Negative Pressure Respiratory Device With Electronic Vacuum Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ventilators, especially positive-pressure types, are expensive, invasive, and unsuitable for developing countries due to high complication rates and unsuitability for newborns, while traditional negative-pressure ventilators are cumbersome, power-intensive, and not ambulatory, limiting their accessibility and usability.
Innovation Solution
A low-cost, low-power, portable, and ambulatory negative-pressure respiratory device with a shell enclosing the chest and abdomen, pre-generated vacuum and compressed air chambers, an ultrafast valve, and electronic control for customizable settings, mimicking natural breathing with reduced power requirements and user effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional positive-pressure ventilators are used, then respiratory support can be provided, but they cause medical complications such as volutrauma, barotrauma, and Ventilator Induced Lung Injury (VILI)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional positive-pressure ventilation approach by using negative-pressure ventilation. Instead of forcing air into the lungs at high pressure, the device creates negative pressure around the chest cavity, allowing air to be gently drawn into the lungs through the nostrils, mimicking natural breathing and eliminating the harmful effects of positive pressure
2Reliability
If traditional negative-pressure ventilators enclosing the entire body are used, then respiratory support is effective, but the device becomes cumbersome and venous return to the heart is impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the enclosure to cover only the chest and abdomen area rather than the entire body. This localized approach maintains the therapeutic negative pressure effect on the respiratory system while leaving the neck and head exposed, thereby preventing obstruction of venous return to the heart and improving patient care accessibility
3Reliability
If cuirass type negative-pressure ventilators with large vacuum pumps are used, then respiratory support can be provided, but the device becomes heavy, noisy, power-intensive, and not ambulatory
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the large mechanical vacuum pump system with a compact electronic vacuum generation system. This substitution dramatically reduces the size, weight, and power consumption of the device while maintaining the necessary negative pressure generation capability, enabling portability and ambulatory use
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by using a shell that can be worn by the patient, creating a portable system that generates controlled negative pressure without requiring large pumps. This enables the device to be lightweight and suitable for ambulatory use while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness
4Reliability
If conventional ventilators are used in developing countries, then respiratory support is available, but the high cost and requirement for highly skilled staff limit accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates sensors and electronic control systems that enable the device to automatically monitor and adjust ventilation parameters, reducing the need for highly skilled operators. The system can self-regulate based on patient condition, making it easier to operate in resource-limited settings with less specialized staff
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 device provides safe, life-saving respiratory support that is easy to use, reduces user effort, and is suitable for various economic backgrounds, enabling ambulatory use and daily activities without disrupting life, while being lightweight and energy-efficient.
Implementation Method 1
The traditional types encase the entire body in a tank and reduce the pressure in tank, resulting in a negative pressure around lungs, which causes air to move via the nostrils into the lungs gently, at atmospheric pressure, to equalize the pressure.
Implementation Method 2
one or more compressed air chambers attached to shell, a compressed air generating source connected to the one or more compressed air chambers
Data Source
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AI summary
A respiratory device of negative pressure type comprising a shell fastened to the user's chest and/or abdomen with minimal dead space, one or more vacuum and compressed air chambers attached to the shell; vacuum generating and compressed air generating sources connected to the vacuum and compressed air chambers respectively, one or more openings on the shell to allow exchange of the air enclosed between shell and user's body, with the vacuum and compressed air chambers; a valve shuttling between the vacuum and compressed air chambers. By having low dead space, pre-generated vacuum and compressed air close to the user, and the use of fast acting valves in some embodiments, the power requirement, weight, and size are reduced, making the device low cost and portable. In some embodiments, the vacuum and compressed air generating sources can be mounted on the shell itself, making the device ambulatory.