RANDOMLY INTERRUPTED BREATHING DEVICE

• US 20080053452A1
• Filed: 08/28/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Actegy Limited
• Original Assignee: South Bank University Enterprises Limited (London South Bank University)
• Inventors: Sumners, David Paul, Brown, Roger Leslie
• Granted Patent: US 8,469,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/207.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0006 with means for creating vibrations in patients' airways
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00069 Setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing length of resistance or adjusting a valve
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00196 using pulsed counterforce, e.g. vibrating resistance means A61H1/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/14 specially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/40 respiratory characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/18 for improving respiratory function

Abstract

Apparatus for randomly varying the breathing resistance applied to human and animal subjects to improve their performance.

Claims

1. A breathing device comprising:

an air inlet;

an air outlet through which a user can breathe;

a conduit connecting the air inlet and outlet;

an air flow interruption means positioned in the conduit so that air entering through the air inlet and inhaled by the user can be interrupted by the interruption means; and

means to vary the frequency of interruption of the flow of air through the conduit whilst the device is in use.

2. A breathing device as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the frequency of interruption of the flow of air can be varied randomly.

3. A breathing device as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the frequency of the interruptions to the flow of air is in the range of 5 to 100 Hz.

4. A breathing device as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the frequency of the interruptions to the flow of air is in the range of 10 to 50 Hz.

5. A breathing device as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the air outlet incorporates a mouthpiece which can fit over the mouth and/or nose of a user so that a user breathes through the mouthpiece.

6. A breathing device as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the air flow interruption means is a valve.

7. A breathing device as claimed in claim 6 and wherein the valve is a rotary valve.

8. A breathing device as claimed in claim 6 and wherein there is a plurality of valves.

9. A breathing device as claimed in claim 8 and wherein the said valves are in series.

10. A breathing device as claimed in claim 8 and wherein the said valves are in parallel.

11. A breathing device as claimed in claim 8 and wherein one valve is operated at a constant rate and another at a varying rate.

12. A breathing device as claimed in claim 7 and wherein the frequency of the interruptions to the air flow is controlled by the speed of rotation of the valves and there is a control system which can change the speed of rotation of the valves whilst the device is in use.

13. A breathing device as claimed in claim 7 and wherein the control system incorporates a random number generator which controls the speed of rotation of the valves in accordance with the random numbers.

14. A breathing device as claimed in claim 7 and wherein there is a rotary valve comprising;

a housing containing a fluid flow path with a central axis;

a plug having a sealing face cooperating with a valve seat in said housing in the closed position to block the fluid flow path; and

a support shaft arranged to carry said plug and being rotatable on an axis which is normal to and spaced from the axis of said valve seat so that rotation of the said shaft moves said plug relative to said housing.

15. A breathing device as claimed in claim 14 and wherein the valve comprises two discs, with each of the discs defining at least one opening therethrough, the discs being positioned in the air flow so that at least one of the discs can rotate relative to the other disc whereby the holes in the two discs are periodically coincident so as to form a continuous air flow passage.

16. A breathing device as claimed in claim 1 and wherein there is a rotary valve comprising a rotary vane (700), a plurality of irregularly spaced magnets (704) and a co-operating single magnet (705).

17. A breathing device as claimed in claim 16 and which is arranged to be breath driven.

18. A breathing device as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the air flow interruption means is a solenoid valve.

22. A device as claimed in claim 1 and which is powered manually.

23. A device as claimed in claim 1 and which is clockwork powered.

24. A breathing device as claimed in claim 1 and incorporating data monitoring and data gathering sensors.

25. A breathing device as claimed in claim 24 and wherein the sensor measures at least one of pressures, flow rates, adjustment to changes in the rate of interruption of the flow.

26. A breathing device as claimed in claim 25 and having a display screen to display data obtained.

27. A breathing device as claimed in claim 26 and having means to store the data obtained electronically.

28. A breathing device as claimed in claim 29 and having means to transmit data obtained to a remote location.

29. A breathing device as claimed in claim 1 and having dimensions no greater than 10 cm×

8 cm×

4 cm.

32. A method as claimed in claim 30 and wherein controlling of the breathing is carried out by the user breathing in and out through a device as claimed in claim 1.

19. A breathing device as claimed in 1 and which incorporates a battery.

20. A device as claimed in claim 19 and wherein the battery is rechargeable.

21. A device as claimed in claim 20 and incorporating means to manually charge the battery.

30. A method of training a person or animal by interrupting the breathing of the person or animal at a frequency which varies during the training period.

31. A method as claimed in claim 30 and wherein the frequency varies randomly.

33. A method as claimed in claim 30 and wherein the animal is a racehorse or greyhound.