Respiratory Support Flow Path for High-Frequency Waveform Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing respiratory support apparatuses, such as CPAP devices, struggle with inaccurate measurement of respiratory waveforms due to the inability to detect high-frequency components like snoring, leading to suboptimal blower control based on respiratory flow.
Innovation Solution
A respiratory support apparatus with a flow path design that includes a guidance path and a blower disposition chamber, where a differential pressure sensor is positioned to measure airflow between specific ports, allowing for accurate detection of both low- and high-frequency components by utilizing pressure losses from airflow separation and friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a differential pressure sensor is disposed in a conventional flow path to measure respiratory flow, then the blower operation can be controlled based on respiratory flow, but the measurement accuracy of high-frequency components (such as snoring) is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is segmented into distinct functional zones: a guidance path for streamlined airflow and a blower disposition chamber with expanded cross-sectional area for housing the blower. This segmentation allows the differential pressure sensor to be positioned at specific locations where it can accurately capture both low-frequency respiratory signals and high-frequency snoring components without interference from blower noise or turbulent flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The guidance path acts as an intermediary structure that guides airflow from the intake port to the blower position, creating a controlled flow environment. This intermediary structure enables the differential pressure sensor to measure pressure differences caused by respiratory flow while minimizing the influence of blower-generated turbulence and noise, thereby improving measurement accuracy of high-frequency components.
2Measurement precision
If the flow path cross-sectional area is expanded at the blower disposition chamber, then the differential pressure sensor can accurately detect high-frequency components, but the flow path becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path cross-sectional area is locally expanded only at the blower disposition chamber region, rather than throughout the entire flow path. This localized expansion creates a specific measurement zone where the differential pressure sensor can accurately detect high-frequency components such as snoring, while keeping the rest of the flow path simple and efficient for airflow delivery.
3Measurement precision
If the differential pressure sensor is positioned to measure pressure difference in the flow path, then respiratory flow can be controlled, but the high-frequency component detection is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is designed in advance with a guidance path that directs airflow to approach the blower in a predetermined manner, and a blower disposition chamber that is pre-configured with an expanded cross-sectional area. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that when the differential pressure sensor measures pressure differences, it captures accurate high-frequency components of respiratory flow, enabling precise blower control for both normal breathing and snoring detection.
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
Enables precise control of the blower operation based on the respiratory waveform, effectively managing airway resistance and breathing disorders by capturing both low- and high-frequency components, thereby improving patient care.
Implementation Method 1
measures a differential pressure between the first measurement port and the second measurement port
Implementation Method 2
generates airflow to be delivered into an airway of a patient
Data Source
AI summary
A respiratory support apparatus of the present disclosure includes: a main body housing including intake and exhaust ports and forming a flow path of air, which includes a guidance path and a blower disposition chamber formed such that a flow-path cross-sectional area is expanded from a downstream end of the guidance path, from the intake port to the exhaust port; a blower disposed in the flow path and generating airflow to be delivered into a patient's airway; and a differential pressure sensor disposed to detect a state of the airflow, including a first measurement port disposed in the guidance path and a second measurement port disposed in the blower disposition chamber, which are disposed in the flow path, and measuring a differential pressure between the first measurement port and the second measurement port. The guidance path guides the air from the intake port to a position of the blower.