Gas Flow Indicator with Movable Concealment Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas delivery devices, such as oxygen masks and bag valve masks, lack effective visual indicators for confirming the presence and flow rate of supplemental oxygen, leading to potential undetected failures in oxygen supply, which can result in hypoxemia and increased morbidity and mortality, especially in emergency or critical care scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A gas flow indicator device with an elongate housing and a concealment member that moves in response to gas flow pressure, exposing an annular gas flow indicator member for visual confirmation of adequate oxygen flow through a viewing window, functioning as an "on" or "off" switch to indicate gas supply and desired flow rates like 6 L/min.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gas delivery devices use simple design without flow indicators, then device complexity is reduced and manufacturing cost decreases, but the ability to detect gas flow failure is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs color-changing indicators to signal gas flow status. The indicator member changes color or becomes visible when gas flow is present, providing immediate visual feedback to clinicians about whether oxygen is flowing through the delivery device. This simple visual mechanism reliably detects flow failure without adding mechanical complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary visual indicator mechanism that mediates between the gas flow and the clinician's observation. Rather than directly monitoring complex flow parameters, the indicator member acts as a simple mediator that translates gas flow presence into visible color changes or positional shifts that can be easily observed.
2Reliability
If gas delivery devices include complex alarms and flow sensors, then detection of gas supply failure is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential detection function from complex alarm and sensor systems, isolating only the critical visual indication aspect. By removing unnecessary electronic components and focusing solely on a simple visual indicator mechanism, the device maintains reliable detection capability while dramatically reducing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inexpensive visual indicator materials that can be easily manufactured and integrated into the device. These simple color-changing or position-indicating components are far cheaper than electronic sensors and alarms, providing cost-effective reliability for detecting gas flow failures in routine clinical use.
3Ease of manufacture
If gas delivery devices lack visual flow indicators, then manufacturing cost and device simplicity are maintained, but patient safety is compromised due to undetected hypoxemia
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color-changing indicator members that provide immediate visual confirmation of gas flow. When oxygen flows through the device, the indicator changes color or becomes visible, giving clinicians instant feedback that the patient is receiving the required oxygen concentration, thereby preventing undetected hypoxemia while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual indicator mechanism is self-activating based on gas flow presence. The indicator automatically changes state when gas flows through the device, requiring no external power source, electronic control, or complex operation. This self-service mechanism provides patient safety protection without increasing manufacturing complexity or cost.
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
Provides a simple and reliable visual confirmation of gas flow and flow rate, ensuring that patients receive the required oxygen concentration, reducing the risk of undetected oxygen supply failures and enhancing patient safety.
Implementation Method 1
a concealment member movable from the first end of the housing in response to a sufficient pressure generated by gas flow from the inlet port to the outlet port
Implementation Method 2
against the action of a biasing member acting to bias the concealment member to the first end
Data Source
AI summary
A gas-flow indicator has an elongate housing defining a gas flow chamber between first and second ends, with an annular indicator within the chamber from the first end over part of the length enabling gas to pass along a bore through the indicator. The indicator is spaced from a sidewall of the housing, defining an annular space. A concealment member is movable from the first end by gas flow through the chamber, against a biasing towards the first end and has a skirt receivable into the space to seal at the first end, while the other end of the concealment member defines an opening resisting gas flow. The skirt is hold-able to conceal the indicator at a housing window. Increasing gas flow achieves pressure to overcome the bias, and the concealment member moves towards the second end, exposing the indicator member through the window, to indicate gas flow.