Patient Interface Elbow Assembly for Quiet Adaptive Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing respiratory therapy devices and interfaces suffer from discomfort, poor fit, difficulty of use, and non-compliance due to inadequate design for individual facial variations, leading to reduced effectiveness and patient adherence.
Innovation Solution
An elbow assembly for a patient interface featuring a swivel component connected to an air circuit via a ball and socket joint and hinge joint, allowing pivotal movement, combined with a vent arrangement that minimizes noise and directs exhaust gases away from sensitive areas, and a seal-forming structure that adapts to facial contours for improved comfort and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed rigid patient interface is used, then structural stability is maintained, but comfort and adaptability to individual facial variations deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patient interface is divided into multiple segments including a headrest portion, a bridge portion, and a chin rest portion that can move independently. The chin rest portion is further segmented into a fixed part and a movable part connected by a hinge joint, allowing each segment to adapt to different facial contours while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface incorporates dynamic elements including a hinge joint that allows the chin rest portion to pivot and adjust to different facial positions. The headrest portion can also move relative to the bridge portion, creating a dynamic system that adapts to individual patient anatomy rather than requiring a completely rigid structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a simple connection structure is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but range of motion and adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A hinge joint is incorporated between the fixed part and movable part of the chin rest portion, enabling pivotal movement that adjusts to different facial positions and angles. This dynamic connection provides enhanced range of motion while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure that can be manufactured using conventional techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge portion serves as an intermediary element connecting the headrest portion to the chin rest portion. This intermediate structure facilitates the transmission of movement and force between components while allowing each part to maintain its own degree of freedom, thereby enabling complex motion patterns through a series of simple connections.
3Ease of operation
If exhaust gases are vented directly, then ventilation effectiveness is improved, but noise and patient discomfort increase
Solution Approach 1:
A diffuser member is introduced as an intermediary element between the exhaust gases and the patient's face. This diffuser component disperses the exhaust gas flow and redirects it away from the patient's facial area, reducing both noise and direct gas contact while maintaining effective ventilation through the patient interface.
4Reliability
If a secure seal is maintained during facial movement, then therapy effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and adjustment mechanisms increase
Solution Approach 1:
The chin rest portion is designed with a hinge joint that allows it to pivot and follow facial movements dynamically. This dynamic adjustment maintains the seal between the patient interface and facial features during movement without requiring complex active control systems or multiple adjustment mechanisms, as the hinge passively adapts to position changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation of the chin rest into fixed and movable parts allows the movable part to independently adjust to facial movements while the fixed part maintains structural support. This segmentation enables the seal-forming portion to move with the face while maintaining reliable contact, without requiring the entire interface to be complex or actively controlled.
Data Source
AI summary
An elbow assembly for a patient interface includes a swivel component adapted to connect to a patient interface and an elbow component adapted to connect to an air circuit. The swivel component is coupled to the elbow component by a ball and socket joint and a hinge joint which allows the elbow component to pivot relative to the swivel component about a single axis.