Respiratory monitor

• US 10,307,080 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2014
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caire Diagnostics Inc. (Niterra Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Spirosure, Inc. (Niterra Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ssenyange, Solomon, Leard, Ryan R., Rhodes, Patrick L., Zikria, Jemal D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Jacqueline
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Tho Q
• Application Number:
  US14/495,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20150250408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/083 Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0013 by a chemical reaction a chemical reaction taking place or a gas being eliminated in one or more analysing channels G01N33/0024
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0016 by regulating a physical variable, e.g. pressure or temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0037 NOx
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0073 Control unit therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4975 other than oxygen, carbon dioxide or alcohol, e.g. organic vapours

Abstract

A respiratory monitor is disclosed that includes features for conducting multiple pulmonary function tests in a single device and for detecting the presence of nitric oxide in exhaled breath. Also described is a mouthpiece that allows for separate inhalation and exhalation pathways and for filtering inhaled and exhaled breath for predetermined species prior to exhalation into the respiratory monitor. The monitor further allows for wired, wireless and network connectivity and for cloud-based systems for communicating and correlating pulmonary data as well as relevant environmental data and displaying the data for use by patients and health care professionals.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a gas inlet section positioned in the housing, comprising;

i. a flow detection component positioned within the gas inlet section;

ii. an adjustable partition positioned downstream from the flow detection component;

iii. a humidity equilibrator positioned downstream from the adjustable partition;

iv. an adjustable flow-restriction component configured to partition the gas inlet section upstream from the humidity equilibrator; and

v. an adjustable inlet for ambient air positioned downstream from the adjustable partition and upstream from the humidity equilibrator; and

c. a measuring assembly located adjacent to and in fluid communication with the gas inlet section;

wherein the measuring assembly is configured to determine the total nitric oxide (NO) concentration from an incoming gas sample.

2. A method of determining total nitrogen oxides (NO_x) concentration from a breath sample, comprising:

a. collecting a breath sample from a user using a mouthpiece;

b. flowing the breath sample from the mouthpiece to an inlet portal of an analyzer;

c. flowing the breath sample from the inlet portal of the analyzer to an adjustable flow restrictor positioned within the analyzer;

d. equilibrating the moisture content in the breath sample flowing from the inlet portal and through the analyzer to ambient conditions;

e. admitting ambient air through the analyzer through an adjustable inlet positioned upstream from a humidity equilibrator;

f. forming an equilibrium mixture of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) from NO_x in the breath sample using a platinum-zeolite reactor element;

g. measuring NO_x concentration in the breath sample using a sensor element located downstream from the reactor element;

h. determining total NO concentration in the breath sample based on the measured NO_x concentration and equilibrium mixture; and

i. releasing the breath sample through an exhaust portal.