Flexible Respiratory Nosepiece With Stepped Side Port Channels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional respiratory nosepieces for gas sampling face challenges in achieving low deadspace and maintaining gas signal fidelity due to resin flash and occlusions formed during injection molding, which degrades the quality of the gas sample.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a respiratory nosepiece with specific channel diameters and steps to prevent occlusions, made using injection molding with pins having flat faces to minimize resin flash, and a flexible material like polyvinyl chloride or thermoplastic elastomer to ensure low internal volume and signal fidelity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional injection molding techniques are used to manufacture respiratory nosepieces, then manufacturing cost and efficiency are improved, but resin flash forms occlusions within the channels degrading gas sample signal fidelity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing cost and efficiencyVSAvoidgas sample signal fidelity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating different surface finishes in different regions of the mold. Specifically, the mold cavity has a polished surface finish in the regions where gas sampling channels are formed, while other areas of the mold may have different finishes. This localized polishing prevents resin flash occlusions specifically in the channel regions without requiring the entire mold to be polished, thus maintaining gas sample signal fidelity while keeping manufacturing efficient

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the surface finish parameter of the mold cavity in the regions corresponding to gas sampling channels. By polishing these specific regions to a smooth finish, the flow characteristics of the resin are improved during injection molding, preventing flash formation and occlusions that would degrade gas sample signal fidelity. This parameter change is applied locally rather than globally

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Volume of stationary object

If small mold pin dimensions are used to realize small diameter channels for low internal volume, then deadspace is reduced, but resin flash forms occlusions within the channels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinternal volume (deadspace)VSAvoidgas sample signal fidelity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by selectively polishing only the mold cavity regions that correspond to gas sampling channels, regardless of the pin dimensions used. This ensures that even when small pins create narrow channels, the polished surface finish in those specific regions prevents resin flash occlusions, maintaining gas sample signal fidelity while achieving low deadspace through the small channel dimensions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Manufacturing precision

If dipping process is used to manufacture respiratory nosepieces, then low deadspace and gas signal fidelity are achieved, but manufacturing time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas sample signal fidelityVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the critical function of creating smooth channel surfaces from the complex dipping process. By using injection molding with selectively polished mold cavities, the patent achieves the essential outcome (smooth internal channels for gas sampling) without requiring the entire dipping process, thereby maintaining gas sample signal fidelity while dramatically improving manufacturing efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a mold cavity that is a precise copy of the desired nosepiece geometry, including the gas sampling channels. By polishing this mold copy and using it for injection molding, the smooth surface characteristics are replicated in every production run, achieving consistent gas sample signal fidelity through a efficient manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS10471228B2Flexible low deadspace respiratory nosepiece for gas sampling cannulae and method of manufac

Publication Date: 2019.11.12 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV

AI summary

A respiratory nosepiece (10) and method of manufacturing the respiratory nosepiece, the respiratory nosepiece including a first nasal prong (110) with a first channel (112) extending there through, and a first side port (130) connectable to tubes (192, 194) having different first and second diameters. The first side port has a second channel (131) extending there through and in communication with the first channel. The second channel includes a first section (134) having the first diameter, a second section (136) having the second diameter, a first step (135) between the first and second sections, and a second step (137) between the second section and an end (133) of the second channel. The first and second channels are formed during injection molding by pins (412, 422, 431, 441) having flat pin-on-pin geometry to reduce resin flash within the channels.