Actuated Nasal-Plug Filter for Inhaled Volume Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nasal-plug filters cause discomfort due to insufficient inhaled volume and breathing difficulty, and lack the ability to monitor gas quality effectively.
Innovation Solution
A nasal-plug filter device with actuators fabricated by semiconductor processes to enhance gas introduction, combined with a gas sensor for quality detection, ensuring filtered and purified gas is provided while allowing users to understand the inhaled gas quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter is placed in the nasal-plug to purify inhaled gas, then gas purification function is improved, but breathing difficulty and insufficient inhaled volume occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic actuators (piezoelectric or electromagnetic) that actively adjust the gas flow characteristics in real-time. These actuators modify the flow dynamics to maintain sufficient inhalation volume while preserving filtration function, transforming a static filtration system into a dynamic flow control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of gas flow by using actuators to adjust pressure, flow rate, and velocity. This allows the system to optimize the balance between filtration efficiency and breathable volume by dynamically tuning flow parameters rather than maintaining fixed conditions.
2Reliability
If ambient air is filtered to remove harmful gases and particles, then gas quality is improved, but inhaled volume becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator system dynamically adjusts gas flow characteristics to ensure that sufficient volumes of purified gas are delivered to the user. The system can modulate flow rates and pressures to compensate for any volume loss during filtration, maintaining both quality and quantity requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pneumatic actuators and pressure control mechanisms to manage gas flow through the filtration system. By applying controlled pressure differentials, the system overcomes flow resistance introduced by filters while maintaining adequate inhalation volumes.
3Ease of operation
If gas flow rate is increased to provide sufficient inhaled volume, then breathing comfort is improved, but filtration efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic flow control actuators that can adjust gas velocity and pressure in real-time. This allows the system to optimize the trade-off between flow rate and filtration efficiency by dynamically tuning operating conditions rather than relying on fixed flow rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes physical parameters such as gas pressure, velocity, and flow distribution to maintain both comfortable breathing rates and effective filtration. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system prevents the inverse relationship between flow rate and filtration efficiency from becoming problematic.
4Device complexity
If no gas detection function is provided, then device complexity is reduced, but user awareness of gas quality is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates gas sensors that provide real-time feedback about ambient gas quality to the user. This feedback mechanism allows users to understand the quality of air they are breathing or about to breathe, enabling informed decisions without significantly complicating the overall device architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas detection system serves the user's information needs autonomously by continuously monitoring and reporting gas quality parameters. This self-monitoring capability provides valuable gas quality information without requiring external monitoring equipment or complex user intervention.
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
Enhances gas introduction efficiency, provides filtered and purified gas, and allows users to monitor gas quality in real-time.
Implementation Method 1
The first actuator fabricated by semiconductor manufacturing processes is disposed at the inlet end of the ventilating channel, and is driven to transmit gas outside the device body into the device body with a relatively higher pressure
Implementation Method 2
The second actuator fabricated by semiconductor manufacturing processes is stacked on and bonded to the first actuator, and is driven to retransmit the gas transmitted by the first actuator to the filter to be filtered and purified
Implementation Method 3
The gas sensor is disposed at the outlet end of the ventilating channel for detecting a gas quality of the gas at the outlet end
Data Source
AI summary
A nasal-plug filter device including a device body, a filter, a first actuator, a second actuator, and a gas sensor is provided. The device body has a ventilating channel, and the ventilating channel has an inlet end and an outlet end. The filter is disposed at the outlet end. The first actuator is disposed at the inlet end for being driven to transmit gas outside the device body into the device body. The second actuator is stacked on and bonded to the first actuator, and the second actuator is driven to transmit the gas transmitted by the first actuator to the filter to be filtered and purified. The gas sensor is disposed at the outlet end for detecting a gas quality of the gas at the outlet end. A connection element may be provided for connecting two nasal-plug filter devices with each other.