Patent Application
20220395666
This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 110121639, filed on Jun. 15, 2021.
The disclosure relates to a positive expiratory pressure (PEP) device, more particularly to an oscillating positive expiratory pressure (OPEP) device.
As air pollution has worsened in many places around the world, environmental allergens have increased considerably, making modern people more susceptible to respiratory disorders including cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which cause excessive secretions in their lungs and tracheas. Coughing should loosen secretions and subsequently expel them from the trachea of an average healthy person. In those with respiratory problems, however, a single cough may be unlikely to dislodge an obstruction in the trachea. In these cases, medication and oscillating positive expiratory pressure (OPEP) therapy are used to treat secretion accumulation. OPEP therapy uses a conventional OPEP device (such as an Acapella device) to open clogged tracheas and loosen secretions by oscillating vibrations of expiratory air pressure during the expiration of a user, allowing the user to cough them out and clear lung obstruction.
The conventional OPEP device, which controls the user's expiration resistance using a magnet, is currently used for therapeutic treatment. However, the structure of this device is relatively complex and bulky, and it isn't easy to clean.
Therefore, the object of the disclosure is to provide an oscillating positive expiratory pressure device that can alleviate at least one of the drawbacks associated with the abovementioned prior art.
An oscillating positive expiratory pressure device includes a housing, a top cover, and an oscillating unit. The housing includes a bottom wall and a surrounding wall that extends upwardly from the bottom wall. The bottom wall has an inclined enclosing surface that extends downwardly and that terminates at an opening. The top cover is connected to the surrounding wall, and cooperates with the bottom wall and the surrounding wall to define an accommodating space. The oscillating unit is swingably connected to the housing and is disposed within the accommodating space. The oscillating unit includes a swing member, a first weighting piece, and a second weighting piece. The swing member includes a swing arm, a first swing block connected to one end of the swing arm, and a second swing block connected to another end of the swing arm and adjacent to the opening. The first weighting piece is carried on the first swing block. The second weighting piece is carried on the second swing block. The swing arm is swingable to move the second swing block to block and unblock the opening.
Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
As shown in
Referring to
The oscillating unit 3 is disposed within the accommodating space (S), and includes a swing member 31 including a swing arm 311 that extends in the front-rear direction (D1), a first swing block 313 that is connected to one end of the swing arm 311, and a second swing block 314 that is connected to another end of the swing arm 311 and that is adjacent to the opening 111. The oscillating unit 3 further includes a first weighting piece 32 that is carried on the first swing block 313, a second weighting piece 33 that is carried on the second swing block 314, a first lid 34 that is disposed over the first weighting piece 32, and a second lid 35 that is disposed over the second weighting piece 33. and the swing member 31 further includes two rotary pins 312 protruding laterally and respectively from opposite sides of the swing arm 31 parallel to a left-right direction (D2) and being held respectively by the support brackets 113 to form a rotating axis of the swing member 31 so that the swing member 31 can swing about the rotating axis. The first swing block 313 is substantially cylindrical-shaped, and has a first accommodating groove 313a accommodating the first weighting piece 32 therein, and four first retaining ribs 313b disposed in the first accommodating groove 313a and abutting against the first weighting piece 32. The second swing block 314 is substantially conical and tapers toward the opening 111, and has a second accommodating groove 314a accommodating the second weighting piece 33 therein, and four second retaining ribs 314b disposed in the second accommodating groove 314a and abutting against the second weighting piece 33. The first lid 34 and the second lid 35 respectively close the first accommodating groove 313a and the second accommodating groove 314a. The first weighting piece 32 and the second weighting piece 33 can be positioned in a tightly fitted manner in the first accommodating groove 313a and the second accommodating groove 314a through the first retaining ribs 313b and the second retaining ribs 314b.
Referring to
Each of the first weighting piece 32 and the second weighting piece 33 has a density greater than 2, and the preferred weight of the first and second weighting pieces 32, 32 ranges between 1 to 4 grams. To achieve a generally smooth oscillation of the oscillating unit 3, the first and second weighting pieces 32, 33 should preferably be of the same weight.
A cross section of the second swing block 314 along an axis of the second swing block 314 in the up-down direction (D3) has two opposite sides that form an included angle (α) therebetween. The included angle (α) affects the Coanda Effect at the inclined enclosing surface 112, and is preferably between 53 degrees and 73 degrees. Actual measurements show that an incorporated angle between 58 degrees and 68 degrees offers more desirable operational performance. On the other hand, when the oscillating unit 3 is in the closed position, an included angle (β) defined between each of the opposite sides of the cross section of the second swing block 314 along the axis of the second swing block 314 and the inclined enclosing surface 112 will affect the swing of the oscillating unit 3, and ranges between 10 and 30 degrees. More preferably the included angle (β) ranges between 16 to 24 degrees.
The aforementioned preferred angle setting is shown in Table 1. The test is carried out by simulating an average adult with an expiratory flow rate ranging from 5 to 30 liters per minute and a static expiratory pressure of 8 to 18 cmH2O. It has been recognized by those skilled in the art that the most successful treatment is obtained when the pressure change of the expiratory airflow, corresponding to the amplitude of airflow oscillation, ranges between 5 to 20 cmH2O, with a frequency of airflow oscillation between 10 to 40 Hz. A to D listed in the column head of Table 1 are the different settings of the included angle (β) for the present oscillating positive expiratory pressure device, which are 16.75 degrees, 20 degrees, 23.3 degrees, and 26.5 degrees in sequence. The different weights of the first and second weighting pieces 32 and 33 (unit: grams) are listed in each column of the second row labeled “weighting piece.” The varying frequencies of airflow oscillation (Hz, oscillations per second) at different simulated expiratory flow rates (5 LPM to 30 LPM as listed in the left-hand column) are given in Table 1. Different frequencies of airflow oscillation will be achieved by varying different selected weights at different simulated expiratory flow rates, as given in Table 1. A lower oscillating frequency is more likely to be achieved by increasing in the selected weight of the weighting pieces. Table 2 depicts the varying amplitudes of the simulated user's expiratory airflow oscillation (unit: cmH2O) obtained by varying the selected weight of the weighting pieces. It can be determined from the data in the table that the amplitude of the expiratory airflow oscillation is more likely to grow with an increase of the selected weight of the weighting piece.
In order to reduce the overall volume of the present oscillating positive expiratory pressure device, the center of gravity of the first weighting piece 32, the rotary pins 312, and the center of gravity of the second weighting piece 33 are configure not to be collinear in the front-rear direction (D1). In addition, to maximize the weight gain efficiency of the first weighting piece 32 and the second weighting piece 33 in balance with the second swing block 314, a ratio between a distance in the front-rear direction (D1) between the center of gravity of the first weighting piece 32 and the axis passing through the rotary pins 312 and a distance in the front-rear direction (D1) between the center of gravity of the second weighting piece 33 and the axis passing the rotary pins 312 is 5:7, which is 10 mm:14 mm in this embodiment but not limited to this in other embodiments.
The operation of the present oscillating positive expiratory pressure device is as follows: a mouthpiece (not shown) is attached to the input tube 13 of the housing 1 for the user to hold in the mouth. Every time the user exhales, the expiratory airflow passing through the mouthpiece and the input tube 13 will push the second swing block 314 to move upward, making the oscillating unit 3 swing from the closed position where the second swing block 314 blocks the opening 111 to the open position where the second swing block unblocks the opening 111. The curved portion of the inclined enclosing surface 112 is slightly convex curved. When the user's expiratory airflow passes, the Coanda effect will be produced, reducing the air pressure applied against the second swing block 314, thus decreasing the upward acceleration thereof. When the weight of the second swing block 314 and the second weighting piece 33, combined with the Coanda effect of the airflow over the curved portion of the inclined enclosing surface 112, overcomes the expiratory air pressure applied to the second swing block 314, the second swing block 314 descends to block the opening 111 until the user's next expiration. The vibration induced in the expiratory airflow helps loosen the secretions in the trachea of the user, especially in the bronchus, so the user can cough out the secretions. The oscillating swing movement of the oscillating unit 3 between the closed and open positions will continue to vibrate as the user exhales and produce vibrations in the expiratory airflow during operation. It can be appreciated that, since the oscillating frequency of the oscillating unit 3 can be changed by varying the weights of the first weighting piece 32 and the second weighting piece 33, the increase of weight of the first weighting piece 32 and the second weighting piece 33 will reduce the oscillating frequency produced by the oscillating unit 3. In addition, the oscillation frequency of the oscillating unit 3 can also be varied by changing the distance in the front-rear direction (D1) between the center of gravity of the first weighting piece 32 and the axis passing through the rotary pins 312 as well as the distance in the front-rear direction (D1) between the center of gravity of the second weighting piece 33 and the axis passing through the rotary pins 312, depending on the desired oscillating frequency produced by the oscillating unit 3.
It is noted that the first lid 34 and the second lid 35 in the present disclosure are primarily disposed to cover the exposed surface of the first weighting piece 32 and the second weighting piece 33 to prevent them from falling off during operation of the oscillating unit 3, and also provide a flat surface to reduce airflow disturbance and to reduce residual secretions, making it easier to clean. Moreover, in this embodiment, the first weighting piece 32 and the second weighting piece 33 are tightly fitted in the first accommodating groove 313a and the second accommodating groove 314a by the first retaining ribs 313b and the second retaining ribs 314b, respectively. In other embodiments, the amount of first and second retaining ribs 313b and 314b may be reduced. The first and second retaining ribs 313b and 314b may even be omitted entirely in other embodiments if the first accommodating groove 313a and the second accommodating groove 314a are made slightly smaller than the first weighting piece 32 and the second weighting piece 33, such that the first weighting piece 32 and the second weighting piece 33 can tightly fit in the first accommodating groove 313a and the second accommodating groove 314a.
The present oscillating positive expiratory pressure device can also be used in conjunction with a spray device as disclosed in Taiwanese Patent No. 1706797. When in use, the input tube 13 of housing 1 can be connected to a mouthpiece (not shown) that communicates with the spray device for the user to hold in the mouth. The present oscillating positive expiratory pressure device is actuated by expiration during the breath cycle. It causes a vibration of the expiratory air pressure, making it easier to cough out secretions in the user's trachea. At the same time, a portion of the user's expiratory airflow is diverted through the mouthpiece to the spray device to temporarily deactivate the spray device. The spray device is activated when the user inhales while suspending the operation of the oscillating positive expiratory pressure device. Therefore, the spray device and the oscillating positive expiratory pressure device operate cyclically when breathing in and out.
In summary, the opening 111 of the present oscillating positive expiratory pressure device is capable of being blocked by the second swing block 314 of the oscillating unit 3 until the user's expiratory airflow lifts the second swing block 314 to unblock the opening 111. When the weight of the second swing block 314 and the second weighting piece 33, combined with the Coanda effect of the airflow over the curved portion of the inclined enclosing surface 112, overcomes the expiratory air pressure applied against the second swing block 314, the second swing block 314 will descend to block the opening 111 again; the vibration of expiratory airflow produced by the oscillating unit 3 can be transmitted to the user's trachea to expand and contract the user's trachea. Through the continuous action of the oscillating unit 3, the secretions adhering to the user's trachea will be loosened such that the user can cough the secretions out.
In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects, and that one or more features or specific details from one embodiment may be practiced together with one or more features or specific details from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the disclosure.
While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is considered the exemplary embodiment, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110121639 | Jun 2021 | TW | national |
