Breathing Apparatus With Pressure-Triggered Gas Supply Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing breathing apparatuses require manual manipulation of valves during emergencies, which can be erroneous due to user stress or disorientation, and lack redundancy and balance, especially in underwater applications.
Innovation Solution
An arrangement with automatic valves that switch between primary and secondary gas supplies based on pressure thresholds, ensuring continuous gas delivery even with hose ruptures or failures, and maintaining balance and symmetry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual valve manipulation is required for emergency gas supply, then the user can control gas flow, but user stress and disorientation lead to erroneous manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting gas supply failures and switching between primary and secondary containers without requiring user intervention. The automatic valve mechanism monitors pressure levels and initiates container switching autonomously, eliminating the need for stressed users to manually manipulate valves during emergencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through pressure sensors that continuously monitor gas supply status. When pressure drops indicate a failure or depletion, the system receives feedback and automatically triggers the valve mechanism to switch containers, ensuring reliable emergency gas supply response without user error.
2Reliability
If a single gas container is used, then the device is simple, but there is no redundancy for hose rupture or failure
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system is segmented into separate primary and secondary containers, each capable of independent operation. This segmentation provides redundancy where if one container or its associated hose fails, the other can continue supplying gas. The automatic valve mechanism manages the segmentation by switching between containers based on pressure feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential failures by maintaining a secondary gas container as a pre-positioned backup. This beforehand cushioning ensures that when a hose rupture or container failure occurs, gas supply continuity is maintained without requiring user action, as the secondary container is already in place and the automatic valve can switch to it.
3Stability of the object's composition
If asymmetric container configuration is used, then the design is simpler, but the apparatus is unbalanced during underwater use
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows for asymmetric container configurations in terms of placement and orientation, where containers can be positioned to optimize balance during underwater use. The automatic valve mechanism works with these asymmetric placements by monitoring pressure regardless of container position, enabling balanced apparatus composition while maintaining operational simplicity.
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
Provides a safe, simple, and compact breathing apparatus with automatic redundancy, ensuring continuous gas supply and balanced buoyancy, reducing user error and enhancing safety.
Implementation Method 1
the first valve being arranged to automatically close a first fluid connection between the primary connection point and the secondary connection point when a secondary pressure in the secondary side decreases below a first pressure threshold
Implementation Method 2
the second valve being arranged to automatically establish a second fluid connection between the secondary connection point and the breathing device when a primary pressure in the primary side decreases below a second pressure threshold
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement for a breathing apparatus, the arrangement comprising a breathing device; a primary connection point; a secondary connection point; a primary side; a secondary side; a first valve arranged between the primary connection point and the secondary connection point, the first valve being arranged to automatically close a first fluid connection between the primary connection point and the secondary connection point when a secondary pressure in the secondary side decreases below a first pressure threshold; and a second valve arranged on the secondary side, the second valve being arranged to automatically establish a second fluid connection between the secondary connection point and the breathing device when a primary pressure in the primary side decreases below a second pressure threshold. A breathing apparatus is also provided.