Respiratory Support Valve Assembly for Leak-Free Chamber Refilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional respiratory support systems face challenges with insufficient water supply in humidification chambers, leading to water depletion during therapy sessions, and the process of accessing auxiliary fluid supply chambers can be cumbersome and prone to leakage due to the need to pierce membranes.
Innovation Solution
A valve unit with a first and second port and a fluid passageway, featuring a valve that is reversibly or elastically deformable, forming a seal with the fluid supply chamber to prevent leakage and ensure secure connection, allowing fluid to flow from the supply chamber to the humidification chamber without the need for membrane piercing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a membrane is used in the spike port to seal the auxiliary fluid supply chamber, then fluid leakage is prevented when not in use, but the membrane may be damaged during piercing leading to undesired leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the membrane component entirely from the spike port design. Instead of using a membrane that requires piercing, the system employs a valve unit with a valve member that opens in response to insertion of a spike connector, eliminating the harmful effect of membrane damage while maintaining seal integrity through the valve mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using a passive membrane that gets pierced, the invention uses an active valve mechanism that responds to insertion. The valve member transitions from closed to open state in response to the spike connector insertion, inverting the traditional approach where the seal is broken by piercing.
2Ease of operation
If a spike connector is inserted into a spike port with a membrane, then fluid can flow from the auxiliary chamber to the humidification chamber, but the process is cumbersome and prone to damaging the membrane
Solution Approach 1:
The valve unit automatically responds to the insertion of the spike connector by opening the valve member, eliminating the need for manual piercing actions. The system serves itself by detecting the insertion and automatically enabling fluid flow, making the refilling process simpler and more reliable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical piercing of a membrane with a valve actuation mechanism. Instead of physically breaking through a membrane, the spike connector insertion triggers the valve member to open, substituting a fragile mechanical piercing process with a more reliable valve actuation system.
3Reliability
If the valve unit uses elastic deformation to create tension, then secure connection is achieved, but the material must be reversibly deformable which limits material choices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes elastic deformation and reversible material properties as a functional parameter rather than a limiting constraint. By designing the valve unit to operate within the elastic deformation range of suitable materials, the system achieves secure connection through tension while working with materials that exhibit the required reversible deformability characteristic.
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
The valve unit ensures a secure, leak-proof connection, preventing water depletion and simplifying the refilling process by allowing fluid flow without membrane piercing, thus enhancing the reliability and usability of respiratory support systems.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the first sealing member, the second sealing member, the valve, and/or the valve unit is reversibly or elastically deformable to put the valve unit under tension when connected to the fluid supply chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A valve unit (10) for a fluid supply chamber (20) of a respiratory support system (100) that provides humidified respiratory gases is provided. The valve unit comprises a first port (11) and a second port (12) and a fluid passageway (14) formed therebetween. The valve unit further comprises a valve (13) arranged in the fluid passageway (14) for controlling the flow of fluid between the first port (11) and second port (12). The valve unit is arranged to seal against an interior surface (21) of the fluid supply chamber (20) proximate the first port (11) and against an exterior surface (22) of the fluid supply chamber (20) proximate the second port (12) when the 10 valve unit (10) is connected to the fluid supply chamber (20).