Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-11654255-B2
Publication Date
2023-05-23
Expiration Date
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an adaptor or attachment which is suitable for integration into the patient circuit of a ventilation system, such as a non-invasive open ventilation system, is configured for attachment to any standard ventilation mask, and is outfitted with a jet pump which creates pressure and flow by facilitating the entrainment of ambient air. The adaptor comprises a base element and a nozzle element which are operatively coupled to each other. The base element further defines a throat and at least one entrainment port facilitating a path of fluid communication between the throat and ambient air. The nozzle element includes a jet nozzle, and a connector which is adapted to facilitate the fluid coupling of the nozzle element to a bi-lumen tube of the patient circuit. The connector includes both a delivery port and a sensing port. The jet nozzle and the delivery port collectively define a delivery line or lumen which fluidly communicates with the throat of the base element, and is placeable into fluid communication with the delivery lumen of the bi-lumen tube.
Core Innovation
The invention describes a jet pump adaptor for fluidly coupling a flow generator to a ventilation mask in a respiratory assistance system. The adaptor attaches to a ventilation mask by a connector and defines an interior, and a tubular wall protrudes into the interior to at least partially define a throat. At least one entrainment port is in open fluid communication with ambient air and is at least partially defined by an aperture in the tubular wall between the distal end and the proximal end.
A jet nozzle is provided in fluid communication with a gas delivery lumen of a main gas delivery tube connectable to the flow generator. The jet nozzle has a distal tip positioned within the throat at a distance from the distal end of the tubular wall to fluidly communicate gas into the throat, with ambient air entrained through the at least one entrainment port between the distal tip and the distal end when gas is flowed through the gas delivery lumen. The jet nozzle, throat, and entrainment ports form a jet pump that delivers pressurized breathable gas by entraining ambient air.
The adaptor also includes pressure sensing that uses a pressure sensing lumen in fluid communication with a sensing lumen of the main gas delivery tube via an annular gap, with the pressure sensing lumen extending through the adaptor in side-by-side relation to, and not within, the throat. The described configuration uses the isolated sensing lumen for pressure sensing/triggering while the jet pump generates flow in the throat.
In embodiments, the adaptor further adds an anti-asphyxia valve with a conical diaphragm controlling exhalation ports, a piloted exhalation/PEEP control valve with a diaphragm actuated via a pilot/pressure line from the delivery lumen, and optionally a non-return valve, and a fixed PEEP valve using a flapper/non-return valve with perforations or grooves. Reported performance is described as being tuned using color-coding/nozzle sizing, and the embodiments are described with maximum pressure and peak flow performance, and preferred lower performance.
Claims Coverage
The partial claims identify three independent claims: clm-00001, clm-00011, and clm-00014. Across these independents, the main inventive features relate to a throat/entrainment-port jet pump adaptor, pressure sensing using a side-by-side annular gap arrangement, and exhalation valve structures with specific actuation behaviors.
Jet nozzle throat entrainment through ambient air ports
A connector fluidly connectible to the ventilation mask, a tubular wall protruding into the connector interior to define a throat, at least one entrainment port in open fluid communication with ambient air and defined by an aperture in the tubular wall, and a jet nozzle positioned within the throat at a distance from the tubular wall distal end to fluidly communicate gas into the throat so that ambient air is entrained through the entrainment port(s) between the distal tip and the distal end when gas is flowed through the gas delivery lumen.
Pressure sensing lumen isolated from the throat by an annular gap
A pressure sensing lumen in fluid communication with a sensing lumen of the main gas delivery tube via an annular gap, with the pressure sensing lumen extending through the adaptor in side-by-side relation to, and not within, the throat.
Conical diaphragm anti-exhalation behavior using throat positive pressure
An exhalation valve including a housing attached to the connector and fluidly communicating with the throat, at least one exhalation port formed in the housing, and a resilient, conical diaphragm disposed within the housing and cooperatively engaged thereto, wherein the diaphragm is selectively movable between an open position unblocking the exhalation port and a closed position sealing against and blocking the exhalation port, with positive pressure and flow in the throat facilitating stretching of the diaphragm from the open position to the closed position.
Piloted exhalation valve with diaphragm segregating interior chamber regions
A piloted exhalation valve including a housing attached to the connector defining an interior chamber fluidly communicating with the throat, the housing having at least one exhaust port formed therein, and a resilient diaphragm disposed within the interior chamber that segregates the chamber into an upper region and a lower region fluidly communicating with the at least one exhaust port, with the diaphragm selectively movable between an open position placing the exhaust port into fluid communication with the throat and a closed position blocking the exhaust port from fluid communication with the throat.
Together, the independents claim a jet pump adaptor that couples a flow generator to a ventilation mask using a throat and ambient entrainment ports, with an isolated pressure sensing arrangement using a pressure sensing lumen alongside the throat. Additional independents further define exhalation valve structures using a resilient conical diaphragm or a piloted exhalation valve with a resilient diaphragm that selectively opens or blocks an exhaust path from the throat.
Stated Advantages
Reported performance is described as being tuned using color-coding/nozzle sizing.
The embodiments are described with maximum pressure and peak flow performance, and preferred lower performance.
Documented Applications
Respiratory assistance system.
Interested in licensing this patent?