution
The Active Lung Assist Device uses a combination of automated mechanical, electrical, and computerized systems to provide active inspiration and expiration, equipped with a fluid pressurizing component, vacuum pump, and directional valves to supply breathable gas and suction out undesired substances from the lungs, capable of supporting multiple patients simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional respiratory devices are used to supply breathable air, then inhalation is supported, but active expiration support is not provided when lungs cannot expand or contract
Solution Approach 1:
The respiratory device is designed to perform both inhalation support and active expiration support functions. The system includes a breathable gas supply mechanism and an active expiration mechanism that can forcefully remove carbon dioxide and other gaseous substances from the lungs, making the device versatile for patients with various respiratory impairments including those who cannot expand or contract their lungs.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from passive gas delivery to active dynamic control of both inhalation and exhalation processes. The active expiration mechanism dynamically adjusts to forcefully expel gases from the lungs, providing adaptability for patients whose biological lungs cannot perform normal expansion and contraction movements.
2Ease of manufacture
If respiratory devices rely on biological lung function, then simple gas delivery is achieved, but removal of carbon dioxide and non-gaseous substances is not possible when lungs are impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The device introduces an intermediary active expiration mechanism that mediates the removal of substances from the lungs when the biological lung cannot perform this function. This intermediary system includes mechanisms to forcefully expel carbon dioxide and non-gaseous substances, ensuring reliable substance removal capability while maintaining relatively simple device construction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If invasive ventilation is provided for self-breathing patients, then ventilation support is given, but it cannot support patients with severely impaired lungs that cannot breathe on their own
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation system is designed with universal applicability to serve both self-breathing patients and patients with severely impaired lungs. The system includes both invasive and non-invasive interfaces, and the active expiration mechanism can operate effectively regardless of the patient's residual breathing capability, covering a broad spectrum of patient types without requiring fundamentally different system architectures.
4Reliability
If single-patient ventilators are used during pandemics, then individual patient care is ensured, but multiple patients cannot be supported simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed with modular architecture that can be segmented to support multiple patients simultaneously. The system can be divided into separate functional units or circuits that can serve individual patients while being controlled from a central system, enabling one device to provide reliable care to multiple patients during pandemic situations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges multiple patient support circuits into a single integrated device. By combining multiple ventilation circuits within one device framework, the system maintains individualized care for each patient while increasing the overall productivity and number of patients that can be supported simultaneously during emergencies.
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 device effectively maintains lung gas exchange functionality by preventing fluid accumulation, supporting patients with impaired lung expansion or contraction, and providing simultaneous support during emergencies or pandemics, ensuring quick relief and safety with disinfectable components.
Implementation Method 1
vacuum pump, and directional valves to supply breathable gas and suction out undesired substances from the lungs
Implementation Method 2
fluid pressurizing component, equipped with a fluid pressurizing component, vacuum pump, and directional valves to supply breathable gas
Data Source
AI summary
An active breathing assistance apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may include a driving unit/compressor, primary and secondary branched tubing, a directional valve having multiple internal channels and ports connected to the primary and secondary branched tubing, a conditioning unit in the primary or secondary branched tubing through which breathable air or oxygen passes, a wearable breathing compartment connected to the secondary branched tubing and configured to receive the breathable air or oxygen from the conditioning unit, and a control valve in the primary or secondary branched tubing. When the control valve is in the primary branched tubing, it is configured to control a pressure and/or flow rate in the primary branched tubing. When the control valve is in the secondary branched tubing, it is configured to isolate the wearable breathing compartment from a remainder of the apparatus and connect the wearable breathing compartment to atmospheric air.