Head-Mounted Respiratory Pressure Blower Layout for Noise Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current respiratory pressure therapy (RPT) devices for treating respiratory disorders are limited by issues such as comfort, noise, ease of use, size, weight, manufacturability, cost, and reliability, particularly in providing effective and comfortable therapy for patients with conditions like sleep apnea, and existing data management systems are costly, time-consuming, and error-prone.
Innovation Solution
A portable RPT system with a blower that includes a motor with dual impellers and stators, a seal-forming structure that maintains therapeutic pressure, and a positioning and stabilizing structure to secure the device on the patient's head, along with a vent assembly that allows exhaled gases to be discharged efficiently, reducing noise and vibration, and an integrated humidifier for improved comfort and compliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a traditional RPT device is used to provide therapeutic pressure, then effective therapy is delivered, but the device is bulky and heavy, reducing portability
Solution Approach 1:
The RPT device is segmented into modular components including a collapsible housing with collapsible sides, allowing the device to be divided into smaller, more portable sections while maintaining full therapeutic functionality when assembled
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible housing employs a nested structure where sides can fold inward and collapse, allowing the device to compact into a smaller form factor for portability while expanding to full size for operation, effectively nesting the functional volume within a smaller storage volume
2Volume of moving object
If the blower is positioned close to the patient's head for portability, then device size is reduced, but noise and vibration increase
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible conduit is introduced as an intermediary element between the blower and the patient interface, allowing the blower to be positioned away from the patient's head while maintaining functional connection, thus mediating between the conflicting requirements of compact positioning and noise reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The device layout transitions from a compact head-mounted arrangement to an extended configuration where the blower is positioned remotely and connected via flexible conduit, utilizing spatial dimensionality to separate noise-generating components from the patient interface
3Reliability
If a seal-forming structure is used to maintain therapeutic pressure, then effective therapy is provided, but comfort is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patient interface employs local quality by providing targeted sealing only at the nasal pillows or specific contact points rather than a complete facial seal, maintaining therapeutic pressure where needed while leaving other areas open for comfort and natural breathing
4Ease of operation
If a portable RPT system is designed, then ease of use and compliance improve, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The portable RPT system is designed with segmented, modular components including separable housing sections, removable battery packs, and detachable flexible conduits, allowing independent manufacturing and assembly of standard components while achieving portability goals
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates universal, multi-functional components such as a collapsible housing that serves both structural and compacting functions, and a flexible conduit that provides both pneumatic connection and positioning flexibility, reducing the need for specialized parts
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 RPT system provides improved comfort and efficacy for patients by reducing noise and vibration, enhancing ease of use, and allowing for efficient data management, thereby increasing patient compliance and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
a blower configured to generate the flow of gas and pressurise the plenum chamber to the therapeutic pressure, the blower having a motor, the blower being connected to the plenum chamber such that in use the blower is suspended from the patient's head and an axis of rotation of the motor is generally perpendicular to the patient's sagittal plane
Implementation Method 2
a seal-forming structure constructed and arranged to form a seal with a region of the patient's face at or surrounding an entrance to the patient's airways such that a flow of gas at said therapeutic pressure is delivered to at least the entrance to the patient's nares, the seal-forming structure constructed and arranged to maintain said therapeutic pressure in the plenum chamber throughout the patient's respiratory cycle in use
Implementation Method 3
a positioning and stabilising structure constructed and arranged to provide an elastic force to hold the seal-forming structure in a therapeutically effective position on the patient's head
Implementation Method 4
a vent assembly constructed and arranged to allow a flow of gas to pass from the plenum chamber to outside of the patient interface, the vent assembly comprising a base and at least one extension extending from the base and at least partially defining a passage
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention discloses a respiratory pressure therapy (RPT) system comprising: a plenum chamber pressurisable to a therapeutic pressure of at least 6 cmH2O above ambient air pressure; a seal-forming structure constructed and arranged to form a seal with a region of the patient's face at or surrounding an entrance to the patient's airways such that a flow of air at said therapeutic pressure is delivered to at least the entrance to the patient's nares, the seal-forming structure constructed and arranged to maintain said therapeutic pressure in the plenum chamber throughout the patient's respiratory cycle in use; a positioning and stabilising structure constructed and arranged to provide an elastic force to hold the seal-forming structure in a therapeutically effective position on the patient's head, the positioning and stabilising structure comprising a tie, a lateral portion of the tie being constructed and arranged to overlie a region of the patient's head superior to the otobasion superior in use, and a superior portion of the tie being constructed and arranged to overlie a region of the patient's head in a region of the parietal bone in use, wherein the positioning and stabilising structure has a non-rigid decoupling portion; a blower configured to generate the flow of air and pressurise the plenum chamber to the therapeutic pressure, the blower having a motor, the blower being connected to the plenum chamber such that in use the blower is suspended from the patient's head and an axis of rotation of the motor is generally perpendicular to the patient's sagittal plane; and a power supply configured to provide electrical power to the blower.