Snoring and Its Management (Part 2/2): Preliminary Design and Prototyping of Anti-Snoring Chin Strap Device

Abstract

The-aim of this-research was to-design and prototype a-chin-strap-device, which can-be-used to-manage largely-untapped local-population of open-mouth-habitual-snorers. Document-analysis was utilized as one of the-study-instruments (including review of: (i) selected-International-patents on the-designs of chin-strap device; (ii) published-research on head-gear, head-products, and the-use of anthropometric-data in their-design; and (iii) prior-art on chin-strap-devices and their-respective-limitations). Target-specifications/ objectives of chin-strap-device were formulated from the-document-analysis, while Pair-wise-Comparison Charts were-used, to-rank the-importance of the-objectives, in the-different-levels.  This-study also used such-basic-tools-as pencil and paper, for sketching, of the-alternative-designs; and a-database, as a-tool for information-storage and retrieval.  Besides, the-study applied fundamental-Engineering-principles of product design, and was-carried-out in-compliance-with both; ISO8559: 1989 (Garment-construction and anthropometric-surveys-body-dimensions), and ISO7250: 1996 (Basic-human-body-measurements for technological-design). The-best-ranked-design (out of the-3 alternatives made) was chosen, via Engineering numerical-weighted-decision-Matrix and ‘Drop and Re-vote’ (D&R) method. 13 head-dimensions, and a-head of a-medium-size, and of normal-shape, for 50^th percentile, black-African-male, of over 40 years of age, was selected, as a-design-target. The-values, for these-head-dimensions (one-dimensional measurements), were obtained from IOM and Anthrotech anthropometric-data-tables, for civilian-population. 2D-drawings, of the-selected-alternative, were created via computer-aided-design (CAD) AutoCAD-software. The-fibre, from which the-final-fabric, to-be-made, for a-chin-strap-device, was designed discretely of the-product-design-process, and then was-incorporated, into-the-design, as a-finished input/fabric-structure. This-study also adopted ‘analysis’ method of materials-selection. The-main objectives, of the-intended-device, was used as a-guide, in-materials-selection. Acrylic man-made textile-fibre was selected, via computerized-materials-databases/libraries; and afterwards the-woven-fabric of plain-weave was-chosen as main-material, for the-device. The-fabrication and assembly, of the-prototype, was achieved via stitching-joining-method. Traditional-testing/usability-inspection (by dynamic- verification) was conducted on a-volunteer (open-mouth-snorer); observers reported, that some-snoring reduction was noticeable, in-comparison with the-observations, of the-volunteer, sleeping, without the-device, moreover, the-device stayed-in-position (without sliding-off), during the-five-observation-nights. Overall, the-result of this-preliminary-design is somewhat-optimistic, further-improvement(s) and trials, however, are necessary. The-study, hence, further-recommended to: (1) carry-out a-detailed-design; (2) fabricate the-next/refined-prototype(s); (3) conduct explorative-use-ability-trials, in-collaboration-with the-department of Medical-Engineering, School of Medicine, MU; and (4) analyze the-marketing-aspect of the-design.

Keywords: materials-selection, Acrylic, textile, testing.