Separate Blower and Control Modules for CPAP Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional respiratory assistance devices for CPAP therapy are bulky, heavy, and restrictive, causing discomfort and sleep disturbances due to their large size and weight, which limits portability and head mobility during sleep.
Innovation Solution
A respiratory assistance device with a blower and operation device housed in separate casings, connected via wireless or wired communication, featuring a short air tube, integrated power source, and a humidifier for moisture addition, designed to reduce noise and weight, enhancing portability and user comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the air tube is made longer to increase distance between blower and attachment part, then noise is reduced, but weight of the air tube increases
Solution Approach 1:
The respiratory assistance device is divided into separate functional modules: the blower device is separated from the operation device, and the air tube is optimized for minimal length. This segmentation allows the blower to be positioned away from the attachment part without requiring a longer air tube, as the blower device can be placed on a surface near the patient's head while the air tube only needs to connect to the attachment part.
2Weight of moving object
If the air tube is made shorter to reduce weight, then portability is improved, but the degree of freedom of the head is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the blower device from the operation device and allowing the blower to be positioned on a surface, the air tube length is minimized while the blower remains distant from the attachment part. This segmentation resolves the conflict between short air tube length for weight reduction and sufficient head mobility.
3Device complexity
If the body device integrates the blower and operation device, then device complexity is reduced, but weight and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The blower device is separated from the operation device into independent modules. The blower device includes only the blower and necessary flow control, while the operation device contains the power source and control circuitry. This segmentation reduces the weight of the body device while maintaining functional integration through wireless communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The blower device is extracted from the operation device and positioned separately on a surface. This extraction allows the air tube to be shorter and lighter, while the blower remains functionally integrated through wireless communication signals transmitted through the air tube.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the air tube is made longer to reduce noise, then distance between blower and attachment part increases, but portability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The separation of the blower device from the operation device allows the blower to be positioned on a surface away from the attachment part, reducing noise without requiring a longer air tube. This segmentation enables the air tube to remain short and lightweight, maintaining portability while achieving noise reduction.
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 provides a lightweight, compact, and portable CPAP therapy solution that minimizes sleep disturbances and improves patient quality of life by allowing greater head mobility and reduced noise, while maintaining effective air pressure and humidity control.
Implementation Method 1
a blower which applies a positive pressure to the airway
Implementation Method 2
a heating and humidifying part for evaporating water
Data Source
AI summary
Respiratory assistance device suitable for Auto CPAP respiratory therapy. The respiratory assistance device includes: a blower device including a blower configured to generate pressurized air; an operation device including an operation interface configured to control the blower; a wireless or wired communication arrangement configured to connect the blower device and the operation device; an attachment part configured to be attached to a head of a patient so as to supply the pressurized air to an airway of the patient; and an air tube through which the pressurized air is introduced into the attachment part from the blower device. The blower device is accommodated in a blower device casing, and the operation device is accommodated in an operation device casing separate from the blower device casing.