Respiration detecting arrangement

• US 9,066,684 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2013
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Pty Ltd. (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ResMed R&D Germany GmbH (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lang, Bernd Christoph, Schatzl, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEARE, MEREDITH H
• Application Number:
  US14/082,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20140081166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 600534-536
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/168 Fluid filled sensor housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses

Abstract

The present application is directed to a detector to detect or generate measuring signals that are indicative of the respiration of a person, wherein said detector can be used advantageously in view of hygiene and stands out due to a simple and robust configuration. According to a first aspect, the detector detects a signal that is indicative of the activity of the respiratory muscles of a person to be examined, the detector comprising a band which, in the application position, is passed around a torso region which widens and narrows when the person to be examined breathes, as well as a structure that is included in the band and loaded in accordance with the narrowing or widening of the torso region. The structure is configured such that it causes a change in the volume of a measuring space device depending on a tensile force. It is thus advantageously possible to detect or measure the forces acting on the band in a non-electric manner and, on the basis of this detection or measurement, draw conclusions relating to the widening or narrowing of the torso.

Claims

1. A detecting arrangement for detecting a signal that is indicative of activity of the respiratory muscles of a person to be examined, the detecting arrangement comprising:

a band that is configured to be passed around a torso region that widens and narrows in response to the respiration of the person to be examined;

a structure that is included in the band and that is loaded by the band in accordance with the narrowing and widening of the torso region; and

a measuring space device including a bypass throttle bore,

wherein the structure is configured such that the structure decreases the volume of the measuring space device when the person inhales and the structure is divided into two segments, and the two segments surround at least a portion of the measuring space device for squeezing the measuring space device depending on a tensile force applied to the structure.

2. The detecting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the measuring space device comprises an elastically deformable chamber.

3. The detecting arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the elastic chamber includes a tube portion.

4. The detecting arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the bypass throttle bore is in the tube portion.

5. The detecting arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the tube portion is squeezed in accordance with the tensile force applied to the structure via the band.

6. The detecting arrangement according to claim 4, further comprising walls surrounding the tube portion, the walls having a geometry such that deformation conditions are obtained depending on the tensile force applied to the structure that results in squeezing of the tube portion.

7. The detecting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the detecting arrangement forms part of a multi-channel measuring system.

8. The detecting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a change in the volume depending on the tensile force applied to the structure is passed on to a measuring device via a measuring tube arrangement.

9. The detecting arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the bypass throttle bore is proximate to the measuring device.

10. The detecting arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the measuring device comprises a signal recorder.

11. The detecting arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the bypass throttle bore is configured to maintain a substantially constant average pressure in the measuring tube arrangement.

12. A measuring arrangement comprising a detecting arrangement according to claim 1, the measuring arrangement further comprising a measuring tube and a measuring device coupled to the detecting arrangement via the measuring tube for recording tensile force measuring signals measured by the detecting arrangement.

13. The measuring arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the measuring device is configured such that a signal recording capacity thereof extends over a pressure signal range that also comprises the dynamic pressure signals that can be measured via a nasal cannula detecting the respiratory gas flow from the patient.

14. The detecting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bypass throttle bore is located adjacent to the structure.

15. The detecting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bypass throttle bore provides fluid communication between the measuring space and ambient pressure.

16. The detecting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bypass throttle bore is adapted to maintain an average pressure in the measuring space that is substantially equal to ambient pressure.

17. The detecting arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the bypass throttle bore acts as a high-pass filter for the signal.