Respiratory Mask Headgear Lock for Easy Donning and Secure Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Respiratory mask systems face challenges in maintaining an airtight seal and comfortable fit due to the need for high retention forces that can make donning and doffing difficult, and existing solutions do not efficiently reduce the force required for mask adjustment.
Innovation Solution
The development of a headgear system with directional locks and a disengagement mechanism that allows for low-friction movement during mask removal and adjustment, using a yoke and strap configuration with adjustable locks that reduce the force needed for elongation and retraction, enabling easy donning and doffing while maintaining a secure seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high retention forces are used to maintain an airtight seal, then the seal reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in donning and doffing
Solution Approach 1:
The headgear incorporates a dynamic locking mechanism that transitions between locked and unlocked states. The directional lock maintains high retention force in the sealed state but allows easy release during donning and doffing, resolving the contradiction between seal reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the retention force parameter dynamically through the disengagement mechanism. When locked, high retention force maintains the seal; when unlocked, low retention force enables easy donning and doffing. This parameter change resolves the contradiction between maintaining seal reliability and enabling ease of operation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If directional locks are used to maintain secure positioning, then the stability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional locking mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The directional lock mechanism is designed to automatically maintain stable positioning without requiring active control or complex additional components. The lock engages and disengages based on the natural motion of the headgear during donning and doffing, providing stability while minimizing added complexity.
3Ease of operation
If friction is reduced for easy adjustment movement, then the ease of operation is improved, but the retention force decreases compromising the secure seal
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts friction characteristics through the directional lock mechanism. During adjustment movements, low friction enables easy operation; when locked in position, high friction maintains secure retention and seal integrity, resolving the contradiction between ease of adjustment and retention force.
Data Source
AI summary
A respiratory mask system is provided comprising a respiratory mask and a head engaging portion, wherein the head engaging portion is configured to couple to the respiratory mask to engage a wearer's head via a disengageable mechanism. The disengageable mechanism may comprise a linking member attached to the head engaging portion, a disengagement member attached to the respiratory mask and configured to receive the linking member, wherein the disengagement member is configured to be moveable between a first position and a second position, a control configured to allow a wearer of the mask to move the disengagement member towards the first position and one or more surfaces defined by the disengagement member and configured to exert a frictional force on the linking member.