Portable Ventilator Paddle Mechanism for Consistent Breath Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current portable mechanical ventilators face trade-offs between cost, weight, safety features, device precision, component reusability, and user experience, particularly in pre-hospital settings where hospital-grade ventilators are not practical due to size and infrastructure requirements, and manual bagging methods risk overinflation or under-oxygenation of patients.
Innovation Solution
A portable, electric automated mechanical ventilator with a foldable arm and paddle assembly, adjustable bag mounts, optimized paddle design for reduced mechanical stress, and actuation mechanisms that allow user-configurable settings and breath profiling, along with integration into CPR workflows and safety features to minimize user error.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hospital-grade mechanical ventilators are used, then safety and consistency of breath delivery are improved, but device size and infrastructure requirements increase making them impractical for pre-hospital settings
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilator system is segmented into a portable control unit and a separate resuscitator bag, allowing the critical care functionality to be distributed. The control unit contains the motor, battery, and control electronics while the bag can be independently positioned and connected to the patient, enabling hospital-grade ventilation in a portable format.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical compression system is replaced with an electric motor-driven paddle mechanism that automatically compresses and decompresses the resuscitator bag. This substitution provides consistent, programmable breath delivery with precise control over breath profile, rate, and volume, eliminating the size and infrastructure requirements of traditional hospital ventilators.
2Ease of operation
If manual bag valve mask compression is used, then portability is improved, but risk of overinflation or under-oxygenation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilator incorporates sensors that monitor breath delivery parameters including tidal volume, pressure, and flow rate. This feedback system allows the control unit to adjust compression force and duration in real-time to maintain precise breath profiles, preventing both overinflation and under-oxygenation while keeping the device portable.
Solution Approach 2:
The ventilator system is designed to automatically regulate its own operation through programmable breath profiles and safety envelopes. The device self-adjusts compression parameters based on pre-set clinical guidelines, eliminating the need for constant manual monitoring while maintaining portable operation.
3Measurement precision
If full-featured electric portable ventilators are used, then safety features and device precision are improved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilator uses a universal resuscitator bag interface that can accommodate different bag sizes and types, allowing a single lightweight device to serve multiple patient needs. The programmable control unit provides multiple breath delivery modes and safety features that work across different bag configurations, reducing the need for multiple specialized devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The ventilator achieves precise breath delivery by dynamically changing operational parameters such as motor speed, paddle compression force, and breath timing. The system adjusts these parameters in real-time based on the selected breath profile and patient needs, maintaining high precision without requiring heavy mechanical components.
4Device complexity
If pneumatic ventilators with one-size-fits-all breath profile are used, then device simplicity is improved, but adaptability to different patient needs decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilator incorporates dynamic breath profiling capabilities where compression force, duration, and rate can be programmatically adjusted for different patient conditions. The system transitions from static one-size-fits-all operation to dynamic adaptation based on pre-set clinical protocols, maintaining relative simplicity while improving versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The device achieves adaptability by changing operational parameters such as breath rate, tidal volume, and compression timing through programmable settings. Different patient populations (adults, children, infants) and clinical scenarios can be addressed by adjusting these parameters without changing the physical device structure, balancing simplicity with versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
Portable automated mechanical ventilators and new methods of using same are disclosed. A resuscitator bag is suspended horizontally via bag mounts and compressed and decompressed by paddles, which may be foldable to increase portability, and the resuscitator bag may be releasable for manual operation. The portable mechanical ventilator may automatically adjust ventilation based on measured parameters to improve safety and be integrated into a CPR workflow.