EAP-driven air pump for patient interfaces

• US 10,105,504 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Metysek, Mark, Hendriks, Cornelis Petrus, Van De Molengraaf, Roland Alexander, Lawrenson, Matthew John, Nolan, Julian Charles, Windridge, Melanie Jane
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Lynne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boecker, Joseph D
• Application Number:
  US14/652,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20150320958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0633 with forehead support
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0283 Electro-active polymers [EAP]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/088 on the body
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 45/047 Pumps having electric drive

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gas supply system (10) for a patient interface (30) for supplying a flow of pressurized gas to a subject (50), an according patient interface (30) with such a gas supply system (10) and a therapy device with such a gas supply system. The gas supply systems according to the present invention comprise a pump device (55) that has at least one membrane (58) for pumping actuation. This membrane (58) is actuated via an electro-active polymer material (60).

Claims

1. A gas supply system for a patient interface for supplying a flow of pressurized gas to a subject, with:

at least one pump device, comprising;

at least two membranes, each membrane comprising at least one electro-active polymer material, and

at least one valve; and

a controller, for controlling the at least one pump device,

wherein the at least one pump device comprises at least one closed volume, and wherein the membranes are arranged on opposite sides of the closed volume such that they are in operative communication with the at least one closed volume and are further designed for altering the volume of the at least one closed volume by moving toward or away from each other based on actuation by the electro-active polymer material in a periodic way resulting in a flow of pressurized gas from the at least one closed volume.

2. The gas supply system of claim 1, with at least two pump devices.

3. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein each membrane is configured to generate a force due to its movement upon actuation, wherein the membranes are arranged in the gas supply system such that the sum of the forces of the membranes is lower than each individual force of the membranes.

4. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the at least one valve is an active valve.

5. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the at least one valve is actuated by an electro-active polymer material.

6. The gas supply system of claim 4, wherein an actuation of the at least one valve is synchronized with the actuation of the at least two membranes.

7. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the at least one valve is arranged in one of the at least two membranes.

8. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the at least one pump device comprises:

at least one inlet valve, and

at least one outlet valve.

9. A patient interface for supplying a flow of pressurized gas to a subject, with:

an interfacing portion that is configured to contact the subject, and

the gas supply system according to claim 1.

10. The patient interface of claim 9, wherein the gas supply system is an integral part of the patient interface.

11. The patient interface of claim 9, wherein the interfacing portion comprises a mask having an outer shell, and wherein the at least two membranes of the pump device are arranged in the shell of the mask.

12. Therapy device for providing a controlled flow of pressurized gas to a patient interface, with a gas supply system according to claim 1.

13. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the at least two membranes are coupled together by a spring element extending between the at least two elements.