Apparatus for control of oxygen and/or air flow to nasal prongs

• US 20130199531A1
• Filed: 04/09/2012
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neotech Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Neotech Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Ramanathan, Rangasamy, Heyman, Arnold M., Thornbury, Thomas R., McCrary, Craig R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,861,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/204.18
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02
• 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 2202/0007 introduced into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/584 having a color code

Abstract

An air or oxygen flow supply system between a supply source and nasal prongs applicable to a patient, comprising a succession of flow ducts having different flow areas, there being junctions between successive of the ducts, the flow areas defined by A₁, A₂ - - - A_n where n>2, the flow areas decreasing at the junctions, in the direction of the flow.

Claims

1. An air or oxygen flow supply system between a supply source and nasal prongs applicable to a patient, comprising

a) a succession of flow ducts having different flow areas,

b) there being junctions between successive of said ducts,

c) said flow areas defined by A₁, A₂ - - - A_n where n>

2,

d) flow areas decreasing at junctions, in

the direction of said flow said flow areas at each junction being a duct outlet and a successive duct inlet, and wherein said outlet and inlet flow areas are proximate one another and substantially different, in size, whereby said inlet and outlet flow areas are free of elongated taper therebetween.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein junctions are located at ends of successive ducts.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein n=3.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said junctions are defined between

e) coupled together ends of ducts D₁ and D₂,

f) coupled together ends of ducts D₂ and D₃,

where duct D₁ has cross sectional flow area A₁, duct D₂ has cross sectional flow area A₂; and duct D₃ has cross sectional flow area A₃, A₃ being substantially less than A₁ and A₃ being substantially less than A₂.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein

A₁≅

0.196 square inches

A₂≅

0.022 ″

″

A₃≅

0.013 ″

″

6. The system of claim 1 wherein flow ducts D₁, D₂ - - - D_n define said respective flow areas A₁, A₂ - - - A_n.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the flow pressure at D₁ maintains steady flow at D₃.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein D₃ is defined by a nasal prong.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein

A₁≅

0.196 square inches

A₂≅

0.022 ″

″

A₃≅

0.0113 ″

″

10. The system of claim 1 comprising in combination:

e) an inlet tubular fitting defining one of said ducts sized and configured to directly endwise connect to a source of oxygen, or oxygen and air, said fitting defining an inlet flow passage area A, having a 15 mm external diameter,

f) a pair of tubular prongs defining another of said ducts operatively connected with said inlet fitting, and receivable in an infant'"'"'s nostrils to deliver oxygen, or oxygen and air flow to the infant, said prongs each having flow passing area A₃,

g) and wherein A₁>

>

A₃.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said fitting has at least one outlet flow passage which has an associated internal flow passing area A₂ less than A₁.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein flow passages between A₁ and A₃ have flow passage cross sectional areas >

>

A₃.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein A₃ has internal diameter ≧

2.5 mm.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein A₃ has internal diameter ≧

2.5 mm.

15. The system of claim 1 including two flexible elongated plastic flow conducting ducts operatively connected in flow conducting parallel relation between said source and said prongs, said ducts being bend resistant and comprise tubes.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said tubes have elongated ribbing at their interiors to resist bending.

17. The combination of claim 16 wherein said ribbing defines three wavelike ribs spaced about an axis defined by each tube.

18. The combination of claim 15 wherein said prongs are elongated and have lengthwise curvature.

19. The combination of claim 10 including cushion structure through which the prongs extend to cushion against nasal surfaces.

20. The combination of claim 10 including sealing structure through which the prongs extend.

21. The combination of claim 10 wherein each prong area A₃ has a diameter greater than 1.0 mm.

22. The combination of claim 18 including a relatively soft securing ring extending about said tubes and slidable there along, there being color coding on the ring to indicate prong size.

23. The combination for connection to the 15 mm bore of O₂, or air and O₂ supply means:

a) a nasal cannula device having an inlet fitting of external diameter d₁₀ where d₁₀ is not equal to 15 mm,

b) an adapter having an external diameter d₈ equal to 15 mm connected to said supply means bore and an outlet bore of diameter d₉ connected to said device,

c) the flow areas of said adapter and of said device being less than the flow area A₈ of said supply means bore and diminishing in the direction toward nasal prongs defined by said nasal cannula device,

d) there being flow ducts connected end-to-end between said supply means and said prongs, said ducts having successively decreasing and substantially different flow passing areas.