Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
  • A62B9/00—Component parts for respiratory or breathing apparatus
  • A62B9/003—Means for influencing the temperature or humidity of the breathing gas
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M16/00—Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. ventilators; Tracheal tubes
  • A61M16/10—Preparation of respiratory gases or vapours
  • A61M16/1045—Devices for humidifying or heating the inspired gas by using recovered moisture or heat from the expired gas
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M16/00—Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. ventilators; Tracheal tubes
  • A61M16/20—Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a moisture-heat exchanger unit for tidal air of a patient, which unit comprises a housing arranged for the flowing through of the air and a filter arranged in the housing, which filter has the capability of absorbing and desorbing moisture.
• the invention also relates to a method for the operation of such a moisture-heat exchanger unit.
• the filter in such a moisture-heat exchanger absorbs moisture from the exhalation air and desorbs it to the inhalation air, moisture and heat carried by the same are brought back to the patient. Thereby, it is avoided that the patient becomes dry in throat and airways.
• a moisture-heat exchanger involves drawbacks.
• the pharmaceutical preparation consists of a substance dissolved in a liquid, usually water, where the water is converted into mist in a nebulizer before it is supplied to the patient. Frequently, it concerns the treatment of an anaesthetized patient.
• a device having a moisture- heat exchanger in the pipe between respirator and patient and with a bypass pipe being arranged for enabling supply of aerosol without passage through the filter of the moisture- heat exchanger.
• the bypass pipe With one end thereof, the bypass pipe is connected to the pipe between the respirator and the moisture-heat exchanger and with the other end thereof to the pipe between the moisture-heat exchanger and the patient.
• a valve is arranged and that may be controlled so that the flow goes either through the moisture-heat exchanger or through the bypass pipe.
• the same device becomes relatively complicated by the fact that it is composed of a system of components comprising the moisture-heat exchanger, the valve and the bypass pipe, which components have to be connected in the correct way by an operative person.
• WO 02/26306 a device is previously known where the filter thereof can be by-passed when supplying gas for treatment. This is accomplished by reciprocating valve means, which results in a relatively complicated construction and in addition requires valving function on the inlet as well as the outlet side.
• the object of the present invention is, against this background, to provide a simple solution to enable switch between breathing assistance only and supply of aerosol pharmaceutical preparation, and thereby obviate the disadvantages associated with previously known devices and methods in this area.
• a moisture-heat exchanger unit of the kind defined in the preamble of claim 1 comprises the special features in that the moisture-heat exchanger unit comprises a rotary valve arranged in the housing for the provision of two alternative flow paths of the air through the housing, a first flow path entailing that the air flows through the filter and a second flow path entailing that the air flows through the housing without flowing through the filter. Thanks to the fact that the moisture-heat exchanger unit itself allows alternative flow paths, the need for an external bypass pipe and a special external valve for the control of the flow is eliminated.
• the invented device entails that the filter can be kept in one and the same position during the various types of treatment.
• the valve is a rotary valve, switch-over can be achieved by a simple rotary motion, with the risk of faulty operation being very small.
• the invented device becomes extraordinarily simple and easy to operate with minimal risk of malpractice.
• the two flow paths are concentrically arranged in relation to each other. This entails that the unit can be made compact and that the flow paths can be established at very small changes of direction.
• the filter is arranged in the radially outer flow path.
• the flow path through the filter requires a larger flow passage area than the free flow passage area.
• the valve comprises a first unit and a second unit rotatable in relation to each other and adjacent to each other, which first unit comprises an even number of sections distributed in the circumferential direction, each section comprising a wall member and an opening, where in every second section the opening is situated radially outside the wall member and in every second section the I opening is situated radially inside the wall member, and which second unit comprises an even number of portions distributed in the circumferential direction, where every second portion consists of a fully covering wall and every second consists of an opening.
• first unit comprises an even number of sections distributed in the circumferential direction, each section comprising a wall member and an opening, where in every second section the opening is situated radially outside the wall member and in every second section the I opening is situated radially inside the wall member
• second unit comprises an even number of portions distributed in the circumferential direction, where every second portion consists of a fully covering wall and every second consists of an opening.
• the number of sections is eight or greater and the number of portions equal to the number of sections, and each section and each portion being of substantially triangular shape and each opening and each wall member being of substantially triangular or trapezoidal shape.
• each of said units is of conical shape. Thereby, walls are obtained that are obliquely directed in the direction of flow, which decreases the flow resistance of the valve.
• the object set-up has been attained by the fact that a method of the kind defined in the preamble of claim 7 comprises the particular measures of directing the flow of the tidal air by means of a rotary valve through the housing to either of two flow paths through the housing, where one of them entails that the air is directed to flow through the filter and the other entails that the air does not flow through the filter.
• a method of the kind defined in the preamble of claim 7 comprises the particular measures of directing the flow of the tidal air by means of a rotary valve through the housing to either of two flow paths through the housing, where one of them entails that the air is directed to flow through the filter and the other entails that the air does not flow through the filter.
• the same is exercised while using the invented device.
• Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a first embodiment example of the invention.
• Figure 2 is a section through a first detail in the device in figure 1.
• Figure 3 is a section through a first detail in the device in figure 1.
• Figures 4 and 5 illustrate co-operation between the details in figures 2 and 3 in two different positions.
• Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of additional embodiment examples of the invention.
• Figure 8 is an exploded view of the device according to figure 6.
• Figure 9 is a perspective view from the inside of the housing of a detail in figure 8 illustrating a first valve position.
• Figure 10 is a perspective view corresponding to that of figure 14 but illustrating a second valve position.
• FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a schematic illustration of an embodiment example of the invention.
• the housing is composed of a first member 42 and a second member 43, each of which is connected to a respirator 6 and a patient pipe 7, respectively, by means of an opening 46 and 47, respectively.
• the housing members 42 and 43 are rotatable in relation to each other, and in the right housing member 43, the filter 44 is arranged.
• the same is formed as a hollow cylinder having a through hole 45.
• a first plate 48 is fixedly connected to the housing member 42, and a second plate 49 is fixedly connected to the housing member 43.
• Each plate is provided with openings arranged so that when the plates are in a first rotational position in relation to each other, a flow path through the filter 44 is formed while flow through the central hole 45 is blocked. In a second rotational position, the openings end up in such a position that a flow path through the central hole 45 is formed while the flow through the filter 44 is blocked.
• Figure 2 is a section through the plate 48 in the left housing member 42.
• the plate 48 is composed of eight portions, each of which constituting a segment of 45°. Every second portion 50 entirely consists of a wall constituting a part of the plate. Every second portion 51 substantially consists of an opening.
• Figure 3 is a corresponding section through the plate 49 in the right housing member 43.
• the plate 49 is composed of eight sections, each of which constituting a segment of 45°.
• Every second section 52 is composed of a radially inner part that consists of a wall 54 and a radially outer part that consists of an opening 55.
• Every second section 53 is composed of a radially inner part that consists of an opening 56 and a radially outer part that consists of a wall 57.
• the plates 48, 49 are located so that the portions 51 and the sections 52 cover each other and the portions 50 and the sections 53 cover each other. Thereby, a pattern of overlapping openings and walls arises, which is illustrated in figure 4, where the shaded parts indicate wall.
• flow path is established through the radially outer the part, i.e., through the filter 44 (figure 1).
• the plates 48, 49 are located so that the portions 51 and the sections 57 cover each other and the portions 50 and the sections 52 cover each other.
• a pattern of overlapping openings and walls arises, which is illustrated in figure 5, where the shaded portions indicate wall.
• flow path is established through the radially inner part, i.e., through the hole 45 (figure 1 ).
• the plates 48 and 49 may advantageously be replaced by conical elements having the corresponding orientation of openings and wall members. Figures 6-10 illustrate different examples of such an embodiment.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Pulmonology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• Emergency Medicine (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Anesthesiology (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Emergency Management (AREA)
• Respiratory Apparatuses And Protective Means (AREA)
• Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
• Prostheses (AREA)
• Drying Of Gases (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=29707874

Family Applications (1)

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• 2003
  • 2003-11-10 SE SE0302959A patent/SE526142C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2004
  • 2004-11-02 CN CNA2004800331140A patent/CN1878589A/zh active Pending
  • 2004-11-02 WO PCT/US2004/036596 patent/WO2005047797A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2004-11-02 JP JP2006539625A patent/JP2007510505A/ja active Pending
  • 2004-11-02 EP EP04810261A patent/EP1689475A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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