Forehead Pad with Gel-Filled Chamber for Breathing Mask Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Breathing masks with high contact pressures cause discomfort and pressure points during long-term use due to inadequate distribution of force across the forehead area.
Innovation Solution
A forehead pad design featuring a dimensionally stable first wall element and an elastomer second wall element with a filling-material-receiving chamber, allowing for an advantageous distribution of pressure through the use of a viscous medium like silicone gel, and adhesion-bonding zones created via corona or plasma treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high contact pressures are used to improve sealing action, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but wearing comfort deteriorates and pressure points occur
Solution Approach 1:
The forehead pad is divided into multiple chambers that can be independently filled with gel material, allowing different regions to provide different levels of pressure distribution. This segmentation enables the pad to maintain sealing effectiveness while distributing pressure more evenly across the forehead to prevent discomfort and pressure points during long-term use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and distribution parameters by introducing gel material into the chambers, transforming the pressure transmission mechanism from rigid contact to fluid-filled cushioning. This parameter change allows the forehead pad to maintain adequate contact pressure for sealing while distributing forces more uniformly to improve wearing comfort.
2Ease of operation
If a complex multi-material structure is used to distribute pressure evenly, then wearing comfort is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional elements (chambers, gel filling, adhesion-bonding zones) into an integrated forehead pad structure that can be manufactured as a single unit. This merging approach maintains the pressure-distributing benefits of complex multi-material designs while simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The forehead pad utilizes composite construction by combining rigid wall elements with gel filling material and adhesion-bonding zones. This composite approach enables even pressure distribution and improved wearing comfort while maintaining manufacturability through established composite material processing techniques.
3Strength
If adhesion-bonding zones are created via corona or plasma treatment, then bonding strength is improved, but manufacturing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The corona or plasma treatment is applied as a preliminary step during the molding process, creating adhesion-bonding zones before the gel filling is introduced. This preliminary action ensures strong bonding between the wall elements and gel material while integrating the treatment into the existing manufacturing workflow, minimizing additional time requirements.
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 solution provides enhanced wearing comfort by distributing pressure evenly across the forehead, reducing discomfort and pressure points, while being efficient and cost-effective to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
The one or more adhesion-bonding zones may be generated by selective treatment of defined regions of the first wall element, e.g., by means of a corona or plasma treatment
Implementation Method 2
The one or more adhesion-bonding zones may be generated by selective treatment of defined regions of the first wall element, e.g., by means of a corona or plasma treatment
Implementation Method 3
The filling-material-receiving chamber may be filled with a viscous medium, e.g., a gel material such as silicone gel
Data Source
AI summary
A forehead pad for a breathing mask includes a substantially dimensionally stable first wall element and an elastomer second wall element coupled to the first wall element. The second wall element has a contact zone adapted to contact a surface of a user in use. The first and second wall elements define a filling-material-receiving chamber adapted to receive a filling material.