Therapeutic gas delivery device with pulsed and continuous flow control
Inventors
Acker, Jaron • Kohlmann, Thomas • Tolmie, Craig R.
Assignees
Mallinckrodt Pharma IP Trading DAC • Therakos Inc • INO Therapeutics LLC • Mallinckrodt Critical Care Finance Inc
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Publication Number
US-9616193-B2
Publication Date
2017-04-11
Expiration Date
Abstract
Described are methods and devices for therapeutic or medical gas delivery that utilize at least one proportional control valve and at least one binary control valve. The proportional control valve may be in series with the binary control valve to provide a valve combination capable of pulsing therapeutic gas at different flow rates, depending on the setting of the proportional control valve. Alternatively, the proportional control valve and binary control valve may be in parallel flow paths.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a therapeutic gas delivery device that uses at least one binary control valve and at least one proportional control valve. The binary control valve delivers a constant flow of the therapeutic gas, while the proportional control valve delivers a variable flow of the therapeutic gas. A control system delivers the therapeutic gas through one or more of the binary control valve and the proportional control valve to introduce the therapeutic gas into a flow of breathing gas and provide a combined flow with a substantially constant concentration of therapeutic gas.
The core control structure is based on parallel flow paths, with the binary control valve and the proportional control valve in parallel. The control system delivers continuous flow of therapeutic gas through the proportional control valve when a therapeutic gas demand is greater than or equal to 5% of a delivery range. When the therapeutic gas demand is less than or equal to 1% of the delivery range, the control system delivers one or more pulses of therapeutic gas through the binary control valve.
The invention also includes a method of administering a therapeutic gas to a patient using a therapeutic gas delivery device having the binary and proportional control valves. The method includes measuring a flow of breathing gas and delivering therapeutic gas during inspiration through one or more of the binary control valve and the proportional control valve. The delivered amount is substantially proportional to the flow of breathing gas.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims, one for a device and one for a method, that share a common inventive concept. The main inventive features are the parallel valve architecture, the demand-threshold switching rule, and the proportionality relationship to breathing-gas flow during inspiration.
Parallel binary and proportional valve architecture for substantially constant concentration
A therapeutic gas delivery device comprising at least one binary control valve that delivers a constant flow of the therapeutic gas and at least one proportional control valve that delivers a variable flow of the therapeutic gas, with a control system that delivers the therapeutic gas into a flow of breathing gas through one or more of the binary control valve and the proportional control valve to provide a combined flow of therapeutic gas and breathing gas with a substantially constant concentration of therapeutic gas, wherein the binary control valve and the proportional control valve are in parallel flow paths.
Demand-threshold switching between continuous proportional flow and pulsed binary flow
The control system delivers continuous flow of therapeutic gas through the proportional control valve when a therapeutic gas demand is greater than or equal to 5% of a delivery range, and delivers one or more pulses of therapeutic gas through the binary control valve when the therapeutic gas demand is less than or equal to 1% of the delivery range.
Inspiration delivery amount substantially proportional to breathing-gas flow
A method of administering a therapeutic gas comprising measuring a flow of breathing gas and delivering therapeutic gas to the patient during inspiration through one or more of the binary control valve and the proportional control valve in an amount substantially proportional to the flow of breathing gas.
Parallel paths and demand-threshold switching in the method
Delivering therapeutic gas during inspiration through one or more of the binary control valve and the proportional control valve, wherein the binary control valve and the proportional control valve are in parallel flow paths and a continuous flow of therapeutic gas is delivered through the proportional control valve when a therapeutic gas demand is greater than or equal to 5% of a delivery range and one or more pulses of therapeutic gas is delivered through the binary control valve when the therapeutic gas demand is less than or equal to 1% of the delivery range.
Across both independent claims, the inventive concept is implemented by parallel binary and proportional control valves coordinated by therapeutic-gas demand thresholds. The device claim emphasizes maintaining a substantially constant therapeutic-gas concentration in the combined therapeutic-gas and breathing-gas flow, while the method claim specifies dosing during inspiration in an amount substantially proportional to the measured flow of breathing gas.
Stated Advantages
Provides a combined flow of therapeutic gas and breathing gas with a substantially constant concentration of therapeutic gas.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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