Respiratory Mask Coupling Element for Adjustable Forehead Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient interfaces with forehead supports lack individual adjustment capabilities, are complex and expensive to produce, and difficult to clean, often requiring multiple parts and adjustment mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A patient interface with a one-piece coupling element and forehead support featuring a curved contour profile with varying radius of curvature and asymmetrical receiving means, allowing for adjustable positioning without additional forehead pads or mechanisms, made from a single piece of flexible plastic for ease of production and cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed assignment of coupling element to strap end is used, then the structure is simple, but individual adjustments for the patient are impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling element is divided into multiple receiving means (first receiving means and second receiving means) positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows the strap to be attached at different positions along the coupling element, enabling individual adjustment for different patients without requiring a completely different strap design for each patient.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling element is designed with multiple receiving means that can accommodate different strap configurations. A single coupling element serves multiple functions by providing various attachment points, making it universally applicable to different patients and strap types without requiring additional adjustment mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a spring-loaded adjustment mechanism is used, then adjustment options are provided, but the forehead support becomes complex and expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism is extracted from the forehead support structure itself and transferred to the coupling element. By removing the adjustment function from the forehead support and placing it in the coupling element, the forehead support remains simple and easy to manufacture while still providing adjustment capabilities through the multiple receiving means in the coupling element.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling element is designed with multiple receiving means at different positions, creating a dynamic attachment system. This allows the strap to be positioned flexibly along the coupling element without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms, achieving adaptability through geometric configuration rather than mechanical complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If a one-piece forehead support is used, then manufacturing is easier and cleaning is simpler, but individual adjustment of the forehead support is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment functionality is segmented from the forehead support body and relocated to the coupling element. The forehead support remains as a simple one-piece structure for easy manufacturing and cleaning, while the coupling element provides the adjustment capability through its multiple receiving means, achieving both simplicity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling element acts as an intermediary between the simple one-piece forehead support and the adjustable strap system. It mediates the adjustment function without requiring the forehead support itself to be complex, allowing the forehead support to remain simple while still enabling individual adjustment through the coupling element's multiple receiving means.
4Device complexity
If the forehead support has a large inclination to the user's forehead, then the structure is simpler, but the plane at the base is far from the receiving device plane
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving means are positioned at different distances from the plane of symmetry, creating a three-dimensional arrangement. This dimensional variation allows the strap to be attached at optimal positions while maintaining proper alignment with the receiving device, solving the plane alignment issue without complicating the overall structure.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
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Figure 6~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a patient interface with at least one coupling element for a strapping, wherein the coupling element has at least one plane of symmetry and at least four receiving means for a strapping end of a strapping, characterized in that the receiving means are arranged in pairs on both sides of the plane of symmetry and a strapping end can alternatively be attached to the receiving means or to the receiving means on one side of the coupling element, and the receiving means is spatially adjacent to the receiving means and closer to the plane of symmetry than the receiving means.