Head-Mounted Respiratory Blower With Sealed Zero-Bias Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing respiratory assistance systems face issues such as mask leaks due to conduit tugging during user movement, excessive noise and draughts from bias flow vents, and complexity in humidification, which affect patient comfort and compliance.
Innovation Solution
A head-mounted respiratory assistance apparatus with a sealed gases flow path, passive humidification, and a lightweight impeller blower unit that integrates heat and moisture exchangers, along with a zero bias flow design to minimize leaks and noise, and includes a base station for power and data transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a flexible gases conduit is used to deliver pressurized gases from the blower unit to the patient interface, then the system allows user movement, but mask leaks occur due to conduit tugging on the patient interface during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate modules: a head-mounted blower unit, a separate humidifier chamber, and a patient interface. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the blower unit can be secured to the head while the patient interface remains stable on the face, reducing tugging forces that cause leaks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a body-worn or bed-based system to a head-mounted configuration. By relocating the blower unit to the user's head, the system eliminates the need for long flexible conduits that tug on the mask, as the gas delivery point is now adjacent to the patient interface rather than distant in the gas flow path.
2Reliability
If bias flow vents are provided to eliminate carbon dioxide build-up in the patient interface, then gas washout is achieved, but excessive noise and draughts are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the bias flow venting system entirely from the patient interface. Instead of venting exhaled gases through the mask to atmosphere (which creates noise and draughts), the system recycles exhaled gases back through the humidifier chamber and redelivers them to the user, eliminating the harmful noise and draught effects while maintaining CO2 elimination through the sealed circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
Exhaled gases containing CO2, which would normally be discarded through bias flow vents creating noise and draughts, are instead redirected through the humidifier chamber. This converts a harmful waste stream into a beneficial resource that maintains humidity and warmth in the respiratory circuit while eliminating CO2 through the sealed flow path.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a modular system with separate humidifier and blower units is used, then system flexibility is improved, but device complexity and number of connection conduits increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the blower unit and patient interface into a single head-mounted assembly, eliminating the need for flexible gas conduits connecting separate blower and patient interface components. While the humidifier remains a separate module, this merging significantly reduces the number of connection points and conduits required, simplifying the overall system architecture.
4Ease of operation
If a head-mounted design is used, then patient comfort and compliance are improved, but device weight becomes a critical factor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent concentrates the weight of the blower unit and power supply in specific locations on the head (forehead or occipital regions) while keeping the patient interface portion lightweight. This localized weight distribution allows the system to be head-mounted for comfort and mobility while managing the weight burden through strategic positioning rather than uniform distribution.
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
Enhances patient comfort by reducing mask leaks and noise, improves system efficiency with passive humidification, and provides a compact, user-friendly design for continuous respiratory therapy.
Implementation Method 1
a blower unit provided on the main body having a gases inlet to receive a supply of gases from the surrounding atmosphere and which is operable to generate a pressurised gases stream at a gases outlet
Implementation Method 2
the gases flow path from the gases inlet of the blower unit to the gases outlet(s) of the patient interface is substantially sealed such that there is zero bias flow along the gases flow path
Data Source
AI summary
A head-mounted respiratory assistance apparatus configured to provide a respiratory gases stream to a user. The head-mounted respiratory assistance has a main body securable to the head of a user and a blower unit that is operable to generate a pressurised gases stream from a supply of gases from the surrounding atmosphere. A patient interface is provided on the main body that has a gases inlet which is fluidly connected to the blower unit and which is configured to deliver the pressurised gases to the user's nose and/or mouth.