CPAP Ozone Sanitization Chamber for Leak-Safe Full Exposure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sanitization systems for medical devices, particularly CPAP equipment, face challenges such as inadequate exposure of components to sanitizing agents, potential user exposure to sanitizing gases, and cumbersome cleaning protocols, leading to health hazards and user resistance.
Innovation Solution
A sanitizing system that selectively distributes sanitizing gas, such as ozone, to specific components of medical devices like CPAP hoses and masks while preventing gas leakage and ensuring complete exposure, using positioning elements and safety features to control sanitization cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users clean CPAP device components individually as recommended by manufacturers, then sanitization effectiveness is improved, but user convenience and time efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple CPAP components (hose, mask, water reservoir) into a single sanitization chamber, allowing simultaneous treatment of all components in one operation. This merging approach maintains sanitization effectiveness while dramatically improving user convenience by eliminating the need for separate cleaning of each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The sanitization system is designed to handle multiple different CPAP components simultaneously within a single chamber, making the device universal in its application. The chamber can accommodate various component configurations and sizes, allowing one device to perform multiple sanitization functions that previously required separate manual cleaning processes.
2Reliability
If ozone gas is used for sanitization, then disinfection effectiveness is improved, but user safety deteriorates due to potential exposure to sanitizing gases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the sanitization process into two distinct phases: a closed sanitization phase where ozone is generated within a sealed chamber to ensure effective disinfection, and a venting phase where the chamber is opened to allow ozone dissipation before user access. This segmentation maintains disinfection effectiveness while protecting user safety through temporal separation of the harmful phase and the safe phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary venting action automatically after the sanitization cycle completes, dissipating ozone from the chamber before the user can access the components. This preliminary action of removing the harmful gas beforehand prevents user exposure while maintaining the effectiveness of the prior disinfection process.
3Reliability
If sanitization chamber design is improved to enhance component exposure, then sanitization effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sanitization chamber incorporates a movable lid that transitions between closed and open positions, creating a dynamic structure that adapts between sanitization and access modes. This dynamic design allows the chamber to provide enclosed sanitization when closed and easy component access when open, achieving effective sanitization without permanent complex structural modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber design provides localized sealing and exposure features only where needed for sanitization effectiveness, rather than complex overall restructuring. The sealing surfaces and venting mechanisms are concentrated at specific locations (lid and base interfaces) to achieve effective sanitization with minimal added complexity in critical areas only.
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 sanitizes CPAP components without exposing users to ozone, ensuring thorough disinfection and reducing the risk of health hazards, while simplifying the cleaning process.
Implementation Method 1
an ozone operating system configured to generate ozone
Implementation Method 2
a fan configured to move the generated ozone into the hose
Data Source
AI summary
A method of sanitizing at least a portion of a medical device with a sanitization system comprising a base comprising a sanitizing chamber, a sanitizing gas generator, a primary fan or pump, a secondary fan or pump, and a controller. The sanitizing operation comprising generating a sanitizing gas pulse including causing the sanitizing gas generator supplying a sanitizing gas and causing at least one of the primary fan or pump and the secondary fan or pump to operate for a pulse period, and conducting a dwell operation after the pulse period, the dwell operation comprising discontinuing supply of said sanitizing gas and slowing or stopping said primary fan or pump and said secondary fan or pump for a dwell time.