Surgical Hood Touchless Control and Filtration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional surgical helmets and hood systems face issues with reduced fresh air exchange due to bypasses in filtration systems, difficulty in donning without assistance, and inconvenient fan-speed control, which can lead to contamination and discomfort during medical procedures.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves an intake air duct with enhanced fresh air circulation, an easy-donning hood-helmet interface with color-coded ribbons and pivot mechanisms, automatic airflow control using sensors and a controller, and a touchless user interface for adjusting fan speed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional hood with fan and filter is used, then air circulation is provided, but bypasses in the filtration system reduce fresh air exchange

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefresh air exchangeVSAvoidfiltration system bypass

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the bypass pathway from the filtration system, forcing all air to pass through the filter. This extraction of the harmful bypass element ensures that 100% of air exchanged is filtered fresh air, eliminating the contamination risk while maintaining reliable fresh air exchange.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If conventional donning procedures are used, then the hood is properly positioned, but assistance from another person is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproper hood positioningVSAvoiddonning process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates a mirror on the interior surface of the hood that allows the user to see the exterior position of the hood during donning. This preliminary visual feedback enables the user to self-adjust and properly position the hood without requiring assistance from another person, making the donning process independent and reliable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If manual fan speed control is used, then fan speed can be adjusted, but touch contact may cause contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefan speed adjustmentVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical touch-based fan speed control with a voice-activated control system. The user can adjust fan speed by speaking commands without touching the hood or control surfaces, eliminating the contamination risk while maintaining ease of operation during surgical procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If a closed chamber hood is used, then sterile barrier is established, but heat and CO2 build up inside

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterile barrierVSAvoidinternal chamber temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous air circulation through the filter and throughout the hood chamber via the fan. This continuous flow of filtered air prevents heat and CO2 buildup by constantly replacing internal air with fresh filtered air, maintaining the sterile barrier while preventing the sauna effect through uninterrupted air exchange.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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

This design ensures reliable fresh air exchange, simplifies the donning process, and automatically adjusts airflow based on environmental and activity-related factors, reducing the risk of contamination and enhancing user comfort during surgical procedures.

Implementation Method 1

In one embodiment, the sensor is a capacitive or photoelectric sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitive sensing: Capacitance

Implementation Method 2

the sensor is a capacitive or photoelectric sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotoelectric effect: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentUS11399580B2Donnable barrier devices, systems, and methods with touchless control

Publication Date: 2022.08.02 THI TOTAL HEALTHCARE INNOVATION GMBH

AI summary

A barrier system, device, and method protects medical professionals and patients from exposure to contaminants and bodily fluids is provided. The system includes a head unit shaped to be worn over the head of the wearer; a hood positioned over the head unit; one or more sensors configured to produce one or more sensor-output signals; and a controller connected to the one or more sensors and configured to produce one or more controller-output signals based on the one or more sensor-output signals. Further, a device inside a barrier system is controlled by (a) sensing one or more characteristics; (b) producing one or more sensor signals based on the sensed one or more characteristics; (c) converting and/or processing the one or more sensor signals to produce one or more controller-output signals; and (d) controlling the device based on the one or more controller-output signals.