Breathing gas therapeutic method and apparatus

• US 6,997,180 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kroll Family Trust
• Original Assignee: Kroll Family Trust
• Inventors: Kroll, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MITAL B
• Application Number:
  US10/996,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20050072429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 128/205.11, 128/205.27, 128/205.28, 128/204.22, 128/202.12, 128/203.25, 128/205.25, 128/205.26, 128/206.15, 128/914, 128/910
• US Class Current: 128/202.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 10/023 Rooms for the treatment of patients at over- or under-pressure or at a variable pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/10 Preparation of respiratory gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/1025 the O2 concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/103 the CO2 concentration

Abstract

A method and portable apparatus for providing low oxygen therapy to an individual. The invention teaches the use of a small portable breathing gas control system to adjust the gas concentrations going to a subject'"'"'s face mask.

Claims

1. A device for reducing the oxygen in an individual'"'"'s breath intake during rest, said device comprising:

a mask for placement on the individual'"'"'s face, said mask being arranged and configured to cover at least the individual'"'"'s nose and mouth;

said mask being soft and comfortable to avoid sleep interference;

said mask having a securement means to maintain its position during sleeping and sitting;

a gas exchange unit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said fluid outlet of said gas exchange unit being in fluid communication with said mask;

said gas exchange unit having a fluid communication with room air;

an element to reduce the flow of oxygen into the gas exchange unit;

to reduce the level of oxygen contained within said gas exchange unit to provide low oxygen air for therapy while the user is sleeping or awake.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen contains metallic iron.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen contains steel wool.

4. The device of claim 1 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen contains acetic acid.

5. The device of claim 1 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen contains a semi-permeable membrane filter.

6. The device of claim 1 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen is user removable and disposable.

7. The device of claim 1 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen is selective and reduces oxygen more than other gases.

8. The device of claim 1 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen merely reduces the flow of room air into the gas exchange unit.

9. The device of claim 1 in which the oxygen level is intermittently increased.

10. The device of claim 1 in which the oxygen level is intermittently increased for at least 2 seconds.

11. A device for reducing the relative concentration of oxygen in an individual'"'"'s breath intake during rest, said device comprising:

a mask for placement on the individual'"'"'s face, said mask being arranged and configured to cover at least the individual'"'"'s nose and mouth;

said mask being soft and comfortable to avoid sleep interference;

said mask having a securement means to maintain its position during sleeping and sitting;

a gas exchange unit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said fluid outlet of said gas exchange unit being in fluid communication with said mask;

said gas exchange unit having fluid communication with room air;

an element to increase the concentration of nitrogen in the gas exchange unit;

to reduce the relative concentration of oxygen contained within said gas exchange unit to provide lower oxygen air for therapy while the user is sleeping or awake.

12. The device of claim 11 in which the element to increase the concentration of nitrogen into the gas exchange unit includes a tank of compressed nitrogen.

13. The device of claim 11 in which the element to increase the concentration of nitrogen into the gas exchange unit includes semi-permeable membrane fibers.

14. The device of claim 11 in which the element to increase the concentration of nitrogen into the gas exchange unit includes a package of semi-permeable membrane fibers, composed of 4-methyl-penthene-1.

15. A device for reducing the oxygen in an individual'"'"'s breath intake during rest, said device comprising:

a mask for placement on the individual'"'"'s face, said mask being arranged and configured to cover at least the individual'"'"'s nose and mouth;

said mask being soft and comfortable to avoid sleep interference;

said mask having a securement means to maintain its position during sleeping and sitting;

a gas exchange unit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said fluid outlet of said gas exchange unit being in fluid communication with said mask;

said gas exchange unit having a fluid communication with room air thus containing a mixture of the user'"'"'s exhalant and room air;

an element to affect the level of carbon dioxide in the gas exchange unit;

to affect the relative levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide contained within said gas exchange unit to provide optimal air composition for therapy while the user is sleeping or awake.

16. The device of claim 15 in which the element to affect the level of carbon dioxide contains a metal hydroxide.

17. The device of claim 15 in which the element to affect the level of carbon dioxide contains a metal carbonate.

18. The device of claim 15 in which the element to affect the level of carbon dioxide contains soda lime.

19. The device of claim 15 in which the element to affect the level of carbon dioxide includes a desiccant to absorb exhaled water vapor.

20. A method for reducing the oxygen in an individual'"'"'s breath intake for therapy, said method comprising the steps of:

placing a mask on the individual'"'"'s face, said mask being arranged and configured to cover at least the individual'"'"'s nose and mouth;

said mask being soft and comfortable to avoid sleep interference;

securing said mask to maintain its position during sleeping and sitting;

connecting the mask to a gas exchange unit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said fluid outlet of said gas exchange unit being in fluid communication with said mask;

said gas exchange unit having fluid communication with room air;

connecting an element to reduce the flow of oxygen into the gas exchange unit;

to reduce the level of oxygen contained within said gas exchange unit to provide low oxygen air for therapy while the user is sleeping or awake.

21. The method of claim 20 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen contains metallic iron.

22. The method of claim 20 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen contains steel wool.

23. The method of claim 20 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen contains acetic acid.

24. The method of claim 20 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen contains a semi-permeable membrane filter.

25. The method of claim 20 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen is user removable and disposable.

26. The method of claim 20 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen is selective and reduces oxygen more than other gases.

27. The method of claim 20 in which the element to reduce the flow of oxygen merely reduces the flow of room air into the gas exchange unit.

28. The method of claim 20 in which the oxygen level is intermittently increased.

29. The method of claim 20 in which the oxygen level is intermittently increased for at least 2 seconds.

30. A method for reducing the relative concentration of oxygen in an individual'"'"'s breath intake during rest, said method comprising the steps of:

placing a mask on the individual'"'"'s face, said mask being arranged and configured to cover at least the individual'"'"'s nose and mouth;

said mask being soft and comfortable to avoid sleep interference;

securing said mask to maintain its position during sleeping and sitting;

connecting the mask to a gas exchange unit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said fluid outlet of said gas exchange unit being in fluid communication with said mask;

said gas exchange unit having fluid communication with room air;

connecting an element to increase the concentration of nitrogen in the gas exchange unit;

to reduce the relative concentration of oxygen contained within said gas exchange unit to provide lower oxygen air for therapy while the user is sleeping or awake.

31. The method of claim 30 in which the element to increase the concentration of nitrogen into the gas exchange unit includes a tank of compressed nitrogen.

32. The method of claim 30 in which the element to increase the concentration of nitrogen into the gas exchange unit includes semi-permeable membrane fibers.

33. The method of claim 30 in which the element to increase the concentration of nitrogen into the gas exchange unit includes a package of semi-permeable membrane fibers, composed of 4-methyl-penthene-1.

34. A method for reducing the oxygen in an individual'"'"'s breath intake during rest, said method comprising the steps of:

placing a mask on the individual'"'"'s face, said mask being arranged and configured to cover at least the individual'"'"'s nose and mouth;

said mask being soft and comfortable to avoid sleep interference;

securing said mask to maintain its position during sleeping and sitting;

connecting the mask to a gas exchange unit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said fluid outlet of said gas exchange unit being in fluid communication with said mask;

said gas exchange unit having a fluid communication with room air;

connecting an element to affect the level of carbon dioxide in the gas exchange unit;

to affect the relative levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide contained within said gas exchange unit to provide optimal air composition for therapy while the user is sleeping or awake.

35. The method of claim 34 in which the element to affect the level of carbon dioxide contains a metal hydroxide.

36. The method of claim 34 in which the element to affect the level of carbon dioxide contains a metal carbonate.

37. The method of claim 34 in which the element to affect the level of carbon dioxide contains soda lime.

38. The method of claim 34 in which the element to affect the level of carbon dioxide includes a desiccant to absorb exhaled water vapor.