Aircraft Respiratory Mask with Automated Sensor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Crew members in aircraft cockpits face respiratory emergencies due to smoke, pressure changes, and air contamination, where manual operation of respiratory masks is challenging, distracting, and may lead to incapacitation, especially in smoky environments.
Innovation Solution
A respiratory mask equipped with sensors monitoring cockpit air and crew member health parameters, automatically switching between dilution, emergency, and recirculation modes to supply appropriate respiratory gases, including oxygen, exhaled gas, and purified air, to maintain safe oxygen levels and prevent hypoxia and hyperventilation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual operation of the regulator is required, then the crew member can control the respiratory gas supply, but the crew member's attention is distracted from vital operations and manual operation may not be possible in emergencies
Solution Approach 1:
The respiratory mask system performs self-service by automatically monitoring crew member health parameters (oxygen saturation, breathing rate) and cockpit conditions (smoke, pressure) through integrated sensors, then autonomously switching between operating modes (100% oxygen, dilution, recirculation) without requiring manual intervention. This eliminates the distraction problem while ensuring continuous appropriate respiratory support during emergencies
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical operation of the regulator with an electronic control system that uses sensors and automated logic to monitor conditions and adjust oxygen delivery. The electronic system substitutes for manual mechanical adjustments, providing faster and more reliable response to emergency conditions
2Reliability
If 100% oxygen is supplied during emergencies, then adequate oxygenation is ensured, but oxygen consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the oxygen delivery mode based on real-time monitoring of crew member health parameters and cockpit conditions. It transitions between three modes: 100% oxygen delivery during severe emergencies, dilution mode (mixing oxygen with cockpit air) during moderate emergencies, and recirculation mode (rebreathing exhaled gas with oxygen supplementation) during less severe conditions. This dynamic adaptation ensures adequate oxygenation while minimizing oxygen consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of oxygen delivery by adjusting the concentration and flow rate based on detected conditions. The system monitors oxygen saturation and breathing rate to determine appropriate oxygen concentration levels, switching between pure oxygen and diluted oxygen mixes. This parameter adjustment maintains reliable oxygenation while reducing overall oxygen consumption during non-critical phases
3Reliability
If the respiratory mask includes advanced monitoring and automatic switching capabilities, then respiratory support reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The respiratory mask integrates multiple functions into a single device: health parameter monitoring (oxygen saturation, breathing rate), environmental monitoring (smoke detection, pressure sensing), automated mode switching, and oxygen delivery. This multi-functionality achieves high reliability without proportionally increasing complexity, as all functions are integrated into one unified system rather than separate components
Data Source
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AI summary
A respiratory mask for use in an aircraft is disclosed. In one embodiment, the respiratory mask includes a plurality of sensors for monitoring at least one of cockpit air for parameters capable of affecting oxygen level and health of a crew member health for parameters capable of causing respiratory disorder, and providing associated output signals. Further, the respiratory mask includes a regulator electronically coupled to the sensors. The regulator automatically switches between operating modes to supply respiratory gas to the crew member based on the associated output signals of the plurality of sensors. The operating modes may include a dilution mode, an emergency mode, and a recirculation mode.