Ventilator with dual gas supply

• US 7,823,588 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Mallinckrodt Incorporated (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Hansen, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu; Justine R
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATTER, KRISTEN CLARETTE
• Application Number:
  US11/421,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20060213511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.12, 128/204.18, 128/204.21, 128/204.25, 128/204.26, 128/205.11, 128/205.19, 128/205.25
• US Class Current: 128/204.21
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0009 with sub-atmospheric pressure, e.g. during expiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• 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 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit

Abstract

A method of pressure regulation and a ventilator are provided. The ventilator includes a positive relative pressure gas supply, a negative relative pressure gas supply, and a diverter valve. The diverter valve includes a positive pressure port connected to the positive relative pressure gas supply, a negative pressure port connected to the negative relative pressure gas supply, and a gas supply port communicating with a gas delivery device. The ventilator preferably further includes a feedback sensor that detects a gas supply difference between a gas supply and a predetermined gas supply and generates a feedback signal that is substantially related to the gas supply difference. The ventilator preferably further includes a diverter valve actuator communicating with the diverter valve and operating the diverter valve to communicate the positive relative pressure gas supply and the negative relative pressure gas supply to the gas supply port of the diverter valve based upon the feedback signal.

Claims

1. A valve system for a breathing assistance apparatus, comprising:

a positive pressure port configured communicating with a positive relative pressure gas supply;

a negative pressure port configured communicating with a negative relative pressure gas supply;

a gas supply port configured for communication with a gas delivery device for delivering at least a portion of the gas from the positive relative pressure gas supply to a patient, the gas supply port communicatively coupled to both the positive pressure port and the negative pressure port; and

a valve control system operable to control a valve mechanism to control a gas supply ratio of (a) a gas flow from the positive relative pressure gas supply toward the valve mechanism to (b) a gas flow from the valve mechanism toward the negative relative pressure gas supply, wherein the valve mechanism allows the gas flow from the positive relative pressure gas supply toward the valve mechanism and the gas flow from valve mechanism toward the negative relative pressure gas supply to occur simultaneously to provide a range of gas supply ratios between 0 and 1.

2. A valve system according to claim 1, wherein the valve control system is configured to control the valve mechanism to substantially achieve a predetermined breathing profile.

3. A valve system according to claim 1, wherein:

the positive relative pressure gas supply and the negative relative pressure gas supply comprise blowers and motors; and

each motor runs at a substantially constant speed over time.

4. A valve system according to claim 1, wherein, at particular times during a breath cycle, the gas supply ratio may be 0, 1, or between 0 and 1.

5. A valve system according to claim 1, wherein the valve control system controls the valve mechanism based at least on a feedback signal received from a feedback system.

6. A valve system according to claim 5, wherein the feedback signal is based on a gas supply difference detected by a feedback sensor, the gas supply difference comprising a difference between the gas supply communicated to the patient and a predetermined gas supply.

7. A valve system according to claim 5, wherein the feedback signal is based on a pressure sensor that measures a pressure of gas communicated to the patient.

8. A valve system according to claim 5, wherein the feedback signal is based on a volume sensor that measures a volume of gas communicated to the patient.

9. A valve system according to claim 5, wherein the feedback signal is based at least on a measured electrical load associated with at least one of the positive relative pressure gas supply and the negative relative pressure gas supply.

10. A valve system according to claim 5, wherein the feedback signal is based at least on an optical rotational speed sensor configured to measure a motor speed associated with at least one of the positive relative pressure gas supply and the negative relative pressure gas supply.

11. A valve system according to claim 5, wherein the feedback signal is based at least on a magnetic rotational speed sensor configured to measure a motor speed associated with at least one of the positive relative pressure gas supply and the negative relative pressure gas supply.

12. A valve system according to claim 5, wherein the feedback signal is based at least on a mechanical rotational speed sensor configured to measure a motor speed associated with at least one of the positive relative pressure gas supply and the negative relative pressure gas supply.

13. A method of pressure regulation for a breathing assistance system, the method comprising:

providing a valve apparatus including a positive pressure port communicating with a positive relative pressure gas supply, a negative pressure port configured communicating with a negative relative pressure gas supply, and a gas supply port configured communicating with a gas delivery device for delivering at least a portion of the gas from the positive relative pressure gas supply to a patient;

communicating a gas flow to the patient via the gas supply port of the valve apparatus, the communicated gas flow defined at least by a gas supply ratio comprising a ratio of (a) a positive pressure gas flow from the positive relative pressure gas supply toward the valve apparatus to (b) a negative pressure gas flow from the valve apparatus toward the negative relative pressure gas supply, wherein the valve apparatus allows the positive pressure gas flow from the positive relative pressure gas supply toward the valve apparatus and the negative pressure gas flow from the valve apparatus toward the negative relative pressure gas supply to occur simultaneously to provide a range of gas supply ratios between 0 and 1;

generating a feedback signal regarding the operation of the breathing assistance system; and

controlling the valve apparatus to control the gas supply ratio of the communicated gas flow based at least on the feedback signal.

14. A breathing assistance apparatus, comprising:

a positive relative pressure gas supply operable to supply positive relative pressure;

a negative relative pressure gas supply operable to supply negative relative pressure; and

a valve control system configured to control a valve system in communication with the positive relative pressure gas supply and the negative relative pressure gas supply in order to control a gas supply ratio of a gas flow communicated between the valve system and a patient, the gas supply ratio of the gas flow comprising a ratio of positive relative pressure supplied by the positive relative pressure gas supply to negative relative pressure supplied by the negative relative pressure gas supply, wherein the valve control system is configured to adjust the gas supply ratio through a range of values between 0 and 1, including at least one value in between 0 and 1 and not equal to 0 or 1.

15. A breathing assistance apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the valve system comprises a valve including a positive pressure port in communication with the positive relative pressure gas supply, a negative pressure port in communication with the negative relative pressure gas supply, and a gas supply port configured for communicating the gas flow having the gas supply ratio with the patient.

16. A breathing assistance apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the valve control system is configured to control the valve system to substantially achieve a predetermined breathing profile.

17. A breathing assistance apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the valve control system is configured to control the valve system based at least on a gas supply difference detected by a feedback sensor, the gas supply difference comprising a difference between the gas flow communicated between the valve system and the patient and a predetermined gas flow.

18. A breathing assistance apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the valve control system is configured to control the valve system based at least on a detected pressure of gas being supplied to said gas delivery device.

19. A breathing assistance apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the valve control system is configured to control the valve system based at least on a detected volume of gas being supplied to said gas delivery device.

20. A breathing assistance apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the valve control system is configured to control the valve system based at least on a measured electrical load associated with at least one of the positive relative pressure gas supply and the negative relative pressure gas supply.

21. A breathing assistance apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the valve control system is configured to control the valve system based at least on a measured motor speed associated with at least one of the positive relative pressure gas supply and the negative relative pressure gas supply.

22. A breathing assistance apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the motor speed is measured by at least one of an optical rotational speed sensor, a magnetic rotational speed sensor, and a mechanical rotational speed sensor.

23. A valve system for a breathing assistance apparatus, comprising:

a positive relative pressure gas supply;

a negative relative pressure gas supply;

positive pressure port means for communicating with the positive relative pressure gas supply;

negative pressure port means for communicating with the negative relative pressure gas supply;

gas supply port means for communicating with a gas delivery device for communicating at least a portion of the gas from the positive relative pressure gas supply to a patient, the gas supply port means communicatively coupled to both the positive pressure port means and the negative pressure port means; and

valve control means for controlling a valve mechanism to control a gas supply ratio of a gas flow between the patient and the gas supply port means, the gas supply ratio of the gas flow comprising a ratio of (a) flow from the positive relative pressure gas supply through the valve mechanism to (b) flow through the valve mechanism toward the negative relative pressure gas supply, wherein the valve control means is configured to adjust the gas supply ratio through a range of values between 0 and 1, including at least one value in between 0 and 1 and not equal to 0 or 1.