SLEEP-APNEA-TREATMENT SYSTEM WITH MULTIPLE PRESSURE AND SEALING SURFACES

• US 20140261449A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Somne LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: HYDE, Roderick A., CALDEIRA, Kenneth G., WOOD, Lowell L. Jr., RIVET, Dennis J., SMITH, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US13/840,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20140261449A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/848
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0207 heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0214 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0285 with Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1609 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5058 Sensors or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5071 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5082 Temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5084 Acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5092 Optical sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0057 Suction suction kneading A61H7/008
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0009 : with sub-atmospheric pressure, e.g. during expiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 : with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0069 : the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/026 : specially adapted for predicting, e.g. for determining an information representative of a flow limitation during a ventilation cycle by using a root square technique or a regression analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/15 : Detection of leaks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 : Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/332 : Force measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 : Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3606 : cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 : by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 : Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 : battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1028 : Larynx
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1032 : Trachea

Abstract

An embodiment of a collar includes first and second pressure surfaces, and first and second sealing surfaces. The first pressure surface is configured for disposal over a first region of a throat of a subject having an airway, and the first sealing surface is configured to form around the first pressure surface a first seal with a first region of a neck of the subject. And the second pressure surface is configured for disposal over a second region of the throat, and the second sealing surface is configured to form around the second pressure surface a second seal with a second region of the neck. For example, the collar can be configured to generate multiple negative-pressure regions to treat a subject'"'"'s sleep apnea.

Claims

1. A collar, comprising:

a first pressure surface configured for disposal over a first region of a throat of a subject having an airway;

a first sealing surface configured to form around the first pressure surface a first seal with a first region of a neck of the subject;

a second pressure surface configured for disposal over a second region of the throat; and

a second sealing surface that is configured to form around the second pressure surface a second seal with a second region of the neck.

2. The collar of claim 1 wherein the first and second pressure surfaces are configured to extend substantially transverse to the airway.

3. The collar of claim 1 wherein the first and second pressure surfaces are configured to extend substantially parallel to the airway.

4. The collar of claim 1 wherein a portion of the first sealing surface between the first and second pressure surfaces is the same surface as a portion of the second sealing surface between the first and second pressure surfaces.

5. The collar of claim 1 wherein:

a portion of the first sealing surface forms a portion of the first pressure surface; and

a portion of the second sealing surface forms a portion of the second pressure surface.

6. The collar of claim 1, further comprising:

a first opening disposed in the first pressure surface and configured to allow a first pressure to be generated in a first chamber that is at least partially defined by the first pressure surface and the first sealing surface; and

a second opening disposed in the second pressure surface and configured to allow a second pressure to be generated in a second chamber that is at least partially defined by the second pressure surface and the second sealing surface.

8. The collar of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second pressure surfaces is configured to partially surround the neck of the subject.

9. The collar of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second pressure surfaces is configured to fully surround the neck of the subject.

11. The collar of claim 1 wherein the first pressure and sealing surfaces are configured to treat an obstruction of the airway.

12. The collar of claim 1 wherein the first pressure and sealing surfaces are configured to treat sleep apnea.

7. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

13. A system, comprising:

a collar comprising

a first chamber at least partially definable by a first pressure surface that is disposable over a first region of a throat of a subject having an airway and by a first sealing surface that is configured to form around the first pressure surface a first seal with a first region of a neck of the subject,

a second chamber at least partially definable by a second pressure surface that is disposable over a second region of the throat and by a second sealing surface that is configured to form around the second pressure surface a second seal with a second region of the neck; and

an apparatus configured to generate a first pressure within the first chamber and to generate a second pressure within the second chamber.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the apparatus is configured to generate the first and second pressures such that the first and second chambers exhibit substantially a peristaltic action.

25. The system of claim 13 wherein the apparatus comprises:

a pump; and

a regulator coupled to the pump and configured to generate the first and second pressures within the first and second chambers.

27. The system of claim 13 wherein the apparatus comprises:

a first pump configured to generate the first pressure within the first chamber; and

a second pump configured to generate the second pressure within the second chamber.

30. The system of claim 13 wherein the apparatus comprises:

a pump configured to be secured to the collar;

a regulator configured to be secured to the collar, configured to be coupled to the pump, and configured to generate the first and second pressures within the first and second chambers; and

a motor configured to be secured to the collar and configured to drive the pump.

34. The system of claim 13 wherein a portion of the apparatus is configured to be secured to the collar.

41. The system of claim 13 wherein the collar comprises:

a frame; and

a flexible covering that includes the first and second pressure surfaces and that is configured to be located over and to be secured to the frame, the flexible covering configured to allow the first and second pressures to pull the first and second regions of the throat region toward the first and second pressure surfaces, respectively.

14-18. -18. (canceled)

20-24. -24. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

28-29. -29. (canceled)

31-33. -33. (canceled)

35-40. -40. (canceled)

42-47. -47. (canceled)

48. A method, comprising:

generating a first pressure over a first region of a throat of a subject having an airway; and

generating a second pressure over a second region of the throat.

55. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

generating the first pressure according to a first pressure profile having a first amplitude component and a first phase component; and

generating the second pressure according to a second pressure profile having substantially the first amplitude component and a second phase component.

57. The method of claim 48, further comprising substantially simultaneously generating negative pressures for the first and second pressures.

58. The method of claim 48, further comprising substantially simultaneously generating a positive pressure for one of the first and second pressures and generating a negative pressure for the other of the first and second pressures.

49-54. -54. (canceled)

56. (canceled)

59-78. -78. (canceled)

79. A system, comprising:

a collar comprising at least one chamber at least partially definable by a pressure surface that is disposable over a region of a throat of a subject having an airway, and by a sealing surface that is configured to form around the pressure surface a seal with a region of a neck of the subject; and

an apparatus configured to generate a pressure within the chamber and to control the pressure to prevent the subject from experiencing an edema.

82. The system of claim 79, further comprising:

a sensor configured to detect formation of an edema in the subject; and

wherein the apparatus is configured to control the pressure by reducing a magnitude of the pressure in response to the detection of the formation of the edema.

80-81. -81. (canceled)

83-87. -87. (canceled)

88. A method, comprising:

generating a pressure over an external region of a throat of a subject having an airway; and

controlling the pressure to prevent the subject from experiencing an edema.

89. The method of claim 88, further comprising controlling the pressure by periodically reducing a magnitude of the pressure.

90-101. -101. (canceled)

102. A system, comprising:

means for generating a first pressure over a first region of a throat of a subject having an airway; and

means for generating a second pressure over a second region of the throat.

108. The system of claim 102, further comprising means for periodically generating the first and second pressures substantially peristaltically at intervals sufficient to prevent the subject from developing an edema.

125. The system of claim 102, further comprising means for pulling the first and second portions of the throat region outward in response to the first and second pressures.

103-107. -107. (canceled)

109-124. -124. (canceled)

126-131. -131. (canceled)

132. A system, comprising:

means for generating a pressure over an external region of a throat of a subject having an airway; and

means for controlling the pressure to prevent the subject from experiencing an edema.

137. The system of claim 132, further comprising:

means for detecting an enlarging of an edema in the subject; and

means for controlling the pressure by reducing the pressure to a magnitude that stops the enlarging of the edema.

133-136. -136. (canceled)

138-145. -145. (canceled)