Portable Compression Chamber with Segmented Liner and Woven Shell

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing portable compression chambers are complicated to form, heavy, and inflexible, making them difficult to pack and transport effectively for immediate treatment of conditions like decompression syndrome.

Innovation Solution

A portable compression chamber design featuring two end walls interconnected by a flexible tubular member formed from an air-impervious inner material surrounded by a seamless woven outer tube, providing lightweight and flexible construction that maintains air pressure without significant stress on the inner material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the chamber uses a flexible tubular wall with windings of reinforcing filaments or yarns pre-impregnated with silicone elastomer precursor and cured, then the chamber provides structural strength under pressure, but the formation process becomes complicated and the casing becomes heavy and inflexible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strength under pressureVSAvoidformation process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The chamber is divided into separate functional components: an inner air-impervious liner and an outer seamless woven tube. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the liner provides air tightness while the woven tube provides structural strength, eliminating the need for complex pre-impregnation and curing processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The chamber uses a composite structure combining an air-impervious material (such as plastic or rubber) with a seamless woven material (such as polyester or nylon). This composite approach provides both air tightness and structural strength without requiring the complex silicone elastomer impregnation and curing process, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If the chamber uses a flexible tubular wall with windings of reinforcing filaments or yarns pre-impregnated with silicone elastomer precursor and cured, then the chamber provides structural strength under pressure, but the casing becomes heavy and inflexible making the chamber difficult to pack and transport

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strength under pressureVSAvoidchamber weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The chamber is divided into separate functional components: an inner air-impervious liner and an outer seamless woven tube. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the liner provides air tightness while the woven tube provides structural strength, eliminating the need for complex pre-impregnation and curing processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The chamber uses a composite structure combining an air-impervious material (such as plastic or rubber) with a seamless woven material (such as polyester or nylon). This composite approach provides both air tightness and structural strength without requiring the complex silicone elastomer impregnation and curing process, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If the chamber uses a flexible tubular wall with windings of reinforcing filaments or yarns pre-impregnated with silicone elastomer precursor and cured, then the chamber provides structural strength under pressure, but the casing becomes inflexible making the chamber not easy to pack and transport

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strength under pressureVSAvoidflexibility for packing and transport

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The chamber is divided into separate functional components: an inner air-impervious liner and an outer seamless woven tube. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the liner provides air tightness while the woven tube provides structural strength, eliminating the need for complex pre-impregnation and curing processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The chamber uses a seamless woven tube that acts as a flexible shell, providing structural strength while maintaining flexibility for packing and transport. The woven structure allows the tube to bend and flex without compromising its load-bearing capacity, enabling easy deployment in various field conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Reliability

If the inner air-impervious material is made thicker to prevent air leakage, then air sealing improves, but the material becomes significantly stressed under pressure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair sealingVSAvoidstress on inner material

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The chamber uses a composite structure combining an air-impervious material (such as plastic or rubber) with a seamless woven material (such as polyester or nylon). This composite approach provides both air tightness and structural strength without requiring the complex silicone elastomer impregnation and curing process, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 design results in a lightweight, flexible, and compact chamber that is easily transportable and deployable, allowing for immediate treatment of conditions such as decompression syndrome, while maintaining effective air sealing and structural integrity under pressure.

Implementation Method 1

the hoop stress created when the chamber is pressurised is taken by the woven material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHoop stress:

Implementation Method 2

The air impervious material prevents leakage of air without being significantly stressed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir impervious barrier:

Data Source

PatentUS8905027B2Portable compression chambers

Publication Date: 2014.12.09 SELBY JOHN STEPHEN

AI summary

A compression chamber is formed by two end walls (10) and a flexible tubular member (11) extending between the end walls (10). The flexible tubular member (11) is formed from an inner tube (12) of air impermeable material and an outer tube (13) of a braided material. The inner tube (12) is unstressed when the chamber is filled with oxygen or air and the outer tube (13) bears the pressure load.