Respiratory therapy devices

Abstract

The vibrational respiratory therapy device (100) has a rocker arm (105) that opens and closes a valve seat (106) by breathing through the device. The device (100) also includes a gas treatment device that includes an HME (122) and a filter (121) arranged such that both inhaled and exhaled air passes through the HME and the filter.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a respiratory therapy device, the type having an inlet through which a user breathes, an opening to the atmosphere, and a mechanism actuated by breathing through the device to create an oscillating resistance to breathing through the device. [Background technology]

[0002] Positive expiratory pressure (PEP) devices, i.e. devices that provide resistance to exhaled air passing through the device, are widely used to aid in the treatment of patients suffering from various respiratory disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, and atelectasis. More recently, such devices that provide alternating resistance to flow have been found to be particularly effective in stimulating and promoting the upward movement of secretions through a combination of exhalation and vibration. One example of such a device is sold by Smiths Medical under the trade name Acapella (a registered trademark of Smiths Medical), and is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,581,598, 6,776,159, 7,059,324, and 7,699,054. Other vibrational respiratory therapy devices are available, such as the "Quake" manufactured by Thayer, the "AeroPEP" manufactured by Monaghan, the "TheraPEP" manufactured by Smith's Medical, and the "IPV Percussionator" manufactured by Percussionaire Corp. Alternative devices are also available, such as the "CoughAssist" manufactured by Philips. Respiratory therapy devices may alternatively provide alternating resistance to flow during inspiration.

[0003] During use, the patient breathes in and out through the mouth through the therapy device, bypassing the natural warming and humidification provided by the nose. As a result, the patient may suffer from dry airways. Another recognized problem with such therapy devices is that forceful exhalation through the device may expel particles from the airways out of the device, increasing the risk of bacterial or viral contamination of nearby people and surfaces. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 6,581,598 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 6,776,159 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent No. 7,059,324 [Patent Document 4] U.S. Patent No. 7,699,054 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative respiratory therapy device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a respiratory therapy apparatus of the kind specified above, comprising a gas treatment device characterised in that the gas treatment device is arranged along an arrangement such that at least air exhaled by a patient passes through the gas treatment device before passing to the atmosphere.

[0007] The gas treatment device is preferably arranged such that both exhaled and inhaled air pass through it. The gas treatment device may include a filter. The filter is preferably an electrostatic filter. The gas treatment device may additionally or alternatively include a heat and moisture exchange element. The mechanism for generating alternating resistance to breathing preferably includes a member displaceable by breathing through the device. The displaceable member preferably includes a rocker arm.

[0008] The gassing device can be disposed between the mechanism and the opening to the atmosphere such that exhaled air flows through the mechanism before flowing to the gassing device.

[0009] Alternatively, the gas treatment device may be located at the inlet of the device, such as in a removable mouthpiece.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a mouthpiece for use with an apparatus having the alternative gas treating device described above.

[0011] A respiratory therapy apparatus according to the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a simplified side view of a first configuration of the device with the cover raised; [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a simplified side view of a second configuration of the device with the cover lifted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Referring initially to Figure 1, device 100 includes a housing 101. Housing 101 has a normally closed hinged cover 102 and a removable mouthpiece 103. Housing 101 has a patient inlet 104 at its left hand end. Mouthpiece 103 is attached to patient inlet 104. Housing 101 includes a mechanism for generating oscillatory resistance to exhaled air flow in the form of a magnetic rocker system 105 of the type described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,598. A detailed understanding of rocker system 105 is not necessary to understand the invention. Rocker system 105 normally closes valve seat 106. Valve seat 106 opens out of air passage 108 which extends from patient inlet 104 to an opening or outlet 107 at the opposite end of housing 101. Air passage 108 includes a one-way valve 110, such as a duckbill or flap valve, or any other conventional valve that allows flow in one direction. In particular, the valve 110 allows flow from the outlet 107 to the inlet 104 (during inspiration) but prevents or restricts flow in the opposite direction (during expiration). When the cover 102 is in the lower closed position in use, a valve 106 in the locker system 105 opens from the air flow path 108 into a space 111 above the normally enclosed flow path. This space 111 communicates with the outlet 107.

[0014] It can thus be seen that the user inhales through the mouthpiece 103 and the opening 104 and air is drawn through the outlet 107 and the one-way valve 110 into the flow passage 108. The reduced pressure this creates in the flow passage 108 exerts a pressure which tends to pull the rocker system 105 further downward against the valve seat 106. This further reinforces the normally closed state of this valve. When the user exhales through the mouthpiece 103 and the inlet 104, the pressure in the flow passage 108 increases. This pressure is prevented by the one-way valve 110 from flowing directly to the outlet 107. Instead, this pressure causes the valve 106 in the magnetic rocker system 105 to open, momentarily lifting the rocker arm and reducing the pressure below the valve. This causes the rocker arm to lower and close the valve seat 106 again until sufficient pressure builds up to lift the rocker arm. In this way, the valve 106 alternately opens and closes, causing an oscillation or vibration in the air flow along the flow passage 108. The vibrations communicate with the user's respiratory system and create therapeutic vibrations that help loosen secretions.

[0015] As described thus far, the device 100 is substantially conventional. However, the device 100 is modified relative to conventional vibration therapy devices by the addition of a gas treatment device 120 disposed within the device and at least in the expiratory flow path through the device. In the device shown, the gas treatment device 120 is connected in both the inhalation and expiratory flow paths, i.e., between the outlet 107 and the one-way valve 110 (in the inhalation flow path) and between the outlet and the rocker system valve 106 (in the expiratory flow path). The gas treatment device 120 is disposed at the outlet 107. At the outlet 107, the inside of the gas treatment device 120 is exposed to both air exiting from the rocker valve 106 through the cavity 111. Also at the outlet 107, the inside of the gas treatment device 120 allows air to flow through the gas treatment device 120 to the one-way valve 110. The gas treatment device 120 could be either a filter or an HME element. Or the gas treatment device 120 can be a combination of both filter 121 and HME element 122 as shown. Filter 121 is preferably placed on the outside of HME 122 to filter the exhaled air passing through the HME element and to filter the inhaled air before passing through the HME element. Filter 121 is preferably an electrostatic filter capable of trapping viruses and bacteria so that any contamination in the breath exhaled by the user is filtered, reducing the risk of spreading contamination or infection. Similarly, filter 121 protects the user and device 100 from outside contamination when the user inhales. HME element 122 can be of any conventional type, such as including a coil of corrugated cardboard treated with hygroscopic salts, or a foam disk similarly treated. HME element 122 receives all the air exhaled by the user. This air is then warmed and humidified by passing through the HME element 122. Similarly, all air inhaled by the user through the device 100 must pass in the opposite direction through the HME element 122, so it is warmed and humidified by the heat and moisture stored in the element from the exhaled air stream.In this way, the drying effect on the user while they are using the device 100 is reduced.

[0016] 1, filter 121 and HME element 122 are separate from one another and can be removed from device 100. Filter 121 and HME element 122 can be replaced independently if the filter needs to be replaced at different time intervals than the HME. Alternatively, the filter can be joined to one or the other of the faces of the HME to form a single unit that is removed and replaced together.

[0017] Instead of mounting the HME and filter at the outlet of the device as shown in FIG. 2, they can also be mounted at the patient inlet. A convenient way to do this is to mount the HME 122' and filter 121' to a removable mouthpiece 103'. In the device shown in FIG. 2, the filter 121' is located downstream of the HME element 122' in the exhaled air, closer to the rocker mechanism 105'. As they are both incorporated into the mouthpiece 103', this device has the advantage that no modifications are required inside the therapy device 100' to accommodate the HME 122' and filter 121'. Replacement of the HME and filter is also made easier. By reducing the moisture content of the exhaled air flowing through the valve mechanism, this device reduces contamination of the valve mechanism, allowing the device to be used for longer before it needs to be replaced.

[0018] The above two devices have a gas treatment device that includes both an HME and a filter. However, it would be possible to use only an HME element if filtration was not required, or only a filter if humidification was not required. If the gas treatment device includes a filter but not an HME element, it can be placed in a gas flow path that receives only the exhalation gas flow, with the inhalation flow bypassing the filter. Other types of gas treatment devices can also be used.

Claims

1. 1. A respiratory therapy device (100, 100') having an inlet (104) through which a user breathes, an opening (107) to the atmosphere, and a mechanism (105, 105', 106) actuated by breathing through said device to create an oscillating resistance to breathing through said device, said device including a gas treatment device (120, 103') arranged along said mechanism (105, 105', 106) such that at least air exhaled by a patient passes through said gas treatment device before flowing to the atmosphere.

2. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the gassing device (120, 103') is arranged so that both the exhaled air and the inhaled air pass through it.

3. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the gas treatment device (120, 103') comprises a filter (121, 121').

4. 4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the filter is an electrostatic filter (121, 121').

5. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the gas treatment device (120, 103') comprises a heat and moisture exchange element (122, 122').

6. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanism for creating an alternating resistance to breathing comprises a member (105, 105') displaceable by breathing through the device.

7. 7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the displaceable member comprises a rocker arm (105, 105').

8. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gas treatment device (120) is arranged between the mechanism (105, 106) and the opening (107) to the atmosphere such that the exhaled air flows through the mechanism (105, 106) and then into the gas treatment device (120).

9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas treatment device (103') is arranged at the inlet of the device (100').

10. 10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the gassing device is arranged in a removable mouthpiece (103').

11. A removable mouthpiece (103') for a device according to claim 10.

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