Patent Application
20130204151
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to respiratory therapy devices of the character used in daily medical practice to prevent pulmonary complications in patients who have had chest or abdominal operations. More particularly, the invention concerns a novel augmented incentive spirometer that will deliver pressurized oxygen, or air when the patient inhales, therefore increasing the inspired volume over the amount of volume generated only by the patient's effort.
A spirometer is typically defined as an apparatus for measuring the volume of air inspired and expired by the lungs. More particularly, the spirometer is a differential pressure transducer for the measurements of respiration flow rates. The spirometer records the amount of air and the rate of air that is breathed in and out over a specified period of time. The commonly used prior art devices are simple, single use, disposable devices that are relatively inexpensive. The prior art spirometers are designed to encourage patients to take deep breaths that can be quantifiably and objectively seen as the patient's inspiration creates flow and a measured volume of air or air-mix flows into the lungs. The volume of air depends on the effort of the patient when taking deep breaths and the higher the volume generated by the patient, the greater the benefit. This increase in the inspired volume leads to the prevention of lung atelectasis or airways collapse.
For the more compromised, weaker, and seriously ill patients, the prior art incentive spirometers simply will not provide the desired results. Accordingly, the thrust of the present invention is to provide an augmented incentive spirometer of unique design that will deliver pressurized air when the patient inhales, therefore increasing the inspired volume over the amount of volume generated only by the patient's effort.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
A quite popular prior art incentive spirometer is commercially available under the designation Coach 2 from the DHD Healthcare Corporation of Wampsville, N.Y. The Coach 2 incentive spirometer, which is available is available in 4,000-mL and 2,500-mL capacities, includes a one-way valve, universal graphics, a brightly colored piston, and a bedrail holder.
Another prior art spirometer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,395,699 issued to Beasley. The Beasley spirometer comprises a case, an expandable-contractible bellows supported on the case and having an inlet and an outlet. The bellows is arranged to receive gas through the inlet and expel it through the outlet during movement between expanded and contracted conditions. A first valve means is provided in the inlet to permit flow to the bellows but functions to block flow in the opposite direction. A second valve means is provided for closing the outlet. The second valve means is movable to an open position to permit gas to be expelled from the bellows. Also provided is a pneumatic actuating means that is responsive to a pressure signal from moving the second valve means to its open position and means responsive to the bellows moving to its contracted condition for causing the second valve means to move to its closed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,830 issued to Younes concerns a lung ventilator device in which ventilation to a patient is provided in response to patient effort. The free flow of gas from a piston, or similar air source, in response to patient inhalation is detected, the instantaneous rate and volume of flow are measured, and the measurements are used as control signals to a drive motor for the piston to move the piston to generate a pressure which is proportional to the sum of measured and suitably amplified rate and volume of flow signals. Since the command signal to the pressure generator only changes subsequent to, and not in advance of, a change in flow and volume, the ventilator is subservient to the patient and provides a proportional assist to patient ongoing breathing effort during inspiration.
By way of brief summary, one form of the augmented incentive spirometer of the present invention comprises a housing having first and second portions, the first portion having an outlet and the second portion including a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet. Carried within the first portion of the housing is a piston that is movable between a first position and a second position. Connected to the housing is a combination cylinder that has a first inlet in communication with the reservoir of the second portion of the housing, a second inlet in communication with the first portion of said housing and a first outlet in communication with the outlet of the second portion of the housing. Connected to the combination cylinder and in communication with the first portion of the housing is a patient inhalation subassembly. A source of oxygen is connected to the second portion of said housing for controllably introducing oxygen into the reservoir of the second portion via a control valve that controls the flow of oxygen into the reservoir. As the piston moves between its first and second positions, an operating member which interconnects the piston with the control valve controllably operates the control valve to regulate the flow of oxygen into the reservoir.
With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel augmented incentive spirometer that will deliver pressurized oxygen to the patient when the patient inhales, therefore increasing the inspired volume over the amount of volume generated only by the patient's effort.
Another object of the invention is to provide to provide an apparatus of the character described which in operation is not totally dependent upon the patient's cooperation.
Another object of the invention is to provide to provide an apparatus of the class described that will provide an augmented tidal volume during the patient inspiration step, even if the patient is unable to generate sufficient negative inspiratory pressure to generate adequate tidal volume.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described in the preceding paragraphs that will enable even debilitated patients to generate a negative inspiratory pressure capable of triggering the system. Accordingly, in using the apparatus of the invention the patient does not need keep inhaling to create a tidal volume that is sufficient to open up small airways and thereby prevent athelectasis. Additionally, once the patient inhales, the pressurized oxygen-air flows into the patient's lungs and becomes independent of the negative inspiratory pressure generated by the patient.
Another object of the invention is to provide to provide an apparatus of the aforementioned character that includes a one-way safety valve that is disposed within an outlet port formed in the combination cylinder.
Another object of the invention is to provide to provide an apparatus of the character described in which the flow of the air oxygen mixture to the patient is directly proportional to the negative inspiratory pressure (NIP) created by the patient during the inhalation step.
Another object of the invention is to provide an augmented incentive spirometer of the class described that is easy to use with a minimum amount of instruction.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an augmented incentive spirometer that is of a simple, inexpensive construction and one which is highly reliable in operation.
The foregoing objectives, as well as other features and advantages of the present invention, will become readily apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the drawings, one form of the augmented incentive spirometer of the invention is there shown and generally designated by the numeral 14. Augmented incentive spirometer 14 here comprises a housing 16 having first and second portions 16a and 16b. First portion 16a, which is generally cylindrical in shape, has an outlet 18. Mounted within first portion 16a for movement there within between a first position and a second position is a generally cylindrical piston 20. As best seen in
Connected to housing 16 is an elongate, generally cylindrically shaped combination cylinder 28 that has an open end 28a that defines a first inlet 30. Combination cylinder 28 also has a second inlet 32 that is in communication with the first portion 16a of said housing 16 in the manner illustrated in
Connected to second portion 16b of housing 16 is a source of oxygen “S” that communicates with reservoir 22 via a conventional pressure breaking valve 36 that is connected to second portion 16b proximate inlet the 24. Pressure breaking valve 36 maintains the flow of oxygen from the source of oxygen into reservoir 22 at a pressure of between about 45 and about 50 pounds per square inch (psi) and maintains the rate of flow of oxygen into the reservoir at between about 600 and about 800 liters per minute.
Also connected to second portion 16b of housing 16 proximate the outlet 26 is a control valve 38 which, in a manner presently to be described, functions to control the flow of oxygen from reservoir 22 into combination cylinder 28. For a purpose presently to be described, combination cylinder 28 is provided with a first outlet 40. Operably associated with control valve 38 is a control valve operating assembly 42 that functions to operate the control valve as piston 20 moves within the first portion of the housing in the manner indicated by the arrow 44 of
In the present form of the invention, the patient inhalation subassembly 34 comprises a flexible tube 46 and a patient mouthpiece 48 that is connected to the flexible tube. As illustrated in
At the point at which the negative inspiratory pressure, which is created by the patient during the inhalation step, is lower than the pressurized air oxygen mixture at the one-way safety valve 50, the piston 20 will return to its original position. As the piston returns to its original position, the control valve 38 will close, thereby preventing further flow of the pressurized air oxygen mixture to the patient.
Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.
