Apparatus and method to provide breathing support
Inventors
Sardesai, Rajendra Gurudas • Ramanathan, Rangasamy
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9468731-B2
Publication Date
2016-10-18
Expiration Date
Abstract
A ventilator, or a breathing assistance apparatus, is disclosed to ventilate patients who may have breathing difficulties, said device comprising a inspiratory pressure control duct configured to be immersed in a first body of fluid; a positive end-expiratory pressure control duct configured to be immersed in a second body of fluid; at least one valve connected to the peak inspiratory pressure control duct and to the positive end-expiratory pressure control duct, and at least one controller communicably connected to the valve to control rate of cycling of the valve, thereby controlling number of breaths per minute, and to control the duration of peak inspiratory pressure also known as inspiratory time.
Core Innovation
The ventilator system uses a pressurized gas supply and at least one container filled to a level with a body of fluid to control breathing pressures. A primary duct is connected between the pressurized gas supply and a patient interface, and a valve having an inlet port and first and second outlet ports receives gas from the primary duct and alternately routes the gas to selected downstream ducts.
The system includes at least one peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) control duct connected to the first outlet port and having a length immersed in the body of fluid, and at least one positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) control duct connected to the second outlet port and having a length immersed in the body of fluid. The immersed length of the PIP control duct is greater than the immersed length of the PEEP control duct, so that switching the valve output directs the gas to only the selected outlet duct during PIP versus PEEP delivery.
The ventilator system further cycles the valve between the first outlet port and the second outlet port to switch flow sequences from the pressurized gas supply to the patient interface through the valve to the PIP control duct or to the PEEP control duct. The disclosed embodiments include safety duct(s) with an immersed length greater than the PIP control duct to set a high-pressure limit, and mention optional pop-off concepts, with a controller regulating valve cycling rate and respiratory timing parameters such as breaths per minute and inspiratory/expiratory timing relationships.
The disclosure addresses valve-induced back pressure and bubble interaction effects when ducts share a container by using immersed-length relationships and presented correction approaches. Multiple structural embodiments are described, including configurations intended to isolate bubble effects, duct geometries for oscillation amplitude or frequency, alternative single-container implementations, and an additional shutoff valve for catastrophic failure isolation.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims identified are 1 and 11. Across these claims, the core coverage includes a ventilator system with a valve that alternately switches gas to immersed PIP and PEEP control ducts using immersed-length relationships, with sequence-specific routing for PIP versus PEEP delivery; dependent claims further add safety ducting, controller-based breath timing, quantitative valve-flow constraints, and back-pressure correction via a chart.
Immersed PIP and PEEP control ducts with immersed-length comparison
A ventilator system comprising a pressurized gas supply, a container with a body of fluid, a primary duct to a patient interface, and a valve with an inlet port and first and second outlet ports, wherein the system includes at least one peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) control duct connected to the first outlet port and immersed in the body of fluid, at least one positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) control duct connected to the second outlet port and immersed in the body of fluid, and wherein the immersed length of the PIP control duct is greater than the immersed length of the PEEP control duct.
Valve cycling alternately switches gas flow to only one selected outlet duct
The ventilator system further comprises a valve configured to cycle between the first outlet port and the second outlet port thereby switching a flow of a gas from the inlet port to only the first outlet port and from the inlet port to only the second outlet port.
Sequence-specific gas routing for PIP versus PEEP
When a patient receives a peak inspiratory pressure, the system is configured to direct a flow of a gas in a first sequence from the pressurized gas supply to the patient interface, to the valve, through the valve, to the PIP control duct, and when the patient receives a positive end-expiratory pressure, the system is configured to direct the flow of the gas in a second sequence from the pressurized gas supply to the patient interface, to the valve, through the valve, to the PEEP control duct.
The independent claims cover pressure control for ventilation by switching gas via a valve between immersed PIP and PEEP control ducts, requiring a greater immersed length for the PIP duct than for the PEEP duct, and requiring valve cycling and sequence-specific routing so that gas is directed to the appropriate control duct during PIP versus PEEP delivery.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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