Foldable Patient Interface Packaging for Compressed Mask Setup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing respiratory therapy masks suffer from discomfort, poor fit, difficulty in use, and reduced compliance due to variations in facial anatomy and movement, leading to leaks and reduced effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A patient interface with a seal-forming structure and positioning and stabilizing structure, packaged in a foldable design with retaining features, allowing easy setup and use, and compatible with different facial shapes, ensuring a secure fit and comfortable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a patient interface is designed to fit various facial shapes and movements, then seal integrity and comfort are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patient interface is divided into multiple components: a headgear system with separate adjustment mechanisms, a mask portion with independent seal-forming elements, and connection assemblies that allow relative movement. This segmentation enables each component to be optimized independently for comfort and seal integrity while reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The headgear incorporates dynamic adjustment mechanisms including movable straps, adjustable buckles, and flexible connection points that allow the interface to adapt to facial movements during sleep. The mask portion includes a flexible seal that can deform with facial contours and movements, maintaining seal integrity without requiring a complex rigid structure.
2Ease of operation
If packaging provides secure retention and display of patient interface, then ease of setup is improved, but packaging complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging is pre-configured with retention features positioned to automatically engage with specific portions of the patient interface during assembly. The foldable panels are pre-scored and pre-formed to guide the user through intuitive folding sequences, and retaining features are pre-positioned to secure the interface in its final configured state without requiring additional assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging design enables the patient interface to be assembled and secured through simple user actions such as folding panels and engaging retainers, without requiring tools or complex instructions. The retaining features are designed to be easily engaged and disengaged by the user, allowing for quick setup and potential reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
Packaging for a patient interface comprises: a plurality of panels arranged to be folded inwardly to define a housing for the patient interface, the plurality of panels comprising a pair of opposed side panels and a pair of opposed end panels; and a panel-retaining structure that is arranged to prevent outward collapse of the panels such that the patient interface is held in a compressed state; wherein at least one of the panels comprises at least one patient interface retaining feature that is attachable to the patient interface; and wherein the panel-retaining structure is releasable to cause the patient interface in the compressed state to urge one or more of the panels outwardly, to thereby enable display of the patient interface in a substantially in-use configuration.