Adjustable Seal Member for Patient Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional patient interfaces for non-invasive pressure support and ventilation systems face challenges in balancing comfort and minimizing gas leaks, often compromising on either comfort or seal integrity due to lack of a stable platform and adjustable seal positioning.
Innovation Solution
A patient interface with a faceplate and adjustable seal member that can be moved relative to the faceplate using an adjustment mechanism, providing either discrete or infinite positions for optimal fit and comfort, supported by a stable platform for improved seal stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mask is compressed against the patient's face to maintain a seal without gas leaks, then gas leakage is minimized, but patient comfort decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cushion is made adjustable relative to the mask shell, allowing dynamic repositioning to optimize both seal integrity and comfort. The cushion can be moved between multiple positions to accommodate different patient needs and facial contours, transforming a static configuration into a dynamic, adaptable system.
Solution Approach 2:
The position of the cushion relative to the mask shell is changed as a variable parameter. By adjusting the cushion position along the longitudinal axis of the mask shell, the system can optimize the balance between seal effectiveness and patient comfort, treating position as a tunable parameter rather than a fixed design constraint.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cushion position is fixed relative to the mask shell, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different patients and conditions decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patient interface is divided into separable components: the mask shell and the cushion are distinct elements that can be independently positioned and adjusted. This segmentation allows the cushion to be moved relative to the mask shell without requiring complex integrated mechanisms, as the components can be independently manipulated and repositioned.
Solution Approach 2:
The cushion is made adjustable relative to the mask shell, allowing dynamic repositioning to optimize both seal integrity and comfort. The cushion can be moved between multiple positions to accommodate different patient needs and facial contours, transforming a static configuration into a dynamic, adaptable system.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient interface of the present invention includes a faceplate including a plurality of headgear attachment elements, a seal member operatively coupled to the faceplate; and an adjustment mechanism coupling the seal member to the faceplate. The adjustment mechanism controls the position of the seal member relative to the faceplate such that the seal member is moveable from a first position to a second position and is maintained in the second position during use of the patient interface after being moved to the second position.