Modular Ventilator Housing With Sealed Blower Coupling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current ventilators are bulky, require many wires, are not easily portable, and can leak air, leading to inefficiency and potential hazards such as fire due to gas buildup.
Innovation Solution
A modular ventilator system with a lightweight, easily transportable design that includes a housing with a blower and sealing elements to minimize air leakage and prevent gas buildup, featuring a modular fan assembly for easy replacement and a system to vent excess gas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional ventilator designs are used, then ventilation function is provided, but the device is bulky and not easily portable
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilator is divided into modular components including a housing, blower assembly, sealing elements, and sensor systems that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows for optimized weight distribution and easier portability while maintaining functional complexity.
2Reliability
If traditional sealing methods are used, then assembly is simplified, but air leakage occurs leading to inefficiency and potential hazards
Solution Approach 1:
Flexible sealing elements made of elastomeric materials are used at critical interfaces including the blower inlet aperture and housing joints. These flexible seals conform to mating surfaces and maintain reliable sealing under varying pressure conditions without requiring complex rigid sealing structures.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple sealing functions are integrated into unified sealing elements that simultaneously seal the blower inlet, prevent air leakage at housing joints, and maintain pressure differentials. This merging reduces the number of separate sealing components while improving overall sealing reliability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If gas buildup is not prevented, then system simplicity is maintained, but fire hazards and inefficiency occur
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors monitor gas accumulation levels and system pressure conditions, providing feedback to the control system. When thresholds are exceeded, the system automatically activates venting mechanisms to prevent dangerous gas buildup, creating a closed-loop safety system that responds to actual conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
Excess gas and potential hazards are extracted from the sealed system through dedicated venting pathways and safety valves. This extraction function separates the hazardous gas removal process from the main ventilation function, allowing independent optimization of each system.
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 ventilator system provides efficient, portable ventilation with minimal leakage and reduced risk of gas accumulation, enabling rapid initiation of emergency ventilation and ensuring safety in various environments.
Implementation Method 1
a blower structured to generate a flow of pressurized breathable air
Implementation Method 2
a seal including a blower receptacle sealing portion configured to seal a blower receptacle
Implementation Method 3
a flow sensor sealing portion seals a flow sensor provided in the chassis assembly, and measures the flow of breathable gas
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
A ventilator including a housing having a front panel, and a rear panel opposite the front panel and configured to couple to the front panel, a receptacle coupled to the rear panel of the housing, the receptacle having a recess, a sealing element disposed within the recess, the sealing element having an inlet and an aperture, and a blower having a blower outlet and a blower inlet, the blower inlet coupled to the sealing element such that the blower inlet at least partially abuts the aperture. The receptacle and the sealing element may comprise an airflow pathway configured to allow for flow of air from the inlet of the sealing element into the blower inlet and out of the blower outlet.