Nasal Cannula Without Prongs for Breath Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional nasal cannulas with nostril prongs can cause discomfort and difficulty in capturing exhaled airflow, making it challenging to accurately detect exhalation for timed oxygen delivery.
Innovation Solution
A nasal cannula design without nostril prongs, featuring a single discharge port with a divider and an inclined wall to collect exhaled airflow, ensuring proper airflow detection and patient comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional nasal cannulas with nostril prongs are used, then the device can be securely positioned on the patient's nose, but it causes discomfort to the patient and makes it difficult to capture exhaled airflow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the nostril prongs from the nasal cannula design, extracting the uncomfortable and airflow-blocking element while retaining the essential function of oxygen delivery through a forehead-mounted discharge port
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure (the discharge port positioned on the forehead with downwardly directed openings) that mediates between the oxygen source and the patient's nostrils, allowing airflow capture without direct contact with the nostrils
2Measurement precision
If traditional nasal cannulas with nostril prongs are used, then the device can deliver oxygen directly to the nostrils, but it creates difficulty in detecting exhalation for timed oxygen delivery
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the nostril prongs that obstruct airflow and comfort, the patent enables better exhalation detection through the discharge port positioned on the forehead, which can sense breath cycles without interfering with the patient's natural breathing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent relocates the discharge port from a intranasal position to a extranasal position on the forehead, changing the spatial dimension of oxygen delivery and allowing simultaneous monitoring of exhalation from above
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to a nasal cannula without nostril prongs. The nasal cannula may be used together with an oxygen delivery system, such as a portable oxygen concentrator, or another type of breathing device such as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. In an example, a nasal cannula includes a tube configured to connect to an oxygen supply, and a fitting configured to connect to the tube. The fitting includes a single discharge port having a first section configured to be situated inferior to a first nostril of a user and a second section configured to be situated inferior to a second nostril of the user. Further, the fitting does not include nostril prongs. Because the fitting does not include nostril prongs, patient comfort is dramatically increased relative to prior designs.