Swivel-Actuated Flow Interrupter for Respiratory Conduits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patients using respiratory treatment systems for conditions like obstructive sleep apnea face difficulty in speaking due to continuous gas flow, requiring mask removal or interrupting treatment, which affects comfort and convenience.
Innovation Solution
A swivel-based flow interrupter assembly that selectively reduces or interrupts gas flow through a respiratory treatment conduit, allowing patients to speak without removing their mask by collapsing a flexible wall within the gas supply channel, which can be easily reopened.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous gas flow is maintained for respiratory treatment, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but patient ability to speak deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flow interrupter assembly incorporates a dynamic mechanism that allows the flexible wall to transition between open and collapsed states, enabling the system to switch between continuous flow (for treatment) and interrupted flow (for speaking) modes. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction by making the flow state controllable rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow interrupter assembly acts as an intermediary device between the gas source and the patient interface. It mediates the conflict between continuous flow requirements for treatment and interrupted flow needs for speaking by introducing a controllable flow modulation mechanism that can temporarily redirect or reduce flow without affecting the overall treatment system.
2Ease of operation
If mask is removed or treatment is interrupted for speaking, then patient ability to speak is improved, but treatment continuity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flow interrupter assembly extracts the flow control function from the main treatment system, creating a localized mechanism that can temporarily interrupt flow at the patient interface level. This allows speaking capability to be extracted and added to the system without removing the mask or disrupting the overall treatment continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible flexible wall provides dynamic flow control that allows temporary interruption for speaking while automatically or manually restoring flow afterward. This dynamic capability ensures treatment continuity is maintained despite brief interruptions for communication needs.
3Ease of operation
If flow interrupter mechanism is added, then patient speaking ability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow interrupter utilizes a flexible wall made of elastomeric material that collapses under external pressure to interrupt flow. This flexible shell approach replaces complex mechanical valves or motors with a simple elastomeric structure that achieves flow control through basic mechanical deformation, significantly reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism employs pneumatic principles where pressure differential across the flexible wall drives the collapse and recovery motion. By using gas pressure itself to actuate the flow interruption mechanism rather than external motors or complex linkages, the system achieves speaking capability with minimal additional 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
Enables patients to speak without disrupting their treatment by temporarily reducing gas flow, enhancing comfort and convenience without altering the treatment settings or removing the mask, and automatically reopens the flow when needed.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible wall may be formed of a resilient material and the flexible wall may be configured to untwist by an elastic force of the material
Data Source
AI summary
A flow interrupter for gas flow delivered by a delivery conduit in a respiratory treatment system permits temporary interruption of flow in the conduit. Typically, the apparatus has a passage to conduct a breathable gas. The passage traverses through a flexible wall such as a stretchable sleeve. The flexible wall may include a first and second ends. A manipulator may be attached to the flexible wall. The flexible wall sleeve may be adapted to twistably collapse between the first and second ends so as to reduce the passage of the channel by operation of the manipulator. The flow interrupter may be formed with a swivel and operation of the sleeve may be implemented by rotation of the swivel. Sufficient rotation of such a swivel may form a vortex closure of material to close the channel. Release of the manipulator may then permit unwinding of the vortex closure, re-opening the channel.