Pressure Regulator for Enhanced Cough Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Respiratory diseases such as COPD and CF lead to accumulation of mucus in the respiratory system, causing respiratory difficulties due to insufficient natural cough flow, often resulting in airway collapse during coughing, which conventional mechanical insufflation and exsufflation methods fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that control pressure during enhanced cough flow by using a pressure regulator and pressure relief valve to toggle between closed and open modes, allowing for series of exsufflation events and maintaining pressure within a desired range, preventing airway collapse and effectively expelling secretions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional mechanical insufflation and exsufflation methods are used to increase cough flow, then secretion expulsion is improved, but airway collapse occurs during the cough maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the resistance during the cough maneuver by transitioning from a low-resistance state during inspiration to a high-resistance state during expiration. This dynamic adjustment prevents airway collapse while maintaining effective cough flow, as the resistance is optimized at each phase of the respiratory cycle rather than being fixed throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies periodic resistance changes synchronized with the respiratory cycle, creating alternating phases of low resistance during inspiration and high resistance during expiration. This periodic action maintains airway patency during the critical expiratory phase while preserving the ability to generate high cough flows when needed.
2Ease of operation
If a single exsufflation event is applied over a single exhalation, then the system is simple to operate, but secretion expulsion effectiveness is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the single exhalation into multiple exsufflation events by applying periodic high resistance during the expiratory phase. This segmentation creates multiple cough-like events within a single breath cycle, significantly improving secretion expulsion effectiveness while maintaining simple operation through automatic cyclic control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous useful action by automatically repeating the exsufflation cycle throughout the expiratory phase, ensuring that secretion expulsion continues effectively without requiring manual intervention between events. The cyclic operation provides continuous therapeutic benefit while keeping the system easy to operate.
3Productivity
If pressure is rapidly increased during cough by closing the valve, then cough flow is enhanced, but pressure may exceed safe thresholds causing harm
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback control by monitoring pressure levels and automatically adjusting the valve resistance in response to pressure changes. When pressure approaches safe thresholds, the system modulates the resistance to prevent excessive pressure buildup, thereby maintaining effective cough flow while eliminating the harmful effect of pressure overload.
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 system effectively enhances cough flow by preventing airway collapse and improving secretion expulsion, ensuring pressure is maintained within a safe range, thereby aiding in the clearance of mucus and reducing respiratory difficulties.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure relief valve associated with the subject interface and configured to open and release gas out of the subject interface, responsive to pressure within the subject interface exceeding a predetermined threshold value
Implementation Method 2
a pressure regulator configured to selectively control flow through the subject interface, the pressure regulator operating in (i) a first mode in which the subject interface is closed such that substantially no gas is communicated with the airway of the subject therethrough, and (ii) a second mode in which the subject interface is opened to permit gas to be exhausted from the airway of the subject
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method configured to control pressure during enhanced cough flow of a subject are provided. A pressure regulator is operated such that during an individual exhalation of the subject, the pressure regulator is toggled between a first mode in which a subject interface is closed such that substantially no gas is communicated with the airway of the subject there through and a second mode in which the subject interface is opened to cause a series of exsufflation events for the individual exhalation of the subject. The pressure relief valve is associated with the subject interface and configured to open and release gas out of the subject interface, responsive to pressure within the subject interface exceeding a predetermined threshold value so as to maintain the pressure within the subject interface within a predetermined pressure range during the enhanced cough flow.