CPAP device auxiliary equipment

Abstract

When using a CPAP device, the breathing mask attached to the face is pulled by the connecting breathing tube due to neck and head movements, causing the breathing mask to shift and resulting in gas leakage. With conventional technology, users cannot adjust the breathing tube to the appropriate height while lying on the bed, leading to discomfort and removal. Furthermore, the device cannot be used in changes in the environment or when staying away from home. This invention provides a CPAP device assistive device that solves the above problems, enabling prolonged wear and enhancing therapeutic effects. [Solution] The present invention consists of a main support column (2), an arm section (6), a breathing tube guide (7), a base section (8), and a base section fixing plate (9). The arm section (6) is equipped with a breathing tube guide (7) at its tip, a first movable joint (20) is provided between the arm section (6) and the front support column (3), and a second movable joint (21) is provided between the arm section (6) and the breathing tube guide (7). The base section (8) is inserted and installed under the center of the head side of the bed (40). The base section (8) is fixed by the weight of the head.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a CPAP device assistive instrument that assists an apparatus used for continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP therapy), which is most effective for the treatment of sleep apnea syndrome.

Background Art

[0002] As a CPAP device assistive instrument, a sleep apnea syndrome treatment device assistive instrument is known (Patent Document 1).

[0003] As a CPAP device assistive instrument, a sleep apnea syndrome treatment device assistive instrument is known (Patent Document 2). As shown in FIG. 2, it includes an auxiliary stand, an inhalation mask, an air supply device, and a flexible hose. The auxiliary stand fixes a support base to the lower end of a vertically extensible and contractible vertical support frame, and connects an arm piece to the upper part of the vertical support frame so that its proximal end is pivotally supported and can be slightly swung horizontally. Further, two mounting tables for mounting the air supply device are provided vertically in the middle part of the vertical support frame. Note that the number of mounting tables is not limited. Also, the tip of the arm piece and the upper end of the vertical support frame are connected by a wire to ensure better stability of the arm piece. Then, the blowing part of the air supply device placed on the mounting table and the rotatable pivot cylinder of the inhalation mask worn on the patient's nose are communicated via a flexible hose suspended on the arm piece.

[0004] The conventional CPAP device assistive instrument described in the above Patent Document 2 is a large device installed beside the bed, and the position for suspending the breathing tube is unstable and does not have the function of following the movements of the patient's neck and head during sleep.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3126678 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The aforementioned literature revealed several challenges related to the large size of CPAP device assistives, including their difficulty in installation and relocation, as well as their lack of functionality to adapt to the movements of the neck and head during sleep.

[0008] CPAP devices, used to treat sleep apnea syndrome, are medical devices that allow for continuous inhalation of air during sleep. The greatest therapeutic effect is achieved through prolonged use during sleep. However, during sleep, neck and head movements can cause the facial mask to be pulled by the connecting breathing tube, leading to gas leakage due to the mask shifting. Furthermore, with conventional technology, users cannot adjust the breathing tube, which is suspended while lying on a bed, to the appropriate height or position, and it cannot be fixed in place. As a result, users often remove it themselves due to annoyance, resulting in short usage times during sleep. In addition, it cannot be used in environments where the device cannot be properly set up, such as when staying away from home. Solving the above problems will enable longer-term wear, both physically and mentally, and maximize the effectiveness of CPAP device assistive devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The first solution to the problem is to allow the user (P) to adjust the height and tilt of the breathing tube (31) while lying on their side on the bed (40), as shown in Figure 5. By incorporating the function of claim 1, the optimal position can be maintained while sleeping by following the movements of the head and neck. The second solution involves making the length of the main support column (2) that suspends the breathing tube (31) arbitrarily adjustable. As shown in Figure 7, the front support column (3) and rear support column (5) are fitted together with the internal support column (4) in between, and by creating a small gap (23) between the fitted parts, they can move vertically, making it possible to install the breathing tube (31) at a higher position. Furthermore, the main support columns (2), which consist of three interlocking pieces, maintain the strength of the main support columns (2) while achieving a simple, easy-to-handle shape and reduced weight, thereby realizing both strength and lightness. The third solution involves making the main support column (2) freely movable and fixable, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. By making the base portion (8) attached to the rear support column (5) detachable and self-supporting, the main support column (2) can be easily positioned on the midline of the user (P) lying on the bed (40), and the breathing tube (31) can be suspended directly above the user's (P) face. The fourth solution involves providing the breathing tube (31) with a function that allows it to follow the movements of the neck and head during sleep, and as shown in Figure 3, the arm portion (6) rotates horizontally from side to side by the first movable joint (20). The fifth solution to the problem is to prevent twisting of the breathing mask (32) and the breathing tube (31) during sleep, and as shown in Figure 3, the function of the second movable joint (21), which has a rod-shaped shaft fitted between the arm portion (6) and the breathing tube guide (7), is to allow it to follow the movement of the neck and head during sleep. The sixth solution to the problem is to improve storage capacity by providing a function that allows the arm portion (6) and the base portion (8) to be attached and detached, so that it can be carried and easily set up even when staying away from home. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the CPAP device auxiliary device (1) of the present invention can be easily installed by the user (P) themselves directly above their face while lying down, and the breathing tube (31) can be suspended on the midline, which is the pivot point for the movement of the face and head from side to side during sleep. This reduces the weight of the respiratory tube (31) and the restricted movement of the respiratory mask (32) connected to the respiratory tube (31), avoids physical and mental stress during sleep, and enables long-term inhalation. In addition, it is easy to assemble and install, and can stand on its own, so it is not affected by the size or layout of the indoor space, the presence or absence of columns or walls, and does not limit the place of use. It can be carried even when staying outside and can be used at all times, which is an advantage that existing devices do not have, and it can exert the maximum therapeutic effect in the treatment of sleep apnea syndrome.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a side view of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a plan view of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a front view of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a view showing the usage state as seen from the side of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a view showing the usage state as seen from the top of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a view of the implementation of the joint of the present invention as seen from above the A-A' cross-section of FIG. 2. [Figure 8] It is a view of a modified example of the implementation of the joint of the present invention as seen from above the A-A' cross-section of FIG. 2. [Figure 9] [[ID=II]]It is a view of a modified example of the implementation of the joint of the present invention as seen from above the A-A' cross-section of FIG. 2. [Figure 10] It is a view of a modified example of the implementation of the joint of the present invention as seen from above the A-A' cross-section of FIG. 2.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention comprises a main body support column (2), an arm portion (6), a respiratory tube guide (7), a pedestal portion (8), and a pedestal portion fixing plate (9). A breathing tube guide (7) for attaching a breathing tube (31), an arm part (6), a main body support column (2) for supporting the arm part (6), and a pedestal part (8) for holding and fixing the main body support column (2). The breathing tube guide (7) is provided at the tip of the arm part (6). A first movable joint (20) is provided between the arm part (6) and the front support column (3), and a second movable joint (21) is provided between the arm part (6) and the breathing tube guide (7). The main body support column (2) for supporting the arm part (6) includes a front support column (3), a rear support column (5), and an inner support column (4). As shown in FIG. 7, a gap (23) is provided between the front support column (3) and the rear support column (5) to arrange the inner support column (4).

[0013] As shown in FIG. 5, the inner support column (4) is incorporated between the front support column (3) and the rear support column (5) in the main body support column (2). Due to the function of the support column cross-section (22) shown in FIG. 7, the incorporated front support column (3) and the inner support column (4) can move vertically, so that the height of the arm part (6) can be changed. The support column fixing screws (11a), (11b) are used to hold the breathing mask (32) of the user and the breathing tube (31) up to the appropriate position of the breathing tube guide (7), and the height can be adjusted freely. The main body support column (2) is installed behind the pillow base (41) on the midline of the user (P) as shown in FIG. 6, and the arm part (6) is fixed above the head of the user (P). Due to the above function, it is possible to ensure the height from the breathing mask (32) to the breathing tube (31) even for a thick bed mat (40).

[0014] As shown in FIG. 7, in the A-A' cross-section shown in FIG. 2 of the main body support column (2), the front support column (3) and the rear support column (5) are in a fitting shape with the inner support column (4) sandwiched therebetween, and a slight gap (23) is created between the fittings to move in the vertical direction. When moving, each support column does not come off, which is a safe structure that can maintain the strength of the support column.

[0015] Following the embodiment in Figure 7, the fitting shape of the column cross-section can be modified as shown in Figures 8 to 10. In all cases, the front column (3) and rear column (5) are fitted together with the internal column (4) in between, and a small gap is created between the fittings so that each column does not come loose and can move in the vertical direction.

[0016] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the base (8) is configured to be detachable from the base fixing plate (9) which is assembled to the bottom of the rear support column (5). The fitting parts (14a) and (14a') of the base fixing plate (9) and the fitting parts (15b) and (15b') of the base (8) are inserted and held in place by the base fixing screws (13), allowing it to stand on its own. As shown in Figure 5, it is inserted under the bed mattress (40) or futon (40) directly below the head position and placed vertically below the head, allowing it to be stabilized by the weight of the head. The main support column (2) is self-supporting and can be installed anywhere. Due to the above function, the breathing tube guide (7) can be installed directly above the face of the user (P) lying on the bed (40) while sleeping.

[0017] As shown in Figure 3, the first movable joint (20) is mounted between the arm sections (6) and pivotally supports its base end, allowing it to rotate horizontally from side to side. In other words, the arm section (6) rotates as shown by the trajectories of the arm section's movable range C (24) and arm section's movable range D (25). The fitting portion of the arm portion (6) is assembled to the upper end of the fitting portion of the main support column (2), and as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the main support column (2) is installed behind the pillow on the midline of the user (P), allowing it to follow the movements of the face and head during sleep.

[0018] The second movable joint (21) is incorporated between the arm portion (6) and the breathing tube guide (7), as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and is characterized by its ability to rotate vertically with a rod-shaped rotating shaft as its pivot. In other words, as shown in Figure 4, the second movable joint (21) is pivotally supported and rotates as shown in the trajectories of the breathing tube guide's movable range E (26) and breathing tube guide's movable range F (27). This allows the breathing tube (31) connected to the face-worn breathing mask (32) to be adjusted for tilting and twisting, so that the user (P) can move their neck and head freely while sleeping.

[0019] The arm portion (6) is equipped with a fitting portion into which the end of the arm portion can be inserted at the upper end of the front support column (3), and can be easily attached and detached by opening and closing the arm portion fixing screw (12), allowing the user (P) to carry the CPAP device auxiliary device with them at all times and use it easily, even when staying away from home. [Examples]

[0020] The CPAP device auxiliary device (1) according to the present invention can be used as follows.

[0021] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the CPAP device auxiliary device (1) according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1, the CPAP device auxiliary equipment (1) comprises a main support column (2), an arm section (6), and a base section (8). The main support column (2) is composed of three columns: a front support column (3), an internal support column (4), and a rear support column (5). The upper end of the front support column (3) has a fitting section into which the end of the arm section (6) can be inserted, and the bottom of the rear support column (5) has a base fixing plate (9) for attaching the base section (8). The arm portion (6) is attached by inserting the concave mating portion at the upper end of the front support column (3) into the convex mating portion at the end of the arm portion (6) from above in the axial direction of the support column. The base portion (8) interlocks with the base portion fixing protrusions (14a), (14a') and base portion fixing recesses (15b), (15b') (see Figure 2) attached to the bottom of the rear support column (5) through surface contact. With this configuration, the main support column (2) can stand on its own and maintain strength to withstand the load applied to the arm portion (6) and the support column during use. The interlocking shape of the base portion (8) is shown as the base portion (8) attached to the base portion fixing plate (9) according to at least one embodiment. The base portion (8) and the base portion fixing plate (9) have interlocking parts that serve as a guide when attaching the base portion (8), and the base portion fixing screws (13) allow for easy attachment and detachment. The shapes of the protrusions and recesses of the base portion (8) and the base portion fixing plate (9) are not limited as long as they interlock through surface contact.

[0022] Figure 2 is a side view of the CPAP device auxiliary device (1). The front support (3) and rear support (5) are equipped with support fixing screws (11), and the front support (3) and intermediate support (4) can be moved vertically, allowing the user to set and hold the breathing tube (31) inserted into the breathing tube guide (7) at the optimal height.

[0023] Figure 3 is a plan view of the CPAP device auxiliary device (1). The end of the arm section (6) is detachably attached to the upper end of the front support column (3), and rotates to follow the movement of the user's (P) neck while sleeping. The range of rotation is horizontal, with the first movable joint (20) of the arm section (6) pivotally supported. As shown in Figure 3, the arm (6) moves between the arm's range of motion C (24) and the arm's range of motion D (25). The arm (6) can move in conjunction with and respond to the user's (P) neck movements. The other end of the arm (6) is connected to the breathing tube guide (7) by a second movable joint (21). The breathing tube guide (7) and the arm (6) can rotate to accommodate changes in the tilt of the breathing tube (31) that communicates with the breathing mask (32) due to neck movement.

[0024] Figure 4 is a front view of the CPAP device auxiliary device (1). It has an arm portion (6) that is detachably attached to the upper end of the front support column (3), and a breathing tube guide (7) is attached to the tip of the arm portion with a rod-shaped rotating shaft pivotally supported. As shown in Figure 4, the second movable joint (21) is pivotally supported and rotates as shown in the trajectories of the breathing tube guide movable range E (26) and breathing tube guide movable range F (27). This allows it to accommodate subtle changes in the direction of tilt and twist of the breathing tube (31) connected to the face-worn breathing mask (32), so that the user (P) can move their neck and head freely while sleeping.

[0025] Figure 5 shows the usage state of the present invention as viewed from the side. As shown in Figure 5, the base (8) is inserted and installed under the bed mattress (40) or futon (40) at the head end of the bed (40). The base (8) is placed under the user's (P) pillow (41) and is fixed in place by the weight of the user's head. One end of the breathing tube (31) is connected to the outlet (33) of the gas generator (30) placed beside the bed (40), and the other end is passed through the hole in the breathing tube guide (7) and connected to the breathing mask (32). The height of the main support column (2) is set so that there is slack in the breathing tube (31) from the user's (P) breathing mask (32) to the arm section (6), and it is held in place by two support column fixing screws (11a) (11b).

[0026] Figure 6 shows the usage state of the present invention as viewed from above. The base (8) to which the main support column is attached is inserted under the bed mattress (40) or futon (40) so that the breathing tube guide (7) is positioned directly above the midline of the user (P) lying on the bed (40). The arm (6) and breathing tube guide (7) follow the left and right movements of the user's (P) neck, relieving tension in the breathing tube (31) and preventing the breathing mask (32) from coming off.

[0027] Figure 7 is a top view of the A-A' cross section in Figure 2, illustrating an implementation of the joint of the present invention. The cross-section of the support column (22) has a shape in which the concave front support column (3), the rear support column (5), and the convex intermediate support column (4) are in surface contact and interlock. The interlocking shape is not limited to concave or convex shapes, as long as it is a shape that makes surface contact and interlocks.

[0028] Figures 8 to 10 show modified examples of the column cross-section (22) illustrating the combined shape of the front column (3), intermediate column (4), and rear column (5). [effect]

[0029] When going to sleep, the user (P) puts on a breathing mask (32) on the bed (40) and readjusts the height from the breathing mask (32) to the breathing tube guide (7). In this state, the gas generator (30) is activated, and air supplied from the outlet (33) can be passed through the breathing tube (31) to the breathing mask (32). As shown in Figure 3, even if the user (P) moves their head from side to side while sleeping, the arm's range of motion C (24) and range of motion D (25), which are pivotally supported by the first movable joint (20), can follow the movement of the head. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the rotation of the breathing tube guide's range of motion E (26) and range of motion F (27) prevents twisting of the breathing tube (31), allowing for stable and comfortable breathing at all times.

[0030] The CPAP device auxiliary device (1) according to the present invention has a detachable arm portion (6) and base portion (8), making it highly portable and easy to assemble and install. Therefore, it can appropriately adapt to changes in the environment of the room in which it is used, and the CPAP device auxiliary device can always be used even when staying away from home, thereby enhancing the therapeutic effect. [Industrial applicability]

[0031] The configuration of the CPAP device auxiliary device (1) according to the present invention is multifunctional, yet has a simple structure consisting of a minimum number of parts.

[0032] The material of the CPAP device auxiliary device (1) according to the present invention can be any type, including wood, plastic, or metal. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0033] 1 CPM equipment auxiliary equipment 2 Main support column 3 Front strut 4 Internal struts 5 Rear strut 6. Arm section 7. Respiratory tube guide 8. Base 9. Base fixing plate 11. Support post fixing screws a, b 12. Arm fixing screws 13. Base fixing screws 14 Base fixing protrusions a, a' 15 Base fixing recesses b, b' 20. First movable joint 21. Second movable joint 22 Support cross section 23 gaps 24. Arm section range of motion C 25. Arm section range of motion D 26. Breathing tube guide range of motion E 27 Breathing tube guide range of motion F 30 Gas Generator 31 Breathing tube 32 Respiratory masks 33 Discharge port 40. Bed (bed or futon) 41 pillows P User (patient)

Claims

1. A CPAP device auxiliary device comprising a breathing tube guide for attaching a breathing tube, an arm section, a main support column for supporting the arm section, and a base section for holding and fixing the main support column. The CPAP device auxiliary device is characterized in that the main support column comprises a front support column, a rear support column, and an internal support column, a first movable joint is provided between the arm portion and the front support column, and a second movable joint is provided between the arm portion and the breathing tube guide.

2. The CPAP device auxiliary device according to claim 1, wherein the main support column has an internal support column arranged with a gap between the front support column and the rear support column, and the front support column and the rear support column are movable in the vertical direction relative to the internal support column, with the cross-sectional shapes of the front support column, the rear support column and the internal support column consisting of a concave shape and a convex shape, and having a gap between the fitted concave shape and the convex shape.

3. The CPAP device auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterized in that the base portion is attached to the base portion fixing plate at the bottom of the rear support column, and the convex portion of the base portion fixing plate engages with the concave portion of the base portion.

4. The CPAP device auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first movable joint rotates the arm portion in the horizontal direction.

5. The CPAP device auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second movable joint is installed between the arm portion and the breathing tube guide, and the breathing tube passed through the breathing tube guide rotates vertically.

6. The CPAP device auxiliary device according to claim 1, characterized in that the arm portion has a fitting portion at its end and can be fitted into the fitting portion at the upper end of the front support column and attached and detached.

Images