Segmented Infant Respirator Case with Integrated Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical respiratory ventilators for infants are mechanically complex, cumbersome, and economically inefficient, especially when incorporating adaptations for cooling and humidifying ventilation air, which further complicates their design and production.
Innovation Solution
A segmented case design that separates air cooling and humidifying components from air driving components, using a durable plastic case with releasable segments, air intake and output ports, a respirator mask, and a fan-motor combination to provide cooled and humidified air with adjustable CPAP pressure, addressing the complexity and efficiency issues by simplifying assembly and use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If known mechanisms for providing CPAP to an infant include adaptations for cooling and humidifying ventilation air, then the respiratory support effectiveness is improved, but the mechanical complexity and assembly difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling media container, humidifying chamber, and air driving components into a single integrated housing structure. The cooling chamber and humidifying chamber are merged into one unit with shared walls and integrated air flow paths, eliminating the need for separate mechanical assemblies for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it contains the cooling media, provides the humidifying chamber, houses the air driving components, and maintains structural support. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
2Reliability
If known mechanisms for providing CPAP to an infant are designed with cooling and humidifying adaptations, then the air treatment quality is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into distinct segments including a cooling chamber portion, humidifying chamber portion, and air driving component housing. These segments can be manufactured separately using standard plastic molding techniques and then assembled together, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining air treatment quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses phase change of water (liquid to vapor) for humidifying and phase change of cooling media (solid ice to liquid water) for cooling. These natural phase changes eliminate the need for complex mechanical heating or cooling systems, simplifying manufacturing.
3Ease of operation
If a segmented case design is used to separate cooling components from air driving components, then the ease of assembly is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into functional portions (cooling chamber, humidifying chamber, air driving housing) that can be assembled in a straightforward sequence. Each segment has defined interfaces that simplify the assembly process while the segments themselves remain structurally integrated.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling chamber is nested within the housing structure, with the humidifying chamber nested within or adjacent to it, and air driving components housed within the same structure. This nested arrangement maintains a compact form factor while allowing easy access to individual components for assembly and maintenance.
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 solution provides beneficially treated air that soothes infant oropharynx and bronchial passages, reducing irritation and airway drying, while maintaining effective CPAP pressure, thus aiding in infant respiration with bronchial congestion and inflammation.
Implementation Method 1
the air is additionally conductively cooled
Implementation Method 2
the water-based air-cooling media facilitates evaporative cooling of the air
Implementation Method 3
the fan and motor combination is adapted for drawing ambient outside air into the case through the case's air intake port, and for simultaneously driving the air forwardly through the case
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for assisting infant respiration incorporating a segmented case having a forward segment, a rearward segment, and a seam between the segments; segment mounting screw threads connected operatively to the forward and rearward segments, the screw threads being adapted for releasably positioning ends of the forward and rearward segments at the seam; output and intake ports respectively opening the case at the forward and rearward segments; a respirator mask; a coupling hose operatively connecting the respirator mask to the air output port; a fan and electric motor combination mounted within the rearward segment, the fan and electric motor combination being adapted for drawing air into the intake port, and for driving the air toward the forward segment; and water-based air-cooling media within the forward segment.