Ventilator Display Housing With Hidden Screws for Hygienic Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ventilator displays accumulate dirt and liquid in irregularities during cleaning due to their design, necessitating improved hygiene and cleaning efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A ventilator design featuring a display unit housed in a shell-like display housing with internal stiffening structure and screw fixation, ensuring a smooth outer surface and preventing dirt and liquid accumulation through a robust, efficient cleaning mechanism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the display has a smooth, rounded outer surface to prevent dirt and liquid accumulation, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but the structural complexity increases due to the shell-like housing design with internal stiffening structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display housing is segmented into a shell-like outer structure and an internal stiffening structure, allowing the outer surface to be smooth and rounded for easy cleaning while the internal structure provides necessary mechanical support. The display unit is also segmented with a separate back panel that can be attached or removed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The internal stiffening structure is nested within the shell-like housing, with secondary screw sections integrated into the stiffening ribs. The display unit with its back panel is nested within the housing, creating a compact integrated assembly that maintains external smoothness while incorporating complex internal structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If the display unit is securely fixed to the housing using multiple screw sections, then reliability is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates due to reduced accessibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixation stabilityVSAvoidaccessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The fixation system is segmented into multiple independent screw sections (first screw sections on the back panel, second screw sections on the stiffening ribs) distributed at different locations, allowing the display unit to be securely fixed while enabling partial disassembly for repair access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The screw sections are arranged in different spatial dimensions and orientations - some accessible from the rear, others from the sides - allowing repair access from multiple directions rather than requiring complete disassembly from a single location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4640258A1Ventilator with display
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 LOWENSTEIN MEDICAL TECH SA
  • EP4640258A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4640258A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4640258A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A ventilator comprises: a main housing; a display unit with a display and a display backplate, comprising a base plate attached to a rear of the display and several first screw sections (19) projecting from the base plate; a display housing (9) which is shell-shaped with a shell opening for inserting the display unit, wherein the display unit is received by the display housing such that the display at least partially covers the shell opening with its front face opposite the rear; a display holder which mechanically couples the display housing to the main housing;wherein the display housing has an internal stiffening structure connected to an inner wall of the display housing, the stiffening structure comprising several second screw sections (25) arranged such that they each face at least one of the first screw sections in an overlap area when the display unit is fully inserted into the display housing, the first and second screw sections being screwed together in each of the overlap areas by means of at least one screw element (29) so that the display unit is fixed to the display housing, each of the screw elements being arranged entirely inside the display housing, and several access openings (31) being formed in an outer wall of the display housing such that each of the screw elements is accessible to a screwing tool from outside the display housing via one of the access openings.