Vent arrangement for respiratory mask

• US 10,076,619 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2013
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd. (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sears, David Brent, Farrugia, Steven Paul, Nagorny, Aleksandr S., Krum, Richard G., Sampietro, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Jackie Tan-Uyen T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boecker, Joseph D
• Application Number:
  US13/967,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20140069428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,860 Days
• Field of Search: 25112914, 25131501, 25131516, 12820128, 12820524, 12820614, 12820716
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/00 Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. mouth-to-mouth respiration; Tracheal tubes stimulating the respiratory movement by mechanical, pneumatic or electrical means, iron lungs combined with gas breathing means A61H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0069 the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/009 Removing used or expired gases or anaesthetic vapours filtering, sterilising or disinfecting the exhaust air in drainage systems A61M1/784; bacterial filters in the expiratory path A61M16/1065
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0672 Nasal cannula assemblies for oxygen therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0816 Joints or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0825 with ball-sockets
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1095 in the connecting tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/16 Devices to humidify the respiration air A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/205 used for exhalation control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0033 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 : with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/072 : with pivoted closure members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0873 : the plug being only rotatable around one spindle
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0407 : with particular plug arrangements, e.g. particular shape or built-in means

Abstract

A control system provides automated control of gas washout of a patient interface, such as a mask or nasal prongs. A gas washout vent assembly of the system may include a variable exhaust area, such as one defined by gears, radial exhaust revolvers and/or flow diverters for a conduit having a variable gas passage channel. The vent assembly may be attached substantially near or included with the patient interface. An actuator of the assembly, such as a solenoid, motor or voice coil, manipulates the vent assembly. The actuator may be configured for control by a processor to change the exhaust area of the vent assembly based on various methodologies including, for example, sleep detection, disordered breathing event detection and/or leak detection.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automated control of gas washout of a patient interface of a respiratory treatment apparatus comprising:

a vent assembly having a variable exhaust area, the vent assembly being associated with a patient interface to vent expiratory gas, the vent assembly including a spherical diverter and a conduit casing that houses the spherical diverter, the spherical diverter having a flow bore configured to deliver the expiratory gas to one or more vent openings of the conduit casing for venting; and

an actuator to manipulate orientation of the spherical diverter to vary size of the exhaust area of the conduit casing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein rotation of the spherical diverter positions the flow bore to selectively permit a transfer of gas through the flow bore within the conduit casing of the vent assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein rotation of the spherical diverter selectively positions a surface of the spherical diverter to selectively block a transfer of gas through one or more exhaust ports of the conduit casing of the vent assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the conduit casing further comprises a muffler chamber proximate to one or more exhaust ports of the conduit casing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a controller including a processor, the controller coupled with the actuator, the controller configured to operate the actuator to adjust the size of the exhaust area of the vent assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises a motor, a shaft of the motor coupled with the spherical diverter.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a position sensor, the position sensor configured to detect a rotational position of the spherical diverter.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spherical diverter comprises a spherical surface configured to selectively block a transfer of gas through an exhaust port.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein rotation of the spherical diverter selectively positions the flow bore to divert a transfer of gas from the conduit casing through a plurality of exhaust ports on opposing sides of the conduit casing.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein rotation of the spherical diverter selectively positions both a first and a second surface of the spherical diverter such that the first surface closes a path of the conduit casing to a transfer of gas through the conduit casing and the second surface centrally and partially blocks a transfer of gas through the conduit casing while permitting a transfer of gas around the second surface and through a plurality of exhaust ports on opposing sides of the conduit casing.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the spherical diverter has a plurality of separate flow bores.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein one of the plurality of separate flow bores is a concave recess in the spherical diverter that forms a J-channel.