Portable Oxygen Flow Valve Control for Battery-Free Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Patients with respiratory diseases face challenges in maintaining optimal oxygen saturation levels due to existing oxygen flow control systems that require manual adjustment, posing risks and limiting mobility and independence.
Innovation Solution
A portable control device with a valve arrangement allowing adjustable oxygen flow between maximum and minimum states, mechanically operated to ensure safe and convenient oxygen delivery regardless of activity level, without reliance on batteries or complex electronics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual adjustment of oxygen flow is required at the oxygen source, then oxygen delivery can be controlled, but patient safety deteriorates due to risk of wrong amount supplied and deterioration of mobility occurs requiring 24/7 help
Solution Approach 1:
The control function is extracted from the distant oxygen source and placed into a portable control unit that the patient can carry and operate independently. This allows the patient to adjust oxygen flow locally without needing to go to the oxygen source or require assistance, thereby maintaining safety while improving mobility and independence.
Solution Approach 2:
A portable control unit serves as an intermediary between the oxygen source and the patient. This intermediary device receives oxygen from the source and allows the patient to control the flow locally, eliminating the need for direct manual adjustment at the source while ensuring safe delivery through fail-proof mechanical design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single oxygen flow level is provided, then device simplicity is maintained, but adaptability deteriorates as it cannot meet different oxygen needs during rest and activity
Solution Approach 1:
The device provides dynamic adaptability by allowing the patient to adjust oxygen flow between minimum and maximum levels based on current activity. The mechanical valve arrangement enables smooth transition between flow levels without complex electronics, maintaining simplicity while achieving versatility for different physiological states.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing a continuously adjustable valve, the device uses a simplified approach with defined minimum and maximum flow positions. This partial action approach provides sufficient adaptability for different activities (rest vs. activity) without requiring complex continuous control mechanisms.
3Measurement precision
If electronic control systems are used for oxygen flow regulation, then precision control is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to battery dependency and potential malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electronic control systems with a purely mechanical valve arrangement and actuator system. The actuator mechanically connects to the valve arrangement through a fail-proof mechanical connection, eliminating batteries and electronics while providing reliable precision control through mechanical positioning between minimum and maximum flow states.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical system is self-contained and self-regulating, requiring no external power source or complex control electronics. The actuator directly mechanically controls the valve arrangement, creating a self-service system that is inherently more reliable as it cannot suffer from battery depletion or electronic malfunction.
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 safety and quality of life by allowing tailored oxygen flow for rest and activity, reducing reliance on others for adjustments and potentially lowering emergency responses, while providing a fail-proof mechanism for precise oxygen delivery.
Implementation Method 1
a valve arrangement (20) fluidly connected to said inlet (11) and to said outlet (12), said valve arrangement being adjustable between a maximum flow state corresponding to a maximum continuous flow of oxygen from the inlet (11) to the outlet (12), and a minimum flow state corresponding to a minimum continuous flow of oxygen from the inlet (11) to the outlet (12)
Data Source
AI summary
A portable control device (10) for regulating a continuous oxygen flow to a user from an oxygen source, comprising: an inlet (11), to which the oxygen source may be fluidly connected; an outlet (12), to which a breathing device may be fluidly connected; a valve arrangement (20) fluidly connected to said inlet and to said outlet, said valve arrangement being adjustable between a maximum flow state corresponding to a maximum continuous flow of oxygen from the inlet to the outlet, and a minimum flow state corresponding to a minimum continuous flow of oxygen; and an actuator (13) movable between a maximum and a minimum position and being mechanically connected to the valve arrangement so that when said actuator is in the maximum position said valve arrangement is in the maximum flow state and when said actuator is in said minimum position said valve arrangement is in said minimum flow state.