Gas Outlet Extender for Ergonomic Medical Gas Relocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical gas outlets are often not conveniently located for caregivers to use, necessitating a solution to reposition them for improved ergonomics and ensuring compliance with regulatory gas flow requirements.
Innovation Solution
A gas outlet extender system that includes a mounting plate with an insertion element and a distributer with multiple taps, allowing relocation of medical gas outlets to more ergonomic positions while maintaining regulatory compliance by ensuring each tap meets gas flow and pressure requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If medical gas outlets are installed in fixed wall positions, then structural simplicity is maintained, but accessibility and ergonomic usability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The gas outlet system is segmented into a fixed wall outlet and a movable extender unit. The extender can be detached and repositioned along the wall or ceiling, allowing caregivers to access gas supplies at ergonomic locations without modifying the fixed wall infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The extender acts as an intermediary between the fixed wall outlet and the caregiving equipment. It provides a flexible connection that can be positioned optimally for use while maintaining connection to the fixed gas supply infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple gas outlets are provided for different devices, then device connectivity is improved, but gas flow regulation and pressure control become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The extender is designed with multiple taps that can serve different devices simultaneously. Each tap is equipped with individual flow control mechanisms, allowing universal connectivity while maintaining reliable, independent control of gas flow to each device.
Solution Approach 2:
Each tap on the extender has locally optimized flow control features, including individual regulators and flow meters. This ensures that gas flow to each device can be precisely controlled according to its specific requirements, maintaining reliability despite multiple connection points.
3Ease of operation
If existing outlets are relocated to ergonomic positions, then caregiver accessibility is improved, but installation complexity and regulatory compliance verification increase
Solution Approach 1:
The extender is designed as a dynamic, repositionable component that can be easily moved and adjusted after installation. It features quick-connect mechanisms and flexible mounting options that simplify installation while allowing ergonomic optimization without complex re-piping or structural modifications.
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
Enables the relocation of medical gas outlets to more convenient positions for caregivers while ensuring that the gas flow to each tap meets regulatory standards, maximizing flow and minimizing pressure drop, and allowing for easy maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a distributer channel for a flow of gas between the insertion element channel and the tap channel
Data Source
AI summary
A gas outlet extender allows for relocation of existing medical gas outlets to positions that are more ergonomic to care-givers at the point-of-use. In various aspects, the gas outlet extender may take one source of gas supply and provide the facility with a plurality of separate sources of that gas supply. By taking measurements of various parameters of the gas supply, an installer may obtain confidence that the gas flow for each of the plurality of separate sources meets regulatory requirements.