High frequency chest wall oscillation system

• US 20070004992A1
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Pte Ltd. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Pte Ltd. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Brunt, Nicholas, Kivisto, John, Gagne, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 7,615,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0103 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1238 with hydraulic or pneumatic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/501 connected to external computer devices or networks
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5043 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5058 Sensors or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/08 Trunk
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0071 by localized pressure, e.g. air streams or jets
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 601/07 Inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 601/11 Artificial respiration using vibration frequency

Abstract

An air pulse generator includes a housing having a front wall and a back wall defining an interior region and a shell having a front portion and a back portion defining an air chamber. The front wall of the housing has first and second air openings. The front portion of the shell has first and second air ports in communication with the air chamber. The first and second air ports are aligned with the first and second air openings when the shell is mounted within the interior region of the housing.

Claims

1. An air pulse generator for providing a high frequency chest wall oscillation therapy to a patient, the air pulse generator comprising:

a housing having a front wall and a back wall defining an interior region, the front wall of the housing having first and second air openings; and

a shell having a front portion and a back portion defining an air chamber, the front portion of the shell having first and second air ports in communication with the air chamber, the first and second ports being aligned with the first and second openings when the shell is mounted within the interior region of the housing.

2. The air pulse generator of claim 1, further comprising a seal positioned between the front wall of the housing and the front portion of the shell, wherein the seal has first and second holes that are aligned with the first and second openings in the front wall of the housing and the first and second ports in the front portion of the shell when the shell is mounted within the interior region of the housing.

3. The air pulse generator of claim 2, wherein the seal comprises an elastomer material.

4. The air pulse generator of claim 3, wherein the elastomer material is black nitrile.

5. The air pulse generator of claim 1, further comprising an inflatable garment having a bladder in communication with a pair of connectors via a pair of hoses, wherein the openings in the front wall of the housing are configured for receiving the pair of connectors to fluidly connect the air chamber with the bladder.

6. The air pulse generator of claim 1, further comprising a control switch including a connector in fluid communication with a control bulb, wherein the front wall of the housing has a switch port for receiving the connector.

7. The air pulse generator of claim 1, further comprising a user interface coupled to the front wall of the housing, wherein the user interface includes a keypad, a display panel and a control board operably coupled to the keypad and the display panel, a portion of the display panel is positioned in the interior region of the housing between the keypad and the control board, and the control board is positioned in the interior region of the housing between the display panel and the shell.

8. The air pulse generator of claim 1, further comprising a blower situated within the interior region, wherein the front portion of the shell has an inlet in fluid communication with the blower via a tube.

9. The air pulse generator of claim 8, wherein the inlet is located below and generally centrally between the two ports.

10. The air pulse generator of claim 1, wherein the front and back portions of the shell define first and second diaphragm openings on the opposite sides of the air chamber, further comprising first and second diaphragm assemblies positioned over the first and second diaphragm openings, respectively.

11. The air pulse generator of claim 10, wherein each diaphragm assembly comprises a plate and an annular seal interposed between each plate and an annular wall of the associated diaphragm opening.

12. The air pulse generator of claim 10, further comprising a motor coupled to the two diaphragm assemblies, wherein the back portion of the shell has an opening for receiving a portion of the motor.

13. The air pulse generator of claim 12, further comprising a support positioned in the interior region between the housing and the shell, wherein the support has an opening for receiving a further portion of the motor.

14. The air pulse generator of claim 13, wherein the support comprises an elastomer material.

15. The air pulse generator of claim 14, wherein the elastomer material is black nitrile.

16. The air pulse generator of claim 1, wherein the back wall of the housing has a plurality of vents.

17. The air pulse generator of claim 1, further comprising a handle coupled to the back wall of the housing.

18. The air pulse generator of claim 1, wherein the front wall of the housing has a plurality of inwardly-extending ribs.

19. The air pulse generator of claim 1, further comprising an electrical connector located in the interior region of the housing and accessible through an opening in the back wall of the housing.

20. An air pulse generator for providing a high frequency chest wall oscillation therapy to a patient, the air pulse generator comprising:

a housing; and

an air pulse module and a controller carried by the housing;

the air pulse module including a first motor and a second motor to produce an oscillating pressure and a positive pressure within an air chamber;

the controller being operable to control the operation of the air pulse module, the controller including a user interface control, a power supply control coupled to the user interface control, a first motor control coupled to the first motor and coupled to the power supply control, and a second motor control coupled to the second motor and coupled to the power supply control, wherein the power supply control, the first motor control and the second motor control are coupled to a first circuit board, and the user interface control is coupled to a second circuit board.

21. The air pulse generator of claim 20, further comprising a first sensor operably coupled to the first motor, the first sensor is operable to provide a first motor control signal to the user interface control indicating a speed of the first motor, the user interface control provides a first motor power request signal to the power supply control in response to the first motor control signal, and the power supply control provides a first motor drive signal to the first motor control in response to the first motor power request signal to maintain a frequency of the oscillating pressure at a user selected value by adjusting the speed of the first motor.

22. The air pulse generator of claim 21, further comprising a second sensor operably coupled to the second motor, the second sensor is operable to provide a second motor control signal to the user interface control indicating a speed of the second motor, the user interface control provides a second motor power request signal to the power supply control in response to the second motor control signal, and the power supply control provides a second motor drive signal to the second motor control in response to the second motor power request signal to maintain the positive pressure at a user selected value by adjusting the speed of the second motor.

23. The air pulse generator of claim 22, further comprising a user interface coupled to the user interface control to allow a user to select a desired frequency of the oscillating pressure and a desired value of the positive pressure.

24. An air pulse generator comprising:

a housing;

a controller, a user interface and an air pulse module carried by the housing;

the user interface allowing a user to enter inputs to the controller;

the air pulse module including an air chamber, first and second diaphragms to produce an oscillating pressure within the air chamber, a blower to produce a positive pressure within the air chamber, a first motor coupled to the first and second diaphragms, and a second motor coupled to the blower;

a first sensor coupled to the first motor and operable to provide a first motor control signal to the controller indicating a speed of the first motor, the controller maintaining a frequency of the oscillating pressure at a user selected value by adjusting the speed of the first motor in response to the first motor control signal; and

a second sensor coupled to the second motor and operable to provide a second motor control signal to the controller indicating a speed of the second motor, the controller maintaining the positive pressure at a user selected value by adjusting the speed of the second motor in response to the second motor control signal.

25. The air pulse generator of claim 24, wherein the first sensor comprises three Hall sensors coupled to the first motor.

26. The air pulse generator of claim 24, wherein the second sensor comprises a Hall sensor coupled to the second motor.