Nose Plug Anti-Microbial Serpentine Flow Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing face masks and air filters do not effectively inactivate infectious agents like bacteria and viruses, posing risks of transmission and being perceived as anti-social, while also potentially harming mental health due to isolation measures.
Innovation Solution
A nose plug with a flexible member and a rigid support, incorporating an anti-microbial substance that inactivates infectious agents by guiding air through a serpentine path, ensuring easy breathing and minimizing microbial load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If face masks are worn to physically stop infectious agents, then transmission prevention is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complicated donning and doffing procedures and social perception issues
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential protective function from complex face masks and concentrates it into a simple nose plug device. The nose plug captures airborne pathogens at the nostril entrance without requiring full-face coverage, eliminating the complicated donning and doffing procedures while maintaining transmission prevention through targeted pathogen capture at the primary inhalation route
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies protective function locally at the nostril opening rather than covering the entire face. The nose plug provides concentrated protection at the critical inhalation point where airborne pathogens enter, allowing users to maintain facial visibility and expressions while achieving effective pathogen capture through localized intervention
2Reliability
If filters are placed in nostrils to remove particles, then particle filtration is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to breathing difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The nose plug employs a curved serpentine flow path instead of a straight linear path. This curvature design extends the air flow distance and contact time with the flexible member surface, enhancing pathogen capture efficiency while maintaining adequate breathing comfort by avoiding direct linear obstruction of the nostril opening
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a flexible member with porous structure that allows air to pass through while capturing pathogens. The flexible material provides adequate airflow resistance for pathogen capture but maintains sufficient porosity to prevent breathing difficulty, resolving the contradiction between filtration effectiveness and breathing comfort
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 nose plug effectively reduces the microbial load of inhaled and exhaled air, preventing the spread of infections and enhancing user comfort, while maintaining ease of breathing and minimizing the risk of infection.
Implementation Method 1
a nose plug configured substantially as described in WO2011/162677 (incorporated by reference herein), further comprising an anti-microbial substance, i.e. a substance capable of inactivating infectious agents
Implementation Method 2
it is provided with means for guiding the flow of air entering the nostril in a serpentine or spiral like path by means of a plurality of plates or a band
Data Source
AI summary
A nose plug includes at least one flexible member comprising an anti-microbial substance, and one rigid, elongated support member. The flexible member is arranged to surround the support member, and is adapted to be placed within a nostril to accurately fill the opening of the nostril. The flexible member is provided with means for enabling air flowing in a tortuous structure facilitating inactivation of infectious agents by the anti-microbial substance.