Nasal continuous positive airway pressure device and system
First Claim
1. A nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) device for use with an nCPAP system, the device comprising:
- a generator body defining a patient side and an exhaust side, and forming first and second fluid flow circuits each including a tube defining a passageway, wherein at least one of the first and second fluid flow circuits further includes at least three nozzles disposed at circumferential locations about the corresponding passageway, each nozzle defining an inlet end open to a fluid supply and an outlet end open to the passageway, wherein each nozzle is adapted to emit a fluid jetstream from the outlet end along a respective flow direction axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An nCPAP device including a generator body defining first and second fluid flow circuits each including a tube and first and second nozzles. The tube defines a passageway forming an axial centerline. The first and second nozzles are associated with the tube and each defines an inlet and an outlet. The inlets are open to a fluid supply, whereas the outlets are open to the passageway. Each nozzle is adapted to emit a fluid jetstream from the outlet along a flow direction axis. The nozzles are arranged such that the flow direction axes are non-parallel relative to each other and relative to the axial centerline. This configuration readily induces vortex shedding during an expiratory phase, thus facilitating jet fluid flow disruption and reducing a patient'"'"'s work of breathing.
69 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) device for use with an nCPAP system, the device comprising:
a generator body defining a patient side and an exhaust side, and forming first and second fluid flow circuits each including a tube defining a passageway, wherein at least one of the first and second fluid flow circuits further includes at least three nozzles disposed at circumferential locations about the corresponding passageway, each nozzle defining an inlet end open to a fluid supply and an outlet end open to the passageway, wherein each nozzle is adapted to emit a fluid jetstream from the outlet end along a respective flow direction axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) system comprising:
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a generator body defining a patient side and an exhaust side, and forming first and second fluid flow circuits each including a tube forming a passageway, wherein at least one of the first and second fluid flow circuits further includes at least three nozzles disposed at circumferential locations about the passageway, each nozzle forming a flow path defined by;
an inlet end open to a fluid supply and an outlet end open to the corresponding passageway, wherein each nozzle is adapted to emit a fluid jetstream from the outlet end along a respective flow direction axis, wherein each tube includes an intermediate region extending from the respective nozzles and a proximal region extending from the intermediate region to the proximal end, the intermediate region defining an increased inner diameter as compared to an inner diameter of the proximal region;a fluid supply source fluidly connected to the inlet end of each of the nozzles, respectively; and exhaust tubing fluidly connected to the distal end of each of the passageways; wherein upon securement of the generator body to a patient'"'"'s nares, the system is configured to generate a continuous positive airway pressure in the patient by delivering fluid from the fluid supply source to the nozzles that in turn emit secondary fluid jetstreams that combine to create a primary fluid jetstream within each of the passageways, the system characterized by an inspiratory phase of operation in which the primary fluid jetstreams each flow continuously toward the patient'"'"'s nares and an expiratory phase of operation in which air exhaled from the patient'"'"'s nares disrupts the jetstreams such that the exhaled air readily flows though the tubes and to the exhaust tubing. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A method for establishing and delivering a continuous positive airway pressure to a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
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fluidly connecting a generator body to nares of the patient, the generator body forming first and second fluid flow circuits each including a tube defining a passageway, wherein at least one of the first and second fluid flow circuits further includes at least three nozzles disposed at circumferential locations about the corresponding passageway; forcing a fluid from a supply source through each of the at least three nozzles thereby emitting a secondary fluid jetstream from each nozzle into the corresponding passageway, wherein at least two of the secondary fluid jetstreams impinge upon each other and combining to form a primary fluid jetstream directed toward the patient. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification