Respiratory Therapy Vent Hole Geometry for Low-Draft Exhaust
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing respiratory therapy systems face challenges in minimizing noise and air drafts from patient interface vents while maintaining a compact size and ensuring efficient gas venting, particularly due to the difficulty in manufacturing vent holes with varied orientations and spacings.
Innovation Solution
The vent design features non-constant angles of inclination and draft directions for vent holes, with each hole having a unique orientation and spacing to disperse airflow, reducing noise and drafts by dispersing gases over a wider area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the patient interface size is reduced to make it less invasive, then patient comfort and comfort are improved, but the spacing between vent holes must be decreased which increases air draft and noise
Solution Approach 1:
Each vent hole is given a unique angle of inclination relative to the draw direction, creating local variation in airflow characteristics. This ensures that exhaust gases from different holes are dispersed in different directions, reducing concentrated air drafts and noise while maintaining compact vent hole spacing
Solution Approach 2:
The vent holes are designed with asymmetric orientations where each hole's angle of inclination differs from the others relative to the draw direction. This asymmetric arrangement prevents synchronized airflow patterns that cause noise and strong drafts, allowing compact spacing without compromising comfort
2Area of stationary object
If multiple vent holes are placed close together to reduce overall vent size, then the patient interface can be made more compact, but manufacturing complexity increases due to varying draw directions
Solution Approach 1:
While maintaining a common draw direction for all vent holes to simplify manufacturing, each hole is given a unique local orientation angle relative to that draw direction. This allows compact vent hole arrangement and simplified tooling while achieving airflow dispersion through local angular variation
Solution Approach 2:
The vent system is segmented into multiple independently-oriented holes rather than a single large opening or uniformly-oriented holes. Each segment (vent hole) contributes to overall gas dispersion while maintaining compatibility with simplified manufacturing processes
3Ease of manufacture
If vent holes have a common draw direction for simplified manufacturing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but airflow is concentrated in a single direction increasing air draft
Solution Approach 1:
Each vent hole is given a unique angle of inclination relative to the common draw direction, creating local variation in airflow orientation. This disperses exhaust gases in multiple directions rather than concentrating them, reducing air drafts and noise while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The vent holes are designed with asymmetric orientations where each hole's angle relative to the draw direction differs from others. This asymmetric angular arrangement prevents concentrated airflow patterns while maintaining compatibility with symmetric manufacturing tooling
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 vent design effectively reduces noise and air drafts by dispersing exhaust gases over a wider area, enhancing patient comfort and reducing disturbances, while allowing for efficient manufacturing through separate vent modules.
Implementation Method 1
The vent can sometimes create a disturbance for the patient and/or the patient's bed partner. This disturbance typically manifests itself in two forms: noise and the creation of an air draft.
Implementation Method 2
it has been noted that air drafts/airflow can be minimised by spacing individual vent holes of the vent further apart so that there is less entrainment of air and turbulence
Data Source
AI summary
A vent for venting exhaust gases from a component of a respiratory therapy system. The vent may include a substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface. The vent may include at least one vent hole 17 extending through the substrate and having a vent hole circumference. The vent hole may include an exhaust gas inlet at the inner margin of the substrate and an exhaust gas outlet at an outer margin of the substrate. The vent hole may include a sidewall extending between the exhaust gas inlet and the exhaust gas outlet. The exhaust gas inlet and the exhaust gas outlet have different diameters such that the sidewall of the vent hole is inclined at an angle of inclination between the exhaust gas inlet and the exhaust gas outlet. The angle of inclination of the inclined side wall of the vent is non-constant around the vent hole circumference.