Miniature Underwater Breathing Device with Inline Mouthpiece
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional underwater breathing equipment, such as scuba tanks and life jackets, are bulky and heavy, limiting their usability and comfort during water activities and posing challenges in emergency situations due to size and weight constraints.
Innovation Solution
A miniature, lightweight underwater breathing device with a horizontal inline mouthpiece design and a canister storing breathable fluid, featuring an actuator for controlled air release and a secure strap system that breaks away in emergencies, allowing for compact and secure attachment during activities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional compressed air tanks are used, then reliable air supply is provided, but the device becomes large and heavy, limiting usability during water activities
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the air supply system into a compact canister integrated within the housing, separating it from the traditional large external tank. This segmentation allows the air supply function to be maintained while dramatically reducing the overall device size and weight, making it suitable for water activities.
Solution Approach 2:
The canister storing compressed air is nested within the housing structure, with the regulator piston and other components arranged in a compact, space-efficient configuration. This nesting approach maximizes the use of internal volume while keeping the external dimensions small and manageable.
2Reliability
If conventional compressed air tanks are used, then reliable air supply is provided, but the device becomes bulky and disrupts user activities
Solution Approach 1:
The air supply system is segmented into compact functional modules (canister, regulator, mouthpiece) that are integrated within a small housing, eliminating the need for large external tanks and reducing overall device volume to a non-disruptive size.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from the traditional vertical 90-degree tank orientation to a horizontal inline configuration, changing the spatial arrangement to reduce the device's profile and make it less obtrusive during water activities.
3Reliability
If life jackets are used, then buoyancy is provided, but the device becomes very bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential breathing function from the bulky life jacket structure, providing air supply capability in a compact device that does not require large volumetric expansion for buoyancy, thus maintaining safety functionality while eliminating excessive bulk.
4Ease of operation
If 90 degree mouthpiece design is used, then air tanks can be vertically oriented, but additional space-consuming components are required
Solution Approach 1:
The device adopts a horizontal inline mouthpiece configuration instead of the traditional vertical 90-degree arrangement, changing the spatial orientation to eliminate the need for additional space-consuming components while maintaining ease of operation during water activities.
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
Enables comfortable and secure underwater breathing during water activities, providing immediate and reliable air access in emergency situations without disrupting the user's experience, while being small enough to remain unobtrusive and securely attached.
Implementation Method 1
A regulator piston within the housing is shaped with chambers to decompress the compressed air to breathable form
Data Source
AI summary
A miniature breathing device for underwater breathing that can be worn on a person during water activities. A small form factor and lightweight housing suitable for submerging in shallow water. The small form factor preventing disruption of activities of a user undertaken while wearing the miniature breathing device. A canister within the housing stores a mixture of compressed air. An actuator on the housing to controllably releases the compressed air from the canister. A regulator piston within the housing is shaped with chambers to decompress the compressed air to breathable form. A mouthpiece opening of the housing provides breathable air to lips of a user. A strap secures the miniature breathing device to the user during activities.