Ventilator Mask Bellows for Skin Contour Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing masks for mechanical ventilators do not adequately follow the user's skin, resulting in a poor attaching feeling.
Innovation Solution
A mask design featuring a first opening for inspired air, a second opening with a bellows portion that abuts against the user's skin, and a bellows portion that forms a space for air storage and deformation to follow the user's face shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a rigid mask structure is used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the mask cannot follow the skin contour resulting in poor attaching feeling
Solution Approach 1:
The mask employs a flexible bellows portion made of elastic material that can deform and follow the contour of the user's face. This flexible structure allows the mask to adapt to individual facial shapes while maintaining sealing effectiveness, resolving the contradiction between shape precision and attaching comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The mask incorporates a dynamic bellows portion that can change its shape and volume in response to user movement and facial contours. This dynamic adaptation enables the mask to maintain optimal contact and sealing throughout the ventilation process, improving both fitting precision and user comfort.
2Reliability
If the mask applies high pressure to the skin, then sealing performance is improved, but pressure ulcers may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible bellows portion distributes the sealing force across a larger area of the user's face by conforming to the facial contour. This flexible structure maintains reliable sealing while preventing concentrated pressure points that could cause ulcers.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows portion acts as a cushioning element that absorbs and distributes pressure before it can cause harm to the skin. By deforming elastically, it maintains sealing contact while protecting the skin from excessive pressure.
3Device complexity
If the mask uses a fixed structure, then device complexity is reduced, but it cannot adapt to different face shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The mask uses a flexible bellows portion that can deform to match various face shapes without requiring multiple rigid components or complex adjustment mechanisms. This single flexible element provides adaptability while keeping the overall device structure relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows portion changes its physical parameters (shape, volume, curvature) in response to different face contours. This parameter adaptation allows the mask to fit various users without complex structural modifications, maintaining simplicity while achieving versatility.
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 mask provides an excellent attaching feeling by tightly contacting the user's skin with moderate pressure, preventing air leakage and reducing the risk of pressure ulcers.
Implementation Method 1
a bellows portion (103) that is formed on at least a part of an edge of the second opening portion (102), forms a space for temporarily storing the inspired air and expired air of the user between the first opening portion (101) and the second opening portion (102), and deforms following a shape of a face of the user
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides a mask for an mechanical ventilator, including a first opening portion that takes in inspired air from the mechanical ventilator, a second opening portion that has an edge abutting against a skin of a user to send the inspired air to at least one of a nose and a mouth of the user, and a bellows portion that is formed on at least a part of the edge of the second opening portion, forms a space for temporarily storing the inspired air and expired air of the user between the first opening portion and the second opening: portion, and deforms following a shape of a face of the user.