Airflow Switching Valve for Sequential Multi-Patient Ventilation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ventilators are inadequate for simultaneously ventilating multiple patients due to differences in lung volume, pressure, and compliance, leading to safety risks when attempting to share a single mechanical ventilator among multiple patients.
Innovation Solution
An airflow switching valve is placed between the mechanical ventilator and patients, allowing sequential ventilation by aligning airflow between the ventilator and each patient, ensuring each receives a full respiratory cycle without compromising safety or requiring power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If splitting connectors are used to ventilate two or more patients simultaneously, then the ventilator capacity is increased, but the safety is compromised due to inability to maintain individual lung parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the ventilation circuit into separate pathways for each patient using a rotatable valve with multiple outlets. Each patient receives dedicated airflow control while sharing a single ventilator, allowing individual parameter maintenance (volume, pressure, compliance) for each patient circuit independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable valve mechanism dynamically switches between different patient circuits based on respiratory phase. The valve rotates to align different outlet openings with the common inspiratory port at different times, enabling sequential ventilation of multiple patients while maintaining individual control over each patient's respiratory parameters.
2Device complexity
If a single ventilator is used for multiple patients, then the equipment cost is reduced, but the control precision over individual patient breath is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is pre-configured with multiple outlet openings positioned at specific angles. Before ventilation begins, the appropriate number of outlets are selected based on patient count. The valve then sequentially directs breaths to each connected patient circuit, ensuring precise control over individual breath delivery while using a single ventilator unit.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the inner housing is made rotatable and translatable, then the airflow switching capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve utilizes pneumatic pressure from the ventilator's inspiratory port to drive the rotation and translation of the inner housing. The pressurized airflow itself provides the actuating force, eliminating the need for external motors or complex mechanical actuation systems. This reduces overall device complexity while maintaining versatile airflow switching capability.
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
Enables safe and efficient ventilation of multiple patients with a single ventilator, maintaining individual control over each patient's breath, thus increasing ventilator capacity without the need for costly upgrades or additional equipment.
Implementation Method 1
Movement of the inner housing within the outer housing (e.g., rotational movement and/or translational movement) is initiated by either a spring force caused by the spring of the airflow switching valve
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of openings in the outer housing and inner housing when aligned in different positions, direct airflow to different patients. Movement of the inner housing within the outer housing is initiated by air pressure caused by an inspiratory breath flowing into the airflow switching valve from the mechanical ventilator
Data Source
AI summary
An airflow switching valve allowing a single ventilator to sequentially ventilate multiple patients, each patient being ventilated through a respiratory cycle. The airflow switching valve includes an outer housing, an inner housing, and a spring. Each of the outer and inner housings have a plurality of apertures that, when aligned in different positions, direct airflow to different patients. The inner housing rotates within the outer housing into different positions. The rotational movement is guided by a track of the outer housing. Extensions on the inner housing engage the track of the outer housing and translate along the track, thereby directing the movement of the inner housing between varying positions. Movement of the inner housing is initiated by either a spring force caused by the spring of the airflow switching valve or by air pressure caused by an inspiratory breath flowing into the airflow switching valve from the ventilator.