Respiratory therapy device

• US 8,534,284 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SunMed Group Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 2200 Corporation (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Dunsmore, Thomas J., Wise, Geoffrey C., Wilschke, Thomas C., Matice, Christopher J., Gillum, Christopher L., Read, Shannon Rice
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Justine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stuart, Colin W
• Application Number:
  US13/246,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20120012112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 128/205.24, 128/203.12, 128/203.19, 128/200.23, 128/200.24, 128/200.14, 12820016- 18, 12820313- 14, 128/203.16, 128/203.23, 128/203.11, 128/203.15, 128/204.18, 128/204.19, 128/204.21, 128/205.23, 128/207.16, 128/207.18, 222/334, 222/389, 222/386.5, 222/387, 239/338, 239/569, 239/570
• US Class Current: 128/205.24
• 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 16/00 Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. mouth-to-mouth respiration; Tracheal tubes stimulating the respiratory movement by mechanical, pneumatic or electrical means, iron lungs combined with gas breathing means A61H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0006 with means for creating vibrations in patients' airways
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/202 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/208 Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/209 Relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 1/123 with tooth-like elements, extending generally radially from the rotor body cooperating with recesses in the other rotor, e.g. one tooth
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 13/00 Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of engines with devices driven thereby
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 20/24 characterised by using valves for controlling pressure or flow rate, e.g. discharge valves F01C20/10 takes precedence

Abstract

A respiratory therapy device including a housing and an interrupter valve assembly. The housing is sized for handling by a patient and defines a patient breathing passage extending from a patient end and through which a patient inhales and exhales air. The interrupter valve assembly is carried by the housing and includes a control port, a valve body, and a drive mechanism. Expiratory airflow is released from the patient breathing passage through the control port. The valve body is sized to at least partially obstruct fluid flow through the control port. The drive mechanism moves the valve body relative to the control port in response to the expiratory airflow such that the valve body repeatedly transitions between a position of maximum obstruction and a position of minimum obstruction relative to the control port to create an oscillatory positive expiratory pressure effect.

Claims

1. A device for providing respiratory therapy to a patient during at least a portion of a patient breathing cycle including an inspiratory phase and an expiratory phase, the device comprising:

a housing including a patient inlet, an exhaust outlet, a first chamber fluidly disposed between the patient inlet and the exhaust outlet, a second chamber adjacent the first chamber, a first pressurized fluid supply inlet fluidly coupled to the first chamber and a second pressurized fluid supply inlet fluidly coupled to the second chamber; and

an interrupter valve assembly associated with the housing and disposed within the first chamber, the interrupter valve assembly including a control port fluidly connecting the patient inlet and the first chamber, and a valve body adapted to selectively obstruct fluid flow through the control port, wherein the interrupter valve assembly further includes a drive shaft carrying the valve body such that with movement of the drive shaft, the valve body selectively covers the control port, and a drive mechanism for moving the drive shaft; and

wherein the device is adapted such that fluid flow from the second pressurized fluid supply inlet to the second chamber drives the drive mechanism.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the interrupter valve assembly includes a plurality of control ports, and the valve body is configured to selectively obstruct respective ones of the control ports.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism includes first and second lobe bodies.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the first and second chambers are fluidly connected by an aperture such that fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber acts upon the lobe bodies to cause rotation thereof.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the second chamber forms an outlet opening fluidly connected to the exhaust outlet.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the housing further forms a relief port arrangement in the first chamber apart from the control port, the device further including a valve structure controlling fluid flow through the relief port arrangement such that when a fluid pressure within the first chamber exceeds a predetermined level, the valve structure fluidly opens the relief port arrangement.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the housing further forms an exhaust chamber defining the exhaust outlet and fluidly connected to the first chamber via the relief arrangement.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the exhaust chamber is fluidly connected to the second chamber via an outlet opening.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further includes a nozzle having an inlet side fluidly open to the first pressurized fluid inlet and an outlet side fluidly open to the control port, and further wherein the valve body is movable between the nozzle outlet side and the control port to selectively obstruct fluid flow from the nozzle outlet side to the control port.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plate disposed between the first and second chambers, the plate forming a passage fluidly connecting the first and second chambers; and

control means associated with the passage for selectively opening and closing the passage.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured such that a level of the continuous high frequency oscillation effect is independent of the breathing effort of the patient.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing further forms an inhalation relief port arrangement and the device further includes a one-way valve structure assembled to the inhalation relief port arrangement for permitting flow of ambient air into the patient inlet during the inspiratory phase.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the interrupter valve assembly is configured to be held in an open position in which the control port is open such that the device is operable in a continuous mode in which positive fluid flow to the pressurized fluid supply inlet occurs to create a continuous positive airway pressure effect.