Portable ventilator system

• US 8,522,780 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vyaire Medical 203 Incorporated (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: DeVries, Douglas F., Boyle, David, Holmes, Michael, Williams, Malcolm
• Primary Examiner(s): Dixon, Annette
• Application Number:
  US11/712,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20070163589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,378 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.24, 128/203.11, 128/205.24, 128/203.12, 128/203.13, 128/203.14, 128/204.18, 128/204.21, 128/204.23, 128/206.21, 128/DIG.7
• US Class Current: 128/204.21
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/00 Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes in general B05B; aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0063 Compressors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• 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 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/12 by mixing different gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/202 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/205 used for exhalation control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/206 Capsule valves, e.g. mushroom, membrane valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/209 Relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0036 in the breathing tube and used in both inspiratory and expiratory phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/1025 the O2 concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/16 with back-up system in case of failure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3365 : Rotational speed
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 : remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 : sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 : using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 : Reducing noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 : Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 : with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 : by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 : by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/70 : with testing or calibration facilities
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 : battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 : Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8262 : connectable to external power source, e.g. connecting to automobile battery through the cigarette lighter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/086 : Docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 : partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 : partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/435 : partial O2 pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 21/106 : with a radial surface, e.g. cam rings
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 18/126 : with radially from the rotor body extending elements, not necessarily co-operating with corresponding recesses in the other rotor, e.g. lobes, Roots type
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/12 : Vibration
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/0035 : Equalization of pressure pulses silencing F04C29/06
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/068 : the silencing means being arranged inside the pump housing
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 29/12 : Arrangements for admission or discharge of the working fluid, e.g. constructional features of the inlet or outlet
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/17 : and for generating speed information

Abstract

A portable ventilator uses a ROOTS-type blower as a compressor to reduce both the size and power consumption of the ventilator. Various functional aspects of the ventilator are delegated to multiple subassemblies having dedicated controllers and software that interact with a ventilator processor to provide user interface functions, exhalation control and flow control servos, and monitoring of patient status. The ventilator overcomes noise problems through the use of noise reducing pressure compensating orifices on the ROOTS-type blower housing and multiple baffling chambers. The ventilator is configured with a highly portable form factor, and may be used as a stand-alone device or as a docked device having a docking cradle with enhanced interface and monitoring capabilities.

Claims

1. A portable ventilator, comprising:

a blower configured to operate in variable speed mode;

an exhalation servo configured to provide a desired positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) from an output of the blower;

a ventilator processor configured to communicate instructions to alternately accelerate the blower to effect inspiration and decelerate the blower to permit exhalation, wherein the ventilation processor is further configured to automatically adjust a speed of the blower throughout the inspiration to obtain a desired flow, volume and pressure based on a comparison of a monitored pressure to said desired pressure;

a blower processor operative to receive said instructions and to control operation of the blower;

an exhalation processor operative to control actuation of an exhalation control valve;

a blender processor operative to regulate oxygen concentration in gas delivered to a patient; and

a pressure processor operative to monitor at least one pressure transducer disposed within the portable ventilator and to command a periodic purging of said pressure transducer with dry gas from a non-accumulated outlet of said blower.

2. The portable ventilator of claim 1 wherein the blower comprises a pair of interlocking, counter-rotating impellers.

3. The portable ventilator of claim 1 wherein each processor is operative to receive commands from the ventilator processor.

4. The portable ventilator of claim 1 further including:

a ventilator control system comprising a blower module, an exhalation control module, a blender module, and a pressure module containing respective ones of the ventilator processor, blower processor, exhalation processor, blender processor, and pressure processor.

5. The portable ventilator of claim 1 further comprising:

an electric motor adapted to drive the blower;

wherein the blower processor is operative to implement active braking of the electric motor.

6. The portable ventilator of claim 1 further comprising:

an electric motor adapted to drive the blower;

wherein the blower processor is operative to provide control signals to the electric motor based on characterization data for the electric motor.

7. The portable ventilator of claim 1 further comprising:

an electric motor adapted to drive the blower;

wherein the blower processor is operative to provide control signals to the electric motor based on a measurement of gas flow generated by the blower.

8. A portable ventilator, comprising:

a blower configured to operate at a substantially constant speed for providing compressed air for ventilating a patient;

a speed servo configured to maintain the blower at the substantially constant speed to provide a desired flow rate;

an exhalation servo control system configured to open and close an flow control valve during inspiration and exhalation, respectively;

a ventilator processor configured to communicate instructions to alternately adjust a downstream flow control valve to increase a compressed air flow rate to a patient during inspiration and adjust said downstream flow control valve to decrease said compressed air flow rate to said patient during exhalation;

a blower processor operative to control operation of the blower;

an exhalation processor operative to control actuation of an exhalation control valve;

a blender processor operative to regulate oxygen concentration in gas delivered to a patient; and

a pressure processor operative to monitor at least one pressure transducer disposed within the portable ventilator and to command a periodic purging of said pressure transducer with dry gas from a non-accumulated outlet of said blower.

9. The portable ventilator of claim 8 wherein each processor is operative to receive commands from the ventilator processor.

10. The portable ventilator of claim 8 further including:

a ventilator control system comprising a blower module, an exhalation control module, a blender module, and a pressure module containing respective ones of the ventilator processor, blower processor, exhalation processor, blender processor, and pressure processor.

11. A portable ventilator, comprising:

a blower configured to operate in variable speed mode;

an exhalation servo configured to provide a desired positive and expiratory pressure (PEEP) from an output of the blower;

a ventilator processor configured to communicate instructions to alternately accelerate the blower to effect inspiration and decelerate the blower to permit exhalation, wherein the ventilation processor is further configured to automatically adjust a speed of the blower throughout the inspiration to obtain a desired flow, volume and pressure based on a comparison of a monitored pressure to said desired pressure; and

a plurality of processors, operative to generate self-test feedback and to provide the self-test feedback to the ventilator processor, comprising;

a blower processor operative to receive said instructions and to control operation of the blower;

an exhalation processor operative to control actuation of an exhalation control valve;

a blender processor operative to regulate oxygen concentration in gas delivered to a patient; and

a pressure processor operative to monitor at least one pressure transducer disposed within the portable ventilator and to command a periodic purging of said pressure transducer with dry gas from a non-accumulated outlet of said blower.

12. The portable ventilator of claim 11, further comprising:

an anti-noise generating circuit configured for monitoring for blower noise of the blower and generating one or more anti-noise signals for canceling the blower noise.