Nasal breathing device

Abstract

This invention discloses a nasal breathing device, comprising: a conduit component having an oxygen supply channel internally configured therein, the conduit component having two radially protruding air supply connectors, both of which are connected to the oxygen supply channel; oxygen hoses, the proximal ends of two oxygen hoses being connected to the two ends of the conduit component respectively, and the distal ends of the oxygen hoses being connected to an air source; nasal plugs, two nasal plugs being attached to the two air supply connectors respectively; the nasal plugs having sidewalls and bottom walls defining an air outlet and an air supply cavity, wherein after the nasal plugs are inserted into the nostrils, the air supply outlet faces the nostrils, the bottom wall faces away from the nostrils, and an attachment sleeve is configured on the bottom wall, the attachment sleeve being fitted onto the air supply connectors; an inhalation valve is configured at the junction area between the nasal plugs and the air supply connectors, the inhalation valve allowing gas in the oxygen supply channel to flow into the air cavity of the nasal plug while restricting gas in the air cavity from flowing back into the oxygen supply channel; an exhalation valve is configured on the bottom wall of the nasal plug, the exhalation valve allowing gas in the air cavity to flow to the outside while restricting outside gas from flowing into the air cavity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a nasal breathing device for assisting in the treatment of the human respiratory system. Background Technology

[0002] Respiratory disorders caused by respiratory diseases (such as pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnea syndrome, severe asthma, etc.) or other diseases (such as myocardial ischemia, heart failure, etc.) may require active oxygen therapy. A typical oxygen therapy method is nasal oxygen delivery to the respiratory system. Devices used to improve respiratory disorders by delivering oxygen to the respiratory system through the nostrils typically include: a catheter component, oxygen hoses, and related respiratory control components. The catheter component has two ends in a linear direction, with an airway inside the catheter component extending to both ends. The proximal ends of two oxygen hoses are connected to the two ends of the catheter component and communicate with the airway, respectively. The distal ends of the oxygen hoses are connected to a gas source so that the gas source supplies air to the airway of the catheter component through the oxygen hoses. The catheter component has two radially protruding insertion parts, through which the airway passes. In use, the catheter component is positioned laterally in the area between the patient's upper lip and nose, and the two insertion parts are inserted into the patient's two nostrils, thereby allowing oxygen to enter the nostrils through the two insertion parts to achieve oxygen delivery. If positive pressure oxygen therapy is required (positive pressure oxygen therapy means that oxygen is supplied to the respiratory system at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, and the patient does not need to rely on negative pressure oxygen inhalation), the insertion part needs to be configured as a nasal plug, which is inserted into the nostril to prevent oxygen from leaking from the nostril port. If ordinary oxygen therapy is required (ordinary oxygen therapy means that oxygen is supplied to the nostril at a pressure slightly higher than or close to atmospheric pressure, and the patient relies on the negative pressure state of the chest expansion structure to inhale oxygen), the insertion part can be configured as a cannula with an outer diameter smaller than the nostril, so that there is no need to worry about whether oxygen leaks from the nostril port.

[0003] In some improved designs, the device is also equipped with valve components (structures) that coordinate with the patient's breathing process. For example, an expiratory valve allows exhaled carbon dioxide to escape during exhalation, and an inspiratory valve allows oxygen to enter the nostrils through the airway during inhalation. During inhalation, the expiratory valve is typically closed, and during exhalation, the inspiratory valve is either closed (in the case of conventional oxygen therapy) or open (in the case of positive pressure oxygen therapy). In the prior art, these valves and the channels they contain are arranged on the wall of the catheter component and communicate with the airway, which leads to the following problems:

[0004] 1. During the exhalation phase, the flow path of the gas exhaled through the nostrils is opposite to that of oxygen during the inhalation phase. That is, the exhaled gas first flows into the airway of the catheter component through the air hole of the insertion part, and then exits the catheter component through the exhalation valve. This causes the exhaled gas to mix with the remaining oxygen in the airway, resulting in a considerable portion of the exhaled gas being re-introduced into the patient's respiratory system during the next inhalation phase. This is especially true when the inhalation valve is not installed in the catheter component, where the amount of exhaled gas re-introduced into the respiratory system is even greater.

[0005] 2. If positive pressure oxygen therapy is implemented, continuous positive pressure oxygen supply will cause the following: During the exhalation phase, the direction of the exhaled air flow is directly opposite to the direction of the supplied oxygen flow. The exhaled air needs to overcome the resistance of the supplied oxygen to reach the airway in the catheter component before it can be discharged, thereby increasing the expiratory resistance. As a result, the respiratory capacity of patients receiving positive pressure oxygen therapy is significantly reduced, which in turn leads to the severe inhibition of the patient's expiratory action.

[0006] Furthermore, when using the device to implement positive pressure therapy, if the oxygen supply is interrupted for some reason (such as a hard bend in the oxygen hose), the patient's inhalation will be suppressed. Although the existing devices are equipped with safety passage structures to allow outside gas to enter the airway when the oxygen supply is interrupted, these safety passage structures cannot automatically switch to the closed state after the oxygen supply is restarted. As a result, oxygen leaks through the safety passage structure when positive pressure is supplied, and the safety passage structure needs to be manually replaced or resealed to prevent oxygen leakage. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the aforementioned technical problems in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention provide a nasal breathing device.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted in the embodiments of the present invention is as follows:

[0009] A nasal breathing device, comprising:

[0010] A conduit assembly having two ends in a linear direction, an oxygen supply channel being configured inside the conduit assembly and extending to both ends of the conduit assembly, and two radially protruding air supply connectors on the conduit assembly, both of which are connected to the oxygen supply channel;

[0011] The oxygen hose comprises two hoses, the proximal ends of which are respectively connected to both ends of the conduit assembly and communicate with the oxygen supply channel, and the distal ends of the oxygen hoses are connected to the gas source.

[0012] The nasal plugs comprise two, each nasal plug being attached to one of two air supply connectors; wherein:

[0013] The nasal plug has a conical sidewall defining an air outlet and an air supply outlet, and a flat bottom wall. After the nasal plug is inserted into the nostril, the air supply outlet faces the nostril, the bottom wall faces away from the nostril, and an attachment sleeve is disposed on the bottom wall. The attachment sleeve is fitted onto the air supply connector.

[0014] An inhalation valve is provided at the junction area between the nasal plug and the air supply connector. The inhalation valve allows gas in the oxygen supply channel to flow into the air chamber of the nasal plug while restricting gas in the air chamber from flowing back into the oxygen supply channel.

[0015] The bottom wall of the nasal plug is equipped with an exhalation valve, which allows gas in the air chamber to flow to the outside while restricting the flow of gas from the outside to the air chamber.

[0016] Preferably, the inhalation valve includes a cylindrical body, the head of which is closed and faces the air cavity of the nasal plug, and the tail of which is attached to the port of the air supply hole of the air supply connector; wherein:

[0017] The cylindrical body has a pleated wall configuration that allows it to extend and retract axially. The pleated wall has alternating inner and outer pleated wall portions. Each inner pleated wall portion has multiple circumferentially arranged ventilation openings. In the initial state, each pair of adjacent outer pleated wall portions is in contact to restrict the entry of gas from the nasal plug's air cavity into the inner cavity of the cylindrical body. In response to an increase in the pressure difference between the inner cavity of the cylindrical body and the nasal plug's air cavity, the cylindrical body elongates, and each pair of adjacent outer pleated wall portions moves away from each other to allow gas in the inner cavity to flow into the air cavity through the ventilation openings on the inner pleated wall portions and the area between the corresponding two outer pleated wall portions.

[0018] Preferably, the exhalation valve includes a first diaphragm; the bottom wall of the nasal plug has a plurality of circumferentially arranged first fan-shaped perforations, the first diaphragm is installed at the bottom of the bottom wall and covers the plurality of first fan-shaped perforations, the radially inner side of the first diaphragm is attached and fixed to the bottom wall of the nasal plug, and in response to an increase in pressure in the air cavity of the nasal plug, the first diaphragm opens the first fan-shaped perforations through radially outer elastic deformation to allow gas in the air cavity to flow to the outside through the first fan-shaped perforations; wherein:

[0019] The first diaphragm is divided into multiple circumferentially arranged fan-shaped units by radially inwardly extending partition slits, and each of the multiple fan-shaped units corresponds one-to-one with a multiple of the first fan-shaped hollow portions.

[0020] Preferably, the diameter of the bottom wall of the nasal plug is larger than the diameter of the opening at the nostril, so that: after the nasal plug is inserted into the nostril and the opening of the nostril is blocked, the bottom wall of the nasal plug is exposed outside the nostril.

[0021] Preferably, an embedding window is provided on the front wall of the conduit component, and a silicone block is embedded in the embedding window, the inner wall of the silicone block being flush with the wall of the oxygen supply channel; wherein:

[0022] The silicone block has a mixing channel, the outer end of which is open and communicates with the outside. The inner end of the mixing channel extends close to the inner wall of the silicone block. The inner wall of the silicone block is cut, and the resulting cut slit penetrates the inner end of the mixing channel to obtain a tongue-shaped membrane for covering the port of the inner end of the mixing channel. In response to a decrease in the pressure of the gas in the oxygen supply channel, the tongue-shaped membrane deforms toward the oxygen supply channel to open the port of the inner end of the mixing channel, so as to allow outside gas to enter the oxygen supply channel through the mixing channel.

[0023] Preferably, a columnar cavity is formed on the outer side of the silicone block, the two ends of the columnar cavity are open, the outer end of the mixing air passage radially extends to the cavity wall of the columnar cavity, and a notch is formed on the outer wall of the silicone block, the notch radially extending to the columnar cavity.

[0024] Preferably, the cylindrical cavity is selectively fitted with a port for blocking the outer end of the mixing airway.

[0025] Preferably, the end plate of the head of the cylindrical body has a plurality of second fan-shaped perforations arranged in a circumferential direction, and a second diaphragm is arranged on the end plate of the head of the cylindrical body. The second diaphragm covers the plurality of second fan-shaped perforations, and the middle part of the second diaphragm is detachably fixed to the end plate. In response to the increase of the pressure difference between the air cavity of the nasal plug and the inner cavity of the cylindrical body, the second diaphragm opens the second fan-shaped perforations through radially outward elastic deformation, so as to allow the gas in the inner cavity to enter the air cavity through the second fan-shaped perforations.

[0026] Preferably, the nasal plug is made of silicone material, and a support plate is embedded in the bottom wall of the nasal plug.

[0027] Preferably, a weak section is provided on the wall of the conduit component between the two gas supply connectors so that the conduit component can bend in the area where the weak section is located.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the nasal breathing device provided by the embodiments of the present invention are:

[0029] 1. The nasal breathing device provided by the present invention can significantly reduce the amount of exhaled air that is re-injected into the patient's nostrils by arranging the inhalation valve in the junction area between the nasal plug and the air supply connector and arranging the exhalation valve in the bottom wall of the nasal plug.

[0030] 2. The nasal breathing device provided by this invention can significantly reduce the resistance encountered by patients during exhalation in positive pressure oxygen therapy.

[0031] 3. The intake valve with pleated walls provided by the present invention has a stronger ability to allow gas to pass through and generates a smaller throttling pressure.

[0032] 4. By configuring a mixed airway and forming a tongue-shaped membrane at the port of the mixed airway, it is possible not only to avoid suppressing the patient's inhalation, but also to implement mixed oxygen therapy.

[0033] The overview of various implementations or examples of the technology described in this invention is not a complete disclosure of the full scope or all features of the disclosed technology. Attached Figure Description

[0034] In drawings that are not necessarily drawn to scale, the same reference numerals may describe similar parts in different views. The same reference numerals with or without letter suffixes may indicate different instances of similar parts. The drawings generally illustrate various embodiments by way of example rather than limitation and, together with the description and claims, serve to explain embodiments of the invention. Where appropriate, the same reference numerals are used in all drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. Such embodiments are illustrative and not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive embodiments of the apparatus or method.

[0035] Figure 1 An external structural view of a nasal breathing device provided for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a nasal breathing device provided for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a nasal congestion.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional sectional view of a nasal congestion.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the intake valve from a side view (the cylindrical body is in a retracted state).

[0040] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the intake valve from the bottom view (the cylindrical body is in an elongated state).

[0041] Figure 7 This is a front sectional view of the intake valve (the cylindrical body is in a retracted state).

[0042] Figure 8 This is a front sectional view of the intake valve (the cylindrical body is in an extended state).

[0043] Figure 9A This is a view of the state of the nasal breathing device of the present invention when it is providing positive pressure oxygen therapy to a patient (in the inhalation phase).

[0044] Figure 9B This is a view of the state of the nasal breathing device of the present invention when it is providing positive pressure oxygen therapy to a patient (in the exhalation phase).

[0045] Figure 10A This is a view of the state of the nasal breathing device of the present invention when it is providing ordinary oxygen therapy to a patient (allowing the introduction of external gas) (in the inhalation phase).

[0046] Figure 10B This is a view of the state of the nasal breathing device of the present invention when it is providing ordinary oxygen therapy to a patient (allowing the introduction of external gas) (in the exhalation phase).

[0047] Figure 11A This is a view of the state of the nasal breathing device of the present invention when it is providing ordinary oxygen therapy to a patient (without the introduction of external gas). (In the inhalation phase)

[0048] Figure 11B This is a view of the state of the nasal breathing device of the present invention when it is providing ordinary oxygen therapy to a patient (without the introduction of external gas). (In the exhalation phase)

[0049] Figure label:

[0050] 10-Cassette assembly; 11-Oxygen supply channel; 12-Oxygen supply connector; 121-Oxygen supply port; 122-Annular flange; 13-Mixing channel; 131-Outer end; 132-Inner end; 133-Ling-shaped membrane; 134-Cutting slit; 14-Silicone block; 141-Columnar cavity; 142-Notch; 15-Annular groove; 16-Anterior tube wall; 20-Nasal plug; 21-Side wall; 22-Bottom wall; 221-First sector-shaped cutout; 222-Support plate; 2 3-Air chamber; 231-Air supply port; 24-Attachment sleeve; 241-Annular groove; 30-Inhalation valve; 31-Cylindrical body; 311-Outer pleated wall; 312-Inner pleated wall; 313-Ventilation notch; 32-Inner cavity; 33-End plate; 331-Second fan-shaped hollow part; 34-Second diaphragm; 40-Exhalation valve; 41-First diaphragm; 411-Fan-shaped unit; 50-Oxygen hose; 60-Plunger; 100-Nose; 101-Nostril. Detailed Implementation

[0051] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this invention shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0052] To keep the following description of the embodiments of the present invention clear and concise, detailed descriptions of known functions and known components are omitted.

[0053] This invention discloses a nasal breathing device that aims to reduce the amount of exhaled air that is re-introduced into the patient's respiratory system. The device also aims to reduce the resistance experienced by the patient during exhalation during positive pressure oxygen therapy. Furthermore, the device aims to automatically introduce outside air into the respiratory system when oxygen supply is interrupted or significantly reduced, and automatically close the airway of the introduced outside air after oxygen supply is restored. Finally, the device aims to allow oxygen supplied by the gas source to mix with outside air and be supplied into the patient's respiratory system.

[0054] like Figures 1 to 8 As shown, the device includes: a catheter assembly 10, an oxygen tubing 50, a nasal plug 20, an inhalation valve 30, and an exhalation valve 40.

[0055] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the conduit component 10 has a generally linear shape, thus having two ends in a linear direction. The conduit component 10 contains an oxygen supply channel 11 that extends linearly and penetrates to both ends of the conduit component 10. Two radially protruding air supply connectors 12 are located on the rear wall of the central region of the conduit component 10. Each air supply connector 12 has an air supply hole 121, the radially inner end of which communicates with the oxygen supply channel 11, and the radially outer end of which extends to the head of the air supply connector 12. A nasal plug 20 is attached to each air supply connector 12. Two oxygen hoses 50 are included, with their proximal ends connected to both ends of the conduit component 10 and communicating with the oxygen supply channel 11, and their distal ends connected to a gas source. When the device is needed to supply oxygen to a patient, the catheter component 10 is positioned horizontally in the area between the patient's nose 100 and upper lip, and the nasal plugs 20 on the two air supply connectors 12 are inserted into the nostrils 101 of the nose 100. Preferably, the two oxygen hoses 50 are wrapped around the patient's cheeks to the back of the patient's head, and the two oxygen hoses 50 wrapped around the back of the patient's head are snapped together by a clip to provide a certain positioning effect for the catheter component 10. If the catheter component 10 is still prone to displacement, the elastic straps connected to both ends of the catheter component 10 can be used to wrap around the patient's cheeks to position the catheter component 10. After the nasal plugs 20 are inserted into the nostrils 101 and the catheter component 10 is positioned, the air source is supplied to the oxygen supply channel 11 of the catheter component 10 through the oxygen hoses 50. The oxygen entering the oxygen supply channel 11 enters the nasal plugs 20 through the air supply holes 121 of the air supply connectors 12, and then enters the patient's nostrils 101 through the nasal plugs 20, and is then supplied to the patient's respiratory system.

[0056] The catheter component 10 can be made of rubber or plastic. Preferably, it is made of a flexible plastic with a certain elastic modulus and good elastic deformation capability, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or TPU (polyurethane). Catheter components 10 made of these materials are advantageous in protecting their internal airways (e.g., oxygen supply channel 11) from significant deformation due to compression and are conducive to conforming to the patient's outer contour. The catheter component 10 is molded using these plastic materials via injection molding. Preferably, the catheter component 10 has a split structure, i.e., it is formed by joining two separate units, both of which are molded using injection molding. This facilitates easier acquisition of the oxygen supply channel 11 during injection molding. In some preferred configurations of the conduit component 10, an annular groove 15 is provided on the section of the conduit component 10 between the two air supply connectors 12 to form a weak section. Thus, when the conduit component 10 is worn and the conduit needs to bend compliantly, the bending will occur in the weak section, thereby preventing bending from occurring in other sections of the conduit component 10 and causing deformation of the oxygen supply channel 11, thereby preventing the oxygen supply channel 11 from being affected by deformation and thus preventing the oxygen supply volume from being affected.

[0057] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 and combined Figure 2 As shown, the nasal plug 20 can be made of silicone or rubber. Preferably, the nasal plug 20 is integrally injection molded from elastic rubber. The use of elastic rubber allows the nasal plug 20 to conform to the shape of the nostril 101 while also providing sufficient support to block the nostril 101. The nasal plug 20 includes a main body and an attachment sleeve 24. The main body includes a conical sidewall 21 and a flat bottom wall 22 located on one side of the large opening formed by the sidewall 21. The sidewall 21 and the bottom wall 22 form a conical air cavity 23. The small opening formed by the sidewall 21 serves as the air supply port 231 of the air cavity 23. Figure 9A As shown, after the nasal plug 20 is inserted into the nostril 101, the air supply port 231 faces the inside of the nostril 101, and the bottom wall 22 faces the outside of the nostril 101, so that the supplied oxygen flows to the patient's respiratory system through the air supply port 231. The attachment sleeve 24 is formed in the middle region of the bottom wall 22, and an annular groove 241 is formed inside the attachment sleeve 24. An annular flange 122 is formed on the radially outer side of the air supply connector 12 of the catheter component 10. By elastically deforming the attachment sleeve 24, the annular flange 122 of the air supply connector 12 is inserted into the attachment sleeve 24 and locked in the annular groove 241, so that the nasal plug 20 is detachably attached to the air supply connector 12 of the catheter component 10.

[0058] In this invention, such as Figure 2As shown, the inhalation valve 30 is located at the junction of the nasal plug 20 and the air supply connector 12, rather than on the wall of the tubing component 10. Specifically, for example, the inhalation valve 30 is located at the outer port of the air supply hole 121 of the air supply connector 12. The inhalation valve 30 is configured to allow gas in the airway of the tubing component 10 to enter the air chamber 23 of the nasal plug 20, while restricting the gas in the nasal plug 20 from flowing back into the airway of the tubing component 10. The exhalation valve 40 is located on the bottom wall 22 of the nasal plug 20, rather than on the wall of the tubing component 10. The exhalation valve 40 is configured to allow gas in the air chamber 23 of the nasal plug 20 to flow to the outside air via the bottom wall 22, while restricting the outside air from flowing to the air chamber 23 of the nasal plug 20 via the bottom wall 22. The timing of opening the inspiratory valve 30 (i.e., the timing at which gas is allowed to enter the air chamber 23 of the nasal plug 20 from the airway of the catheter component 10) is configured such that, if positive pressure oxygen therapy is performed, the pressure difference between the gas in the airway of the catheter component 10 and the gas in the air chamber 23 of the nasal plug 20 forces the inspiratory valve 30 to remain open, whether during the inspiratory or expiratory phase. If conventional oxygen therapy is performed, the pressure difference between the gas in the airway of the catheter component 10 and the gas in the air chamber 23 of the nasal plug 20 forces the inspiratory valve 30 to open during the inspiratory phase, and the inspiratory valve 30 closes during the expiratory phase due to the decrease in the pressure difference between the gas in the airway of the catheter component 10 and the gas in the air chamber 23 of the nasal plug 20. The timing of opening the breathing valve (i.e., the timing when gas is allowed to be expelled from the air chamber 23 of the nasal plug 20 into the outside atmosphere) is configured such that, if positive pressure oxygen therapy is performed, the exhalation valve 40 can be in an open or closed state during the inhalation phase, and during the exhalation phase, the exhaled gas forces the exhalation valve 40 to open.

[0059] The advantage of placing the inspiratory valve 30 at the junction of the nasal plug 20 and the air supply connector 12, and placing the expiratory valve 40 on the bottom wall 22 of the nasal plug 20, is that, because the inspiratory valve 30 is placed at the junction of the nasal plug 20 and the air supply connector 12, during the exhalation phase, the patient's exhaled air is not allowed to enter the oxygen supply channel 11 of the catheter component 10 through the air supply port 121 of the air supply connector 12, thereby avoiding mixing with the oxygen in the oxygen supply channel 11, and thus preventing the exhaled air from remaining in the airway of the catheter component 10 and causing inspiratory phase problems. The segment is supplied a second time. In addition, compared with the wall of the catheter component 10, the path between the bottom wall 22 of the nasal plug 20 and the air supply port 231 of the nasal plug 20 is shorter. If the exhalation valve 40 on the bottom wall 22 is configured to have a sufficiently large flow cross section when open, the resistance encountered by the exhaled gas when it is discharged through the bottom wall 22 will be smaller. If positive pressure oxygen therapy is implemented, during the exhalation phase, the resistance encountered by the exhaled gas due to the discharge from the bottom wall 22 is smaller, thereby significantly reducing the resistance encountered during exhalation during positive pressure oxygen therapy.

[0060] The inhalation valve 30 can be a diaphragm arranged at the outer port of the air supply hole 121 of the air supply connector 12. The gas in the airway of the conduit component 10 enters the air chamber 23 of the nasal plug 20 by forcing the diaphragm to deform. The diaphragm restricts the flow of gas in the air chamber 23 to the oxygen supply channel 11 by resetting. The structure and working principle of the diaphragm are similar to those of the first diaphragm 41 and the second diaphragm 34, which will be described below.

[0061] Some preferred embodiments of the present invention provide an intake valve 30 with a structure such as Figures 5 to 8 and combined Figure 2 As shown, specifically, the inhalation valve 30 includes a cylindrical body 31. The head of the cylindrical body 31 is closed or opens in response to air pressure, and the tail of the cylindrical body 31 is attached to the outer port of the air supply hole 121 of the air supply connector 12. Therefore, the gas in the conduit component 10 must pass through the inner cavity 32 of the cylindrical body 31 to enter the air chamber 23 of the nasal plug 20. The cylindrical body 31 can be made of silicone or rubber material, and the cylindrical wall of the cylindrical body 31 is configured as a corrugated wall. The cylindrical wall can be shaped into a corrugated wall by thermoforming. Because the cylindrical wall is configured as a corrugated wall, the cylindrical body 31 has... It possesses elastic expansion and contraction capabilities, and in its initial state, i.e., when the cylindrical body 31 is not subjected to an internal and external pressure difference, the cylindrical body 31 is in a contracted state; the structural features of the folded wall are: the folded wall has alternating reciprocating bending inner folded wall portions 312 and outer folded wall portions 311, each inner folded wall portion 312 has multiple circumferentially arranged ventilation openings 313, the ventilation openings 313 penetrate the wall of the inner folded wall portion 312, preferably, the triangular ventilation openings 313 can be obtained by axially cutting the inner folded wall with a cutter, and, when the cylindrical body 31 is in the initial contracted state, such as Figure 7 and Figure 2 As shown, each pair of adjacent outer folded wall portions 311 are in contact to restrict the passage of gas between each pair of adjacent outer folded wall portions 311. Thus, during routine oxygen therapy, during the inhalation phase, such as... Figure 10A As shown, when the patient actively inhales air from the air cavity 23 of the nasal plug 20, the pressure difference between the inner cavity 32 of the cylindrical body 31 and the air cavity 23 of the nasal plug 20 increases. The cylindrical body 31 elastically elongates in response to the increased pressure difference, and each pair of adjacent outer folded wall portions 311 separates. Thus, air from the airway entering the inner cavity 32 of the cylindrical body 31 enters the air cavity 23 of the nasal plug 20 through the ventilation opening 313, and subsequently enters the nostril 101. During the exhalation phase, as... Figure 10BAs shown, the air exhaled by the patient entering the air cavity 23 of the nasal plug 20 reduces the pressure difference between the inner cavity 32 of the cylindrical body 31 and the air cavity 23 of the nasal plug 20. The cylindrical body 31 responds to the reduced pressure difference by returning to its contracted state, with each pair of adjacent outer folded walls 311 contacting each other, thereby restricting the exhaled air entering the nasal plug 20 from entering the inner cavity 32 of the cylindrical body 31 through the ventilation opening 313 to avoid mixing with the air in the oxygen supply channel 11 of the catheter component 10. During positive pressure oxygen therapy, as... Figure 9A and Figure 9B As shown, whether in the inhalation or exhalation phase, the positive pressure oxygen keeps the pressure difference between the inner cavity 32 of the cylindrical body 31 and the air cavity 23 of the nasal plug 20 relatively large, thus keeping the cylindrical body 31 in the elongation phase. Although the cylindrical body 31 is also in the elongation phase during the exhalation phase, since the oxygen passing through the ventilation opening 313 is positive pressure oxygen, the exhaled gas will basically not flow into the cylindrical body 31 through the ventilation opening 313.

[0062] The significant advantage of the intake valve 30 with the above-described structure provided by the present invention is that the cylindrical body 31, having a certain axial dimension and configured with pleated walls, obtains a larger surface area of ​​the cylindrical wall in the extended state, thereby obtaining a larger flow cross section on the wall that allows gas to pass through. This enables the intake valve 30 to allow a large flow rate of oxygen to pass through, avoiding the oxygen supply being limited by the intake valve 30. Compared to configuring the intake valve 30 as a diaphragm arranged at the outer port of the air supply hole 121 of the air supply connector 12, the intake valve 30 with the pleated cylindrical wall structure has a stronger ability to allow gas to pass through.

[0063] The aforementioned cylindrical body 31 is preferably made of silicone material, thereby significantly reducing the opening pressure of the intake valve 30 and thus significantly reducing the throttling effect of the intake valve 30.

[0064] The exhalation valve 40 is configured to open and close by means of diaphragm deformation and repositioning, specifically, as shown in... Figure 3 , Figure 4 and combined Figure 2 As shown, multiple fan-shaped perforations (let's call them first fan-shaped perforations 221) are arranged circumferentially on the bottom wall 22 of the nasal plug 20. An annular membrane (let's call it the first membrane 41) is arranged on the bottom wall 22 and covers all the first fan-shaped perforations 221. The radially inner side of the first membrane 41 is bonded and fixed to the bottom wall 22, while the radially outer side of the first membrane 41 remains free. During the exhalation phase, as... Figure 9B As shown, the exhaled air entering the air cavity 23 of the nasal plug 20 causes the radially outer side of the first diaphragm 41 to deform, opening the first fan-shaped perforation 221, thereby allowing the exhaled air to be discharged into the outside atmosphere through the first fan-shaped perforation 221. During the inhalation phase of normal oxygen therapy, such as... Figure 10A As shown, the first diaphragm 41 resets and closes the first fan-shaped perforation 221. To prevent deformation of the bottom wall 22, which could make it difficult for the first diaphragm 41 to close the first fan-shaped perforation 221, a support plate 222 is embedded in the bottom wall 22 during injection molding of the nose plug 20 to increase the rigidity of the bottom wall 22. Preferably, the support plate 222 is made of PVC plastic material. Preferably, the first diaphragm 41 is made of elastic rubber.

[0065] To achieve a larger flow cross-section in the bottom wall 22, the present invention provides two measures. The first measure is as follows: Figure 9A As shown, the radial dimension of the bottom wall 22 is significantly larger than the aperture of the nostril 101, thus exposing the bottom wall 22 outside the port of the nostril 101. This allows for a sufficient number and size of perforations in the bottom wall 22, resulting in a larger flow cross-section. Furthermore, it prevents the bottom wall 22 from being located within the nostril 101, thereby avoiding resistance to exhaled air from the nostril 101 and preventing condensation of exhaled vapor within the nostril 101. The second measure is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, the first diaphragm 41 is divided into multiple circumferentially arranged fan-shaped units 411 by radially inwardly extending partition slits. Each fan-shaped unit 411 corresponds to a multiple first fan-shaped hollow portion 221. In this way, the fan-shaped units 411 will not be pulled by each other when deforming, thereby making the deformation of the fan-shaped units 411 greater and thus increasing the opening degree of the first fan-shaped hollow portion 221.

[0066] In a more preferred configuration of the intake valve 30, such as Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, multiple circumferentially arranged fan-shaped perforations (which may be referred to as second fan-shaped perforations 331) are formed on the end plate 33 at the head of the cylindrical body 31. A second diaphragm 34 is arranged on the end plate 33 at the head of the cylindrical body 31, covering all the second fan-shaped perforations 331. A plug is disposed in the middle of the second diaphragm 34, and a socket is disposed in the middle of the end. The plug is inserted into the socket to detachably fix the second diaphragm 34 to the end plate 33. The working principle of the second diaphragm 34 is similar to that of the first diaphragm 41 described above. Preferably, the second diaphragm 34 is made of elastic rubber. Thus, during positive pressure oxygen therapy, such as Figure 9A As shown, if the oxygen supply is still insufficient even after the cylindrical body 31 is elastically stretched through all the ventilation openings 313, the pressure difference between the inner cavity 32 of the cylindrical body 31 and the gas in the nasal plug 20 increases. This causes the second diaphragm 34 to open the second fan-shaped perforation 331 through radial outward elastic deformation, allowing the gas in the inner cavity 32 to enter the air chamber 23 through the second fan-shaped perforation 331, thereby further increasing the oxygen supply and reducing the throttling effect of the inhalation valve 30.

[0067] When manufacturing conduit component 10 using injection molding, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, two symmetrically arranged embedding windows are reserved in the front wall 16 of the conduit component 10. Silicone blocks 14 adapted to the embedding windows are manufactured by injection molding using silicone, so that the silicone blocks 14 fill each embedding window. The inner wall of the silicone blocks 14 is flush with the pipe wall of the oxygen supply channel 11 and serves as part of the pipe wall. The outer wall of the silicone blocks 14 is flush with the front outer surface of the conduit component 10. A mixing air passage 13 is formed in each silicone block 14. The mixing air passage 13 extends obliquely, with its outer end 131 configured to communicate with the outside atmosphere. The inner end 132 of the mixing air passage 13 extends close to the inner wall of the silicone block 14. That is, the inner end 132 of the mixing air passage 13 does not directly penetrate the inner wall of the silicone block 14 but forms a silicone layer between it and the inner wall of the silicone block 14. A transverse cut is made to the inner wall of the silicone block 14 on one side of the port of the inner end 132 of the mixing air passage 13. The resulting cut slit 134 is connected to the end of the inner end 132 of the mixing air passage 13. The mouth is connected to the mouth, thus obtaining a tongue-shaped membrane 133 that covers the port of the inner end 132 of the mixing channel 13 in a free state and is integrally connected with the silicone block 14. Since the tongue-shaped membrane 133 and the silicone block 14 are integral structures and both are made of silicone, when the pressure in the oxygen supply channel 11 of the conduit component 10 is less than the external atmospheric pressure, under the action of the pressure difference between the outside and the oxygen supply channel 11, the tongue-shaped membrane 133 automatically deforms towards the oxygen supply channel 11 and opens the port of the inner end 132 of the mixing channel 13, so that the outside gas is introduced into the oxygen supply channel 11 through the mixing channel 13. Thus, while keeping the outer end 131 of the mixed airway 13 open, if, during positive pressure oxygen therapy, oxygen supply is interrupted or the oxygen supply is extremely low due to certain reasons (such as a gas source failure, a hard bend in the oxygen hose 50, etc.), during the inhalation phase, the tongue-shaped membrane 133 at the inner end 132 of the mixed airway 13 will automatically open the port of the inner end 132 of the mixed airway 13 in response to the patient's active inhalation. This allows external gas to be automatically introduced into the oxygen supply channel 11 to provide the patient with oxygen from the air in a timely manner, preventing the patient's inhalation from being suppressed. Furthermore, once oxygen supply is restored, the tongue-shaped membrane 133 will automatically close the mixed airway 13 in response to the pressure increase in the oxygen supply channel 11 caused by the restoration of oxygen supply, thus eliminating the need for staff to actively close or open the mixed airway 13. During routine treatment, the mixing airway 13 with a tongue-shaped membrane 133 enables the device to supply oxygen by mixing pure oxygen with air. That is, while keeping the outer end 131 of the mixing airway 13 open, during the inhalation phase, such as... Figure 10AAs shown, the tongue-shaped membrane 133 opens the mixing airway 13, allowing external gas to enter the oxygen supply channel 11 through the mixing airway 13 and mix with the pure oxygen provided by the gas source before being supplied to the patient's respiratory system. Therefore, the aforementioned mixing airway 13 with the tongue-shaped membrane 133 can both act as a safety valve to avoid inhibiting inspiration and to mix and supply oxygen to the patient.

[0068] The present invention constructs the mixing airway 13 and the tongue-shaped membrane 133 in the silicone block 14, thereby reducing the pressure difference required for the mixing airway 13 to be opened, and improving the sensitivity of the mixing airway 13 to be opened.

[0069] In some preferred configurations, a cylindrical cavity 141 is formed on the outer side of the silicone block 14, with open ends. The outer end 131 of the mixing air passage 13 radially extends to the cavity wall of the cylindrical cavity 141. A notch 142 is formed on the outer wall of the silicone block 14, radially extending through the cylindrical cavity 141. The advantage of configuring the cylindrical cavity 141 and the notch 142 extending through it is that the mixing air passage 13 can communicate with the outside atmosphere through three points: the ports at both ends of the cylindrical cavity 141 and the notch 142, thereby greatly increasing the difficulty of blocking the outer end 131 of the mixing air passage 13 (which is undesirable).

[0070] In a preferred configuration, the device is also equipped with a plug for filling the cylindrical cavity 141 to block the distal end of the mixing air passage 13, the plug being made of rubber or silicone material.

[0071] The following describes the types of oxygen therapy that the above-mentioned device can provide.

[0072] 1. It can be applied to positive pressure oxygen therapy. Specifically, by pulling the plunger 100 out of the cylindrical cavity 141, the outer end 131 of the mixing airway 13 is in an open state. During the inspiratory phase, such as... Figure 9A As shown, the positive pressure oxygen in the oxygen supply channel 11 causes the cylindrical body 31 of the inhalation valve 30 to elastically elongate. The second diaphragm 34 at the head of the cylindrical body 31 elastically deforms and opens the second fan-shaped perforation 331. The oxygen in the oxygen supply channel 11 enters the inner cavity 32 of the cylindrical body 31 through the air supply hole 121 of the air supply connector 12, and enters the nasal plug 20 through the ventilation notch 313 on the cylinder wall and the second fan-shaped perforation 331 at the head. It is then actively supplied to the nasal cavity through the air supply port 231. At this time, if the positive pressure of the supplied oxygen is relatively large, the first diaphragm 41 on the bottom wall 22 is in a deformed state that opens the first fan-shaped perforation 221 on the bottom wall 22. If the positive pressure of the supplied oxygen is relatively small, the second diaphragm 34 is in a reset state that closes the first fan-shaped perforation 221. During the exhalation phase, if... Figure 9BAs shown, the gas exhaled by the patient enters the air cavity 23 of the nasal plug 20 and is discharged into the atmosphere through the first fan-shaped perforation 221. If a positive pressure oxygen supply is maintained, the pressure in the oxygen supply channel 11 causes the tongue-shaped membrane 133 to close the mixing airway 13 during both exhalation and inhalation, thus preventing oxygen leakage from the mixing airway 13. When oxygen supply is interrupted, the tongue-shaped membrane 133 automatically opens the mixing airway 13 during inhalation, thereby introducing external gas into the oxygen supply channel 11 to provide air for the patient, thus avoiding suppression of the patient's inhalation.

[0073] 2. Ordinary oxygen therapy can be used.

[0074] 1) If conventional oxygen therapy allows the introduction of external gas, then the outer end 131 of the mixed airway 13 will be open during the inspiratory phase, such as... Figure 10A As shown, the patient's active inhalation increases the pressure difference between the inner cavity 32 of the cylindrical body 31 and the air chamber 23 of the nasal plug 20, causing the cylindrical body 31 to elongate. The second diaphragm 34 remains in the reset state. Oxygen from the oxygen supply channel 11 enters the inner cavity 32 of the cylindrical body 31 and enters the air chamber 23 of the nasal plug 20 through the ventilation opening 313. Subsequently, it is inhaled into the nostrils 101 from the air supply port 231 of the nasal plug 20. If the air pressure in the oxygen supply channel 11 is lower than the external air pressure, the tongue-shaped membrane 133 will not open the port of the inner end 132 of the mixing channel, and the patient relies solely on the air source for oxygen supply. If the air pressure in the oxygen supply channel 11 is lower than the external air pressure, such as Figure 10B As shown, the tongue-shaped membrane 133 deforms to open the mixing airway 13, allowing outside air to enter the oxygen supply channel 11 through the mixing airway 13 and mix with the supplied pure oxygen before being inhaled by the patient. During this stage, the first membrane 41 on the bottom wall 22 of the nasal plug 20 is in the reset state, closing the first fan-shaped perforation 221; during the exhalation stage, as... Figure 10B As shown, the exhaled gas entering the air cavity 23 of the nasal plug 20 reduces the pressure difference between the inner cavity 32 of the cylindrical body 31 and the air cavity 23 of the nasal plug 20, thereby resetting the cylindrical body 31. The cylindrical body 31 restricts the gas in the air cavity 23 of the nasal plug 20 from flowing back to the oxygen supply channel 11. The exhaled gas in the air cavity 23 forces the first diaphragm 41 to deform and open the first fan-shaped perforation 221, thereby expelling the outside atmosphere.

[0075] 2) If conventional oxygen therapy does not allow the introduction of external gas, then the plunger 100 is inserted into each cylindrical cavity 141 to close the outer end 131 of each mixing airway 13. For example... Figure 11A and Figure 11BAs shown, the operation of the inspiratory valve 30 and expiratory valve 40 in this treatment type during the exhalation and inhalation phases is consistent with the operation of the inspiratory valve 30 and expiratory valve 40 in the treatment type described above. The difference is that, because the outer end 131 of the mixing airway 13 is closed, the tongue membrane 133 does not open the port of the inner end 132 of the mixing airway 13 during the inhalation phase, and external gas is not introduced into the oxygen supply channel 11 through the mixing airway 13.

[0076] Furthermore, although exemplary embodiments have been described in this invention, their scope includes any and all embodiments based on the invention that have equivalent elements, modifications, omissions, combinations (e.g., schemes involving intersections of various embodiments), adaptations, or alterations. Elements in the claims will be interpreted broadly based on the language used in the claims and are not limited to the examples described in this specification or during the implementation of this application, and such examples will be interpreted as non-exclusive. Therefore, this specification and examples are intended to be considered illustrative only, and the true scope and spirit are indicated by the full scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

[0077] The above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. For example, the above examples (or one or more of them) can be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments may be used by those skilled in the art upon reading the above description. Furthermore, in the above detailed description, various features may be grouped together to simplify the invention. This should not be construed as an intention that a disclosed feature, which is not claimed, is necessary for any claim. Rather, the subject matter of the invention may be less than all the features of the particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are incorporated herein by reference as examples or embodiments, wherein each claim is independently considered as a separate embodiment, and these embodiments are contemplated as being possible in various combinations or arrangements. The scope of the invention should be determined by reference to the appended claims and the full scope of their equivalents.

[0078] The above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the claims. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications or equivalent substitutions to the present invention within its spirit and scope of protection, and such modifications or equivalent substitutions should also be considered to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A nasal breathing device, characterized in that, include: A conduit assembly having two ends in a linear direction, an oxygen supply channel being configured inside the conduit assembly and extending to both ends of the conduit assembly, and two radially protruding air supply connectors on the conduit assembly, both of which are connected to the oxygen supply channel; The oxygen hose comprises two hoses, the proximal ends of which are respectively connected to both ends of the conduit assembly and communicate with the oxygen supply channel, and the distal ends of the oxygen hoses are connected to the gas source. The nasal plugs comprise two, each nasal plug being attached to one of two air supply connectors; wherein: The nasal plug has a conical sidewall defining an air outlet and an air supply outlet, and a flat bottom wall. After the nasal plug is inserted into the nostril, the air supply outlet faces the nostril, the bottom wall faces away from the nostril, and an attachment sleeve is disposed on the bottom wall. The attachment sleeve is fitted onto the air supply connector. An inhalation valve is provided at the junction area between the nasal plug and the air supply connector. The inhalation valve allows gas in the oxygen supply channel to flow into the air chamber of the nasal plug while restricting gas in the air chamber from flowing back into the oxygen supply channel. The bottom wall of the nasal plug is provided with an exhalation valve, which allows gas in the air chamber to flow to the outside while restricting gas from the outside from flowing into the air chamber. The inhalation valve includes a cylindrical body, the head of which is closed and faces the air cavity of the nasal plug, and the tail of which is attached to the port of the air supply port of the air supply connector; wherein: The cylindrical body has a corrugated wall configuration that allows it to extend and retract axially. The corrugated wall has alternating inner and outer corrugated wall portions. Each inner corrugated wall portion has multiple circumferentially arranged ventilation openings. In the initial state, each pair of adjacent outer corrugated wall portions is in contact to restrict the entry of gas from the air cavity of the nasal plug into the inner cavity of the cylindrical body. In response to an increase in the pressure difference between the inner cavity of the cylindrical body and the air cavity of the nasal plug, the cylindrical body elongates, and each pair of adjacent outer corrugated wall portions moves away from each other to allow gas in the inner cavity to flow into the air cavity through the ventilation openings on the inner corrugated wall portions and the area between the corresponding two outer corrugated wall portions. An embedding window is provided on the front wall of the conduit component, and a silicone block is embedded in the embedding window. The inner wall of the silicone block is flush with the wall of the oxygen supply channel; wherein: The silicone block has a mixing channel, the outer end of which is open and communicates with the outside. The inner end of the mixing channel extends close to the inner wall of the silicone block. The inner wall of the silicone block is cut, and the resulting cut slit penetrates the inner end of the mixing channel to obtain a tongue-shaped membrane for covering the port of the inner end of the mixing channel. In response to a decrease in the pressure of the gas in the oxygen supply channel, the tongue-shaped membrane deforms toward the oxygen supply channel to open the port of the inner end of the mixing channel, so as to allow outside gas to enter the oxygen supply channel through the mixing channel.

2. The nasal breathing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The exhalation valve includes a first diaphragm; the bottom wall of the nasal plug has a plurality of circumferentially arranged first fan-shaped perforations, the first diaphragm is installed at the bottom of the bottom wall and covers the plurality of first fan-shaped perforations, the radially inner side of the first diaphragm is attached and fixed to the bottom wall of the nasal plug, and in response to an increase in pressure in the air cavity of the nasal plug, the first diaphragm opens the first fan-shaped perforations through radially outer elastic deformation to allow gas in the air cavity to flow to the outside through the first fan-shaped perforations; wherein: The first diaphragm is divided into multiple circumferentially arranged fan-shaped units by radially inwardly extending partition slits, and each of the multiple fan-shaped units corresponds one-to-one with a multiple of the first fan-shaped hollow portions.

3. The nasal breathing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The diameter of the bottom wall of the nasal plug is larger than the diameter of the opening at the nostril, such that: after the nasal plug is inserted into the nostril and the opening of the nostril is blocked, the bottom wall of the nasal plug is exposed outside the nostril.

4. The nasal breathing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A columnar cavity is formed on the outer side of the silicone block, with open ends. The outer end of the mixing air passage radially extends to the cavity wall of the columnar cavity. A notch is formed on the outer wall of the silicone block, and the notch radially extends to the columnar cavity.

5. The nasal breathing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cylindrical cavity is selectively fitted with a plug to seal the port at the outer end of the mixing airway.

6. The nasal breathing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end plate of the head of the cylindrical body has a plurality of second fan-shaped perforations arranged in a circumferential direction. A second diaphragm is arranged on the end plate of the head of the cylindrical body. The second diaphragm covers the plurality of second fan-shaped perforations. The middle part of the second diaphragm is detachably fixed to the end plate. In response to the increase of the pressure difference between the air cavity of the nasal plug and the inner cavity of the cylindrical body, the second diaphragm opens the second fan-shaped perforations through radial outward elastic deformation, so as to allow the gas in the inner cavity to enter the air cavity through the second fan-shaped perforations.

7. The nasal breathing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The nasal plug is made of silicone material, and a support plate is embedded in the bottom wall of the nasal plug.

8. The nasal breathing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A weak section is provided on the wall of the conduit component between the two gas supply connectors so that the conduit component can bend in the area where the weak section is located.

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