Plenum Chamber Insert With HMX Bypass Channel for Airway Humidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing respiratory treatment systems, such as CPAP therapy, face challenges with patient compliance due to discomfort, poor fit, and difficulty in use, leading to inefficacy in treating respiratory disorders like OSA and CSR.
Innovation Solution
A patient interface with a plenum chamber, seal-forming structure, positioning and stabilizing structure, and a vent structure, allowing for a comfortable and effective delivery of therapeutic pressure while enabling breathing through the mouth and incorporating a heat and moisture exchanger to reduce airway drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a patient interface is designed to deliver therapeutic pressure through a seal-forming structure, then therapeutic efficacy is improved, but patient comfort and compliance deteriorate due to poor fit and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patient interface is divided into multiple components: a plenum chamber for pressure delivery, a seal-forming structure for sealing, a positioning and stabilizing structure for securing, and a vent structure for pressure relief. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, improving both therapeutic efficacy and patient comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patient interface incorporates adjustable and flexible elements that adapt to different patient anatomies and comfort requirements. The positioning and stabilizing structure can be adjusted to achieve optimal fit and comfort, while the vent structure dynamically regulates pressure based on patient breathing patterns.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the plenum chamber is sealed to maintain therapeutic pressure, then pressure stability is improved, but airway drying worsens due to trapped heat and moisture
Solution Approach 1:
The vent structure extracts excess heat and moisture from the plenum chamber while maintaining therapeutic pressure stability. This allows the beneficial pressure stability to be preserved while removing the harmful effect of airway drying caused by trapped heat and moisture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patient interface creates different microenvironments: the seal-forming structure maintains a sealed environment for pressure stability, while the vent structure creates a localized pathway for heat and moisture exchange. This local quality differentiation allows simultaneous pressure stability and reduced airway drying.
3Ease of operation
If the patient interface structure is simplified for ease of use, then ease of operation is improved, but device functionality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into integrated components: the seal-forming structure combines sealing with positioning, the positioning and stabilizing structure combines securing with adjustment, and the vent structure combines pressure regulation with breath-synchronized venting. This merging maintains full functionality while simplifying the overall user experience.
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
Enhances patient comfort and compliance by maintaining therapeutic pressure and reducing airway drying, thereby improving the efficacy of respiratory treatments.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating a heat and moisture exchanger to reduce airway drying
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
The present invention discloses a plenum chamber insert for a patient interface for providing a flow of air at a therapeutic pressure to a patient for breathing, the plenum chamber insert comprising: a frame comprising: a plenum chamber insert port; an exterior surface; and a first channel recessed into the frame and below the exterior surface; and a heat and moisture exchanger (HMX) material positioned inside of the frame, the HMX material configured to receive and retain water from gas exhaled by the patient and to desorb retained water into the flow of air at the therapeutic pressure passing through the HMX material during use, wherein the first channel extends radially inward along the exterior surface and towards the plenum chamber insert port to form a flow path that allows air to travel around the frame without passing through the HMX material.