Surgical Helmet-Garment Magnetic Coupling for Sterile Barrier Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Maintaining a reliable barrier between healthcare providers and patients during medical procedures to prevent the exchange and/or transfer of particles or foreign material is crucial, yet existing surgical apparel systems may not adequately address this need.
Innovation Solution
A surgical apparel system comprising a surgical garment configured for attachment to a surgical helmet, featuring a microbial barrier provided by a surgical fabric with a transparent face shield and magnetic coupling members, ensuring secure attachment and alignment with the helmet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a surgical garment is designed to provide a microbial barrier, then protection against particle transfer is improved, but visibility and wearer comfort may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical garment incorporates a transparent face shield specifically in the facial region where visibility is needed, while maintaining the microbial barrier properties of the surgical fabric in other areas. This localized application of transparency resolves the contradiction by providing visibility where required without compromising the overall protective barrier.
2Reliability
If a surgical garment is securely attached to a surgical helmet, then barrier reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical attachment systems with magnetic coupling members that provide secure attachment through magnetic attraction. This substitution simplifies the attachment mechanism while maintaining reliable connection between the surgical garment and helmet, resolving the contradiction between attachment security and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment members are integrated directly into the surgical garment structure, merging the attachment function with the garment itself rather than adding separate complex fastening systems. This integration reduces overall device complexity while ensuring secure attachment.
3Manufacturing precision
If alignment features are added to ensure proper positioning, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses magnetic coupling members that inherently provide alignment through their magnetic attraction force, eliminating the need for complex mechanical alignment features such as guides, slots, or adjustment mechanisms. The magnetic force naturally draws the components into proper alignment, resolving the contradiction between alignment accuracy and device complexity.
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 system effectively prevents the transfer of foreign particles between the wearer and the patient, maintaining a sterile environment by providing a robust microbial barrier while allowing clear visibility and adjustability for wearer comfort.
Implementation Method 1
The chin bar may include at least two magnetic coupling members
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical garment configured for attachment to a surgical helmet, wherein the surgical garment defines a barrier between the wearer and the environment. The surgical helmet includes a peripheral device, a chin bar, and a coupling member. The coupling member may be recessed within the chin bar. The surgical garment may comprise an attachment element configured to removably couple with the coupling member of the surgical helmet. The coupling member and attachment member may comprise reciprocal features, such as a protrusion and a recess. The protrusion and/or corresponding recess may comprise a curved or similarly shaped surface configured to resist decoupling of the attachment member and the coupling member when a force is applied to the surgical garment.