Patient Interface With Removable Seal And Snap-Action Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient interfaces for respiratory therapy, such as masks and nasal pillows, often suffer from being obtrusive, uncomfortable, poorly fitting, and difficult to use, especially for extended periods or during sleep.
Innovation Solution
A patient interface with a seal-forming structure that is removable for cleaning, lightweight, unobtrusive, and quiet in use, featuring a hard-to-hard connection for precise positioning and a connection portion that is removably connectable to a frame via a snap-action or bi-stable mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a patient interface uses a traditional mask or nasal pillow design, then it can deliver respiratory therapy, but it becomes obtrusive and uncomfortable for extended wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patient interface is divided into separable components: a cushion member with seal-forming structure and a frame member. This segmentation allows the cushion to be removed for cleaning while keeping the frame, reducing overall complexity and improving comfort for extended wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal-forming structure is extracted as a removable cushion member that can be separated from the frame. This extraction enables easy cleaning of the seal-forming structure without removing the entire interface, improving ease of operation while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness.
2Ease of repair
If the seal-forming structure is made removable for cleaning, then maintenance becomes easier, but the connection mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the cushion member and frame member is designed to be dynamically changeable between attached and detached states. The bi-stable mechanism provides stable connection during use but allows easy separation for cleaning, balancing complexity with maintenance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The cushion member can be easily detached for cleaning and then reattached to the frame. This discarding and recovering process simplifies maintenance while the bi-stable connection mechanism ensures reliable reattachment, managing the complexity through practical usability.
3Weight of moving object
If the patient interface uses a lightweight design, then comfort improves, but structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the interface have different material properties optimized for their specific functions. The cushion member uses softer, lighter materials for comfort and seal-forming, while the frame member uses stronger, more rigid materials for structural support, achieving lightweight overall design without compromising strength where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patient interface combines different materials with complementary properties: the cushion member uses compliant, lightweight materials for comfort and sealing, while the frame uses stronger materials for structural integrity. This composite approach achieves lightweight design while maintaining necessary strength.
4Ease of operation
If the connection portion uses a snap-action or bi-stable mechanism, then ease of connection improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connection portion is pre-formed with complementary geometries that guide proper alignment during assembly. This preliminary shaping of mating surfaces ensures that when the snap-action mechanism is engaged, the components automatically align correctly, simplifying the connection operation while managing manufacturing precision requirements through design.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient interface for delivery of a supply of pressurised air or breathable gas to an entrance of a patient's airways comprising: a cushion member that includes a retaining structure and a seal-forming structure permanently connected to the retaining structure; a frame member attachable to the retaining structure; and a positioning and stabilising structure attachable to the frame member.