Recessed CPAP Frame for Facial Pressure Relief
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current respiratory disorder treatment devices, particularly masks for nasal CPAP therapy, often suffer from discomfort, poor fit, and difficulty in use, leading to patient non-compliance due to their obtrusive, aesthetically undesirable, and costly nature, especially when worn for extended periods or during sleep.
Innovation Solution
A patient interface design featuring a plenum chamber with a recessed frame that allows displacement anteriorly, reducing pressure on sensitive facial areas and incorporating flexible materials and adjustable prongs to enhance comfort and fit, along with a positioning and stabilizing structure that minimizes disturbance during use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mask is designed to be secure and stable for extended wear, then reliability is improved, but comfort and ease of operation deteriorate due to pressure on sensitive facial areas
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is divided into rigid portions (for structural stability) and a recessed central portion (for comfort). This segmentation allows different regions of the frame to serve different functions: the rigid portions provide stability while the recessed central portion reduces pressure on sensitive facial areas like the nose and cheeks.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame exhibits local quality variations with rigid portions at specific locations and a recessed central portion at another location. This local differentiation optimizes both stability and comfort by placing rigidity where structural support is needed and recession where pressure relief is needed.
2Reliability
If a mask is designed to be secure and stable for extended wear, then reliability is improved, but aesthetic appearance and ease of operation deteriorate due to obtrusive design
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is divided into rigid portions (for structural stability) and a recessed central portion (for comfort). This segmentation allows different regions of the frame to serve different functions: the rigid portions provide stability while the recessed central portion reduces pressure on sensitive facial areas like the nose and cheeks.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame exhibits local quality variations with rigid portions at specific locations and a recessed central portion at another location. This local differentiation optimizes both stability and comfort by placing rigidity where structural support is needed and recession where pressure relief is needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a mask is designed to fit various face shapes, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to adjustable components
Solution Approach 1:
The patient interface incorporates adjustable components including the prong position and frame configuration that can be dynamically adjusted to accommodate different face shapes and sizes. This dynamic adjustability enhances adaptability without requiring complete redesign for each patient.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface allows parameter changes in prong position, frame configuration, and overall fit to adapt to various patient anatomies. By adjusting these parameters, the device achieves versatility across different face shapes while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient interface for delivering a flow of air to an entrance of a patient's airways includes a plenum chamber configured to receive a flow of air, one or more prongs configured to deliver the flow of air from the plenum chamber to the entrance of a patient's airways, a rigid frame configured to engage a cheek of the patient in use, and a headgear coupled to the rigid frame and configured to engage with the patient's head to locate the one or more prongs in use. The rigid frame includes a central portion that overlaps and extends past the plenum chamber in an anterior direction and in a posterior direction. In addition, the rigid frame is disengaged from the plenum chamber in the anterior direction.