Respiratory Mask Flow Coupling for Gas Scavenging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical masks fail to effectively deliver therapeutic gases while scavenging exhaled gases, leading to potential health risks for medical workers due to leakage of residual gases into the surrounding area.
Innovation Solution
A respiratory mask design featuring a shell with a flow coupling that includes separate supply and scavenging flow passages, with a septum to isolate them, and strategically positioned apertures for efficient gas delivery and scavenging, along with a corrugated extension tube for compliance and scavenging performance, reducing gas leakage and dilution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible mask shell with independent ports is used, then the mask can adapt to patient anatomy, but the ports cannot maintain effective relative positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the supply port and scavenging port into a single integrated flow coupling assembly. This merging ensures that the ports maintain fixed relative positioning to each other while the entire assembly can still adapt to patient anatomy through the flexible mask shell.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow coupling acts as an intermediary component between the mask shell and the gas delivery/scavenging system. It provides a rigid structure with precisely positioned ports that interfaces with the flexible mask, thereby maintaining port positioning precision while allowing mask adaptability.
2Ease of operation
If central vacuum systems are used for scavenging, then the system is simple to operate, but they do not provide sufficient scavenging potential to prevent gas leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the scavenging function from the simple vacuum connection by introducing a dedicated scavenging port and flow passage system. This segmentation allows for optimized scavenging flow paths and sufficient scavenging potential while maintaining ease of operation through standardized connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by designing specific flow passages and pressure differential mechanisms within the flow coupling. These pneumatic features enhance scavenging effectiveness by optimizing gas flow patterns and maintaining negative pressure gradients, thereby preventing gas leakage while keeping the system easy to operate.
3Adaptability or versatility
If supply and scavenging ports are independently arranged, then each port can be positioned separately, but it is difficult to maintain effective relative positioning between ports
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the supply port and scavenging port into a single integrated flow coupling assembly. This merging ensures that the ports maintain fixed relative positioning to each other while the entire assembly can still adapt to patient anatomy through the flexible mask shell.
4Productivity
If therapeutic gases are delivered through a mask, then patient delivery is effective, but residual gases leak into the surrounding area posing risks to medical workers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the scavenging function as a separate, dedicated flow path within the flow coupling. By taking out the scavenging capability from the general mask structure and providing it through a specific port and passage system, the design effectively removes residual gases from the vicinity of the patient, preventing them from leaking into the surrounding area and protecting medical workers while maintaining therapeutic gas delivery efficiency.
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 mask effectively delivers therapeutic gases while scavenging exhaled gases, minimizing risks to medical workers by reducing gas leakage and ensuring unidirectional bulk flow, thus enhancing safety and scavenging efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
ensuring unidirectional bulk flow
Implementation Method 2
corrugated extension tube for compliance and scavenging performance
Implementation Method 3
a septum within the body that separates the supply flow passage from the scavenging flow passage
Data Source
AI summary
A respiratory mask for a medical patient including a shell and a flow coupling is disclosed. The shell includes an upper portion configured to cover a nose of the patient and a lower portion configured to cover a mouth of the patient, where an internal surface of the shell defines an interior volume of the respiratory mask. The flow coupling includes a body, a supply flow passage extending through the flow coupling, a scavenging flow passage extending through the flow coupling, and a septum within the body that separates the supply flow passage from the scavenging flow passage. The supply flow passage and the scavenging flow passage are fluidly coupled to an aperture that extends through the upper portion of the shell, and an aperture extending through the lower portion of the shell, respectively.