CPAP Muffler Breathable Channels Noise Dispersion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy devices for obstructive sleep apnea suffer from noise issues during gas discharge, which disrupts sleep quality and can lead to carbon dioxide retention, and have integrated frame and hose designs that are difficult to clean and prone to damage.
Innovation Solution
A gas delivery device with a detachable frame and hose design, incorporating a noise reduction component featuring a ventilation port and muffler with breathable channels to disperse gas flow, reducing noise and preventing carbon dioxide re-inhalation, while allowing for easy cleaning and modular replacement of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the ventilation port directly perforates the mask, elbow, or frame, then gas can be discharged from the cavity to the external environment, but the exhaled gas flows directly and generates concentrated airflow and excessive noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a noise reduction component as an intermediary element between the ventilation port and the external environment. This component includes a soundproofing chamber and soundproofing material that mediates the gas flow path, allowing exhaled gas to be discharged while reducing noise through multiple internal reflections and absorptions before reaching the outside.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the ventilation path from a direct one-dimensional hole into a three-dimensional soundproofing chamber with multiple internal surfaces and reflection paths. By adding spatial dimensions and creating a complex internal structure within the noise reduction component, the gas flow is dispersed and noise is reduced through multiple reflections off internal surfaces.
2Ease of manufacture
If the ventilation port directly perforates the mask, elbow, or frame, then gas discharge function is achieved, but the airflow is concentrated and produces whistling sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The noise reduction component acts as an intermediary that modifies the gas discharge path. The soundproofing chamber with its internal surfaces and soundproofing material mediates the airflow, preventing direct concentrated flow that causes whistling while still allowing effective gas discharge from the cavity to the external environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The ventilation path is segmented into multiple sections within the soundproofing chamber, creating multiple smaller flow paths rather than one large direct opening. This segmentation disperses the gas flow into multiple streams, reducing the velocity and concentration of airflow that causes whistling sounds.
3Device complexity
If the frame and hose are integrated into one piece, then the structure is simple, but it is difficult to clean and prone to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the integrated frame-hose structure into separate detachable components: the frame assembly and the hose assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be independently removed, cleaned, and maintained, solving the cleaning difficulty while maintaining structural simplicity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the frame and hose is made dynamic rather than static, allowing the hose to be detachably connected to the frame. This enables the system to transition between integrated and separated states, facilitating easy cleaning and maintenance while maintaining structural integrity during use.
4Ease of manufacture
If the frame and hose are integrated into one piece, then manufacturing is simpler, but damaged parts require replacement of the entire assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated structure is segmented into modular components (frame and hose) that can be independently replaced. This allows only the damaged component to be replaced rather than the entire assembly, reducing repair costs and waste while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized modular interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design enables selective replacement of damaged components while recovering and reusing the intact portions of the system. The hose can be replaced independently of the frame, allowing the durable frame to be recovered and reused, reducing overall resource consumption.
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 device significantly reduces noise during gas discharge, enhances sleep quality, facilitates easy cleaning and maintenance, and extends the service life by enabling modular replacement of damaged parts, thereby improving user experience and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
The muffler has multiple breathable channels that connect the first breathable area and the second breathable area, allowing gas in the cavity to be discharged to the external environment through the muffler
Data Source
AI summary
A device for delivering gas includes a frame, a gas delivery hose, and a noise reduction component. The gas delivery hose is detachably connectable to the frame. The noise reduction component includes a ventilation port and a muffler. The ventilation port is provided in communication with the cavity of the frame, and the muffler is connected to the frame and covers the ventilation port. The muffler has a first surface having a first breathable area exposed to the external environment, and a second surface having a second breathable area exposed to the cavity. The muffler also has multiple breathable channels connecting the first breathable area and the second breathable area, allowing gas in the cavity to be discharged from the muffler to the external environment. The multiple breathable channels in the muffler can disperse the gas flow, making it less turbulent and reducing the noise generated.