Pulmonary therapy apparatus

• US 7,931,607 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Koloski, Peter A., Leblanc, Tatiana, Biondo, John P., Chance, Richard W., Acton, Troy D., Markwick, Barry P., Branson, Gregory W., Riley, Carl W., Cerimele, Michael E., Kramer, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown; Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US12/038,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20080142022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 602/5, 602/13, 602/19, 128/DIG.23, 128/845, 128/874, 601/41
• US Class Current: 602/13
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2200/325 prone
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/006 convertible to stretchers or beds
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/001 with means for turning-over the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/002 having adjustable mattress frame
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/005 tiltable around transverse horizontal axis, e.g. for Trendelenburg position rocking beds for physical therapy A61H1/003; hanging patient inclined downwardly for drawing him out A61H2203/0493
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/008 tiltable around longitudinal axis, e.g. for rolling
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0507 Side-rails
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0513 covering particular sections of the bed, e.g. one or more partial side-rail sections along the bed
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05769 with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1015 Cables, chains or cords
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1032 Endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1046 Mobile bases, e.g. having wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1055 Suspended platforms, frames or sheets for patient in lying position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/16 converting a lying surface into a chair
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/003 Rocking or oscillating around a horizontal axis transversal to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2031/003 with alternated thorax decompression due to lateral compression
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0456 Supine
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 31/008 Supine patient supports or bases, e.g. improving air-way access to the lungs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/022 : Control means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 : pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/082 : Mounting brackets, arm supports for equipment

Abstract

A vest apparatus comprises a vest having a rear panel, left rear and right rear air bladders supported by the rear panel, and a controller operable to inflate one of the left rear and right rear air bladders and simultaneously deflate the other of the left rear and right rear air bladders to cause lateral rotation of the patient.

Claims

1. A vest apparatus comprising:

a vest having a front panel and a rear panel coupled to the front panel, the vest being configured to be disposed about a patient'"'"'s torso,

a first rear air bladder supported by the rear panel of the vest,

a second rear air bladder supported by the rear panel of the vest and laterally spaced from the first rear air bladder, and

a controller operably coupled to a switching valve to inflate the first rear air bladder and simultaneously deflate the second rear air bladder to cause lateral rotation of the patient.

2. The vest apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises an air supply coupled to the first and second rear air bladders.

3. The vest apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to successively and alternatively inflate and deflate the first and second rear air bladders to provide continuous lateral rotational therapy to a patient.

4. The vest apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller during continuous lateral rotational therapy alternates inflation and deflation of first and second rear air bladders in an oscillating fashion.

5. The vest apparatus of claim 1, wherein the front panel and the rear panel of the vest comprise a substantially rigid shell.

6. The vest apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first rear air bladder and the second rear air bladder are supported by an outer surface of the rear panel of the shell.

7. The vest apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a left front air bladder and a right front air bladder supported by an inner surface of the front panel of the shell intermediate of the shell and a patient.

8. The vest apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a left rear air bladder and a right rear air bladder supported by an inner surface of the rear panel of the shell intermediate of the shell and a patient.

9. The vest apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one fastener coupled to at least one of the front panel and the rear panel of the vest for securing the vest to a patient.

10. The vest apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second rear air bladders are supported outside the rear panel of the vest.

11. A vest apparatus comprising:

a vest having a front panel and a rear panel coupled to the front panel, the vest being configured to be disposed about a patient'"'"'s torso,

a left rear air bladder supported by the rear panel of the vest,

a right rear air bladder supported by the rear panel of the vest and laterally spaced from the left rear air bladder, and

a controller operable to inflate one of the left rear and right rear air bladders and simultaneously deflate the other of the left rear and right rear air bladders to cause lateral rotation of the patient,

a left front air bladder and a right front air bladder supported by an inner surface of the front panel of the shell intermediate of the shell and a patient,

wherein the first rear air bladder and the second rear air bladder are supported by an outer surface of the rear panel of the shell,

wherein the front panel and the rear panel of the vest comprise a substantially rigid shell, and

wherein each of the first rear and second rear air bladders includes separately inflatable upper and lower zones.

12. A vest apparatus comprising:

a vest including a front panel and a rear panel coupled to the front panel, the vest being configured to be disposed about a patient'"'"'s torso, and the front panel and rear panel comprise a substantially rigid shell,

a left rear air bladder supported by the rear panel of the vest and formed to include separately inflatable upper and lower zones,

a right rear air bladder supported by the rear panel of the vest and laterally spaced from the left rear air bladder and formed to include separately inflatable upper and lower zones, and

a controller operably coupled to the air bladders to automatically control inflation of the air bladders in response to the controller being placed in one of a plurality of control modes, wherein the controller in a first mode of the plurality of control modes is configured to inflate one of the left rear and right rear air bladders and simultaneously deflate the other of the left rear and right rear air bladders to cause continuous lateral rotation of the patient.

13. The vest apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a left front air bladder supported by the front panel of the vest and formed to include separately inflatable upper and lower zones, a right front air bladder supported by the front panel of the vest and laterally spaced from the left front air bladder and formed to include separately inflatable upper and lower zones, and wherein the controller in a second mode of the plurality of control modes is configured to inflate only the upper zones of the inflatable air bladders during a first time period associated with a patient'"'"'s inhalation followed by deflation of all the upper and lower zones during a second time period associated with a patient'"'"'s inhalation.

14. A vest apparatus for use with a ventilator configured to supply air to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

a vest having a front panel and a rear panel coupled to the front panel, the vest being configured to be disposed about a patient'"'"'s torso,

at least one front air bladder supported by the front panel,

at least one rear air bladder supported by the rear panel,

an air supply coupled to the at least one front air bladder and the at least one rear air bladder,

a ventilator, and

a controller operable to coordinate inflation of the air bladders with operation of the ventilator.

15. The vest apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one front air bladder includes a left front air bladder and a right front air bladder.

16. The vest apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one rear air bladder includes a left rear air bladder and a right rear air bladder.

17. The vest apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a pressure sensor coupled to the vest for sensing a pressure applied to the chest of the patient.

18. The vest apparatus of claim 17, wherein the pressure sensor comprises a pressure sensing fabric.

19. The vest apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of first and second fasteners securing the front panel to the rear panel.

20. The vest apparatus of claim 14, wherein the front panel and the rear panel include a substantially rigid shell.

21. The vest apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one front air bladder and the at least on rear air bladder are supported by an inner surface of the shell intermediate of the shell and the patient.

22. The vest apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one rear air bladder comprises a left rear air bladder and a right rear air bladder supported by an outer surface of the shell and the controller, in a continuous lateral rotational therapy mode, successively and alternatively inflates and deflates the left rear and right rear air bladders to provide continuous lateral rotational therapy to a patient.