Respirator Humidifier Backflow Tank Tilt Spill Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Respirators used for sleep apnea patients often have humidifiers that spill water when tilted, causing inconvenience and potential safety issues due to dry burning of the heating plate.
Innovation Solution
A humidifier design with a backflow tank located within the heating chamber, which accumulates water when tilted, preventing spillage and incorporating notches to guide gas flow and reduce outlet gas flow rates, ensuring efficient water vaporization and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the humidifier is tilted during use, then water spills from the heating chamber, but this causes inconvenience and potential safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The heating chamber is segmented into a main heating area and a backflow tank region. The baffle divides the chamber to create a separate backflow tank that captures spilled water, preventing it from exiting the humidifier. This segmentation allows the device to tolerate tilting without complete water spillage.
Solution Approach 2:
The backflow tank acts as an intermediary chamber between the heating chamber and the exterior. When water spills due to tilting, it is caught in the backflow tank rather than spilling out, serving as a buffer zone that prevents harmful water discharge.
2Productivity
If the heating chamber has sufficient water for vaporization, then efficient humidification is achieved, but water may spill when tilted
Solution Approach 1:
The heating chamber is divided into functional zones: a vaporization zone for efficient humidification and a backflow tank zone for spill containment. This segmentation allows water to be present in sufficient quantities for vaporization while confining excess or spilled water to the backflow tank.
Solution Approach 2:
The backflow tank converts the harmful effect of water spillage into a beneficial feature by designing the spill path to lead into a contained region. Water that would otherwise be wasted or cause harm is instead captured and retained within the heating chamber assembly.
3Speed
If gas flow rate at outlet is high, then efficient gas circulation is achieved, but water may be blown out of the heating chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The baffle structure creates different flow characteristics in different regions of the heating chamber. The gas flow is directed through specific paths that maximize vaporization efficiency while the baffle geometry controls the flow to prevent water ejection at the outlet.
Solution Approach 2:
The baffle serves as an intermediary structure that mediates between the high-speed gas flow and the water in the heating chamber. It directs the gas flow to achieve efficient circulation while preventing the water from being carried out with the flow.
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 design effectively prevents water spillage and enhances safety by ensuring water vaporization efficiency, maintaining humidity levels, and preventing dry burning of the heating plate.
Implementation Method 1
a heating chamber communicated with exterior environment by a vertically disposed partition plate
Implementation Method 2
a passage for communicating the liquid reservoir chamber and the heating chamber
Implementation Method 3
a backflow tank for reserving water, so as to prevent discharging of water when the humidifier is tilted
Data Source
AI summary
A humidifier includes a water receiving chamber enclosed by a main body and a bottom plate, the water receiving chamber is divided into a gastight liquid reservoir chamber and a heating chamber communicated with exterior environment by a vertically disposed partition plate. A passage for communicating the liquid reservoir chamber and the heating chamber is disposed adjacent to the bottom plate. A baffle extending toward the bottom plate from a top wall of the main body is disposed in the heating chamber, there is a gap between the baffle and each of a circumferential sidewall of the heating chamber and a level of liquid in the heating chamber. A circumferential sidewall of the baffle, the partition plate and the top wall collectively form a backflow tank. When the humidifier and a respirator including the humidifier are tilted, the water inside the humidifier does not flow out.