Disposable Ventilator Filter With Printed Writable Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disposable filters in ventilator breathing circuits lack efficient identification options, requiring manual stickers and potentially leading to errors in tracking usage time, especially for long-term ventilated patients where timely filter replacement is crucial.
Innovation Solution
A disposable filter with a structured surface on its housing, created using a printing process like pad printing, featuring tick areas for day-of-week indication and optionally a clock for time marking, allowing for quick and error-free identification without manual writing, thus reducing manual effort and language barriers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stickers are glued to the disposable filter to note the date and time of use, then the identification of filter usage time is possible, but the manual effort and potential for errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filter housing itself serves the identification function by providing a writable surface with tick areas, eliminating the need for separate stickers. The nursing staff directly writes on the filter housing to mark usage time, making the identification system self-contained and reducing manual steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The identification function is merged with the filter housing structure by integrating the writable surface and tick areas directly into the housing. This combines the filter and identification components into a single integrated system, eliminating the need for separate stickers.
2Loss of information
If the date is written down manually on stickers, then the identification is possible, but errors can occur and cognitive effort is required
Solution Approach 1:
The date identification is segmented into discrete day-of-week tick areas (seven separate checkboxes), breaking down the complex task of writing and recalling full dates into simple, standardized selections. This reduces cognitive load and eliminates errors associated with manual date writing.
Solution Approach 2:
The tick areas provide a standardized visual structure that can be easily recognized and marked. The structured layout with distinct checkboxes creates a visual system that is easier to process than unwritten dates, reducing cognitive effort and improving accuracy.
3Ease of operation
If a writable surface is provided on the filter housing, then the manual effort is reduced, but additional manufacturing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The writable surface with tick areas is pre-formed on the filter housing during manufacturing. The printing process creates the structured surface with tick areas in advance, so that when the filter is used, the nursing staff only needs to write on the pre-prepared surface without any additional manufacturing steps at the point of use.
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 reliable, quick, and standardized identification of filter usage time, reducing manual errors and the need for stickers, while ensuring timely filter replacement and maintaining low pneumatic resistance.
Implementation Method 1
The imprint on the filter housing is arranged on the filter housing using a printing process, in particular a pad printing process
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a disposable filter (100) for use in a breathing circuit of a ventilator, comprising a filter housing (110) which surrounds a filter material (112) of the disposable filter. The filter housing has a first filter opening (118) and a second filter opening (119) for the respective connection of a gas-carrying component, in particular a hose, for a gas to be conveyed through the disposable filter, the filter material being arranged between the first and second filter openings. Furthermore, the disposable filter has a printed design (120) on the filter housing, which is applied to the filter housing by a printing process and forms a structured surface (122). This structured surface is writable and comprises at least seven checkboxes (124).