U.S. patent application number 11/635338 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-26 for portable continuous positive airway pressure system.
Invention is credited to Leslie Hoffman.
Application Number | 20070089743 11/635338 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37033956 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070089743 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hoffman; Leslie |
April 26, 2007 |
Portable continuous positive airway pressure system
Abstract
A portable, wearable vest supports an air supply tube to a
patient mask or interface in a continuous positive air pressure
system. In one embodiment, the vest contains and supports motor and
battery components. In another embodiment, the vest couples a
remote CPAP unit to a patient interface.
Inventors: |
Hoffman; Leslie; (Tarzana,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BECK AND TYSVER P.L.L.C.
2900 THOMAS AVENUE SOUTH
SUITE 100
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55416
US
|
Family ID: |
37033956 |
Appl. No.: |
11/635338 |
Filed: |
December 7, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11128552 |
May 13, 2005 |
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11635338 |
Dec 7, 2006 |
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60664108 |
Mar 22, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
128/204.18 ;
128/205.22 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 16/06 20130101;
A61M 2205/8206 20130101; A61M 16/021 20170801; A61M 16/00 20130101;
A61M 16/0057 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
128/204.18 ;
128/205.22 |
International
Class: |
A61M 16/00 20060101
A61M016/00 |
Claims
1. A portable wearable continuous positive air-pressure system of
the type used for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and
other disorders by a patient comprising: a blower unit housing
having an air inlet and having an outlet to provide output air at a
pressure of between 5 and 15 cm water; brushless DC motor elements
coupled to an impeller wheel located within said blower unit
housing supplying air to an outlet from an inlet; said brushless DC
motor elements coupled to a motor control unit; a battery pack
coupled to the control unit, the control unit having motor control
functions; and a compliant hose coupled to an interface positioned
on the face of the patient, said hose coupled to said outlet,
whereby air is transferred from said blower to the patient; said
blower unit, motor and battery pack being disposed within a
wearable vest.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/664,108, filed Mar. 22, 2005, and is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/128,552, filed
May 13, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is widely
known. This therapy is predominately used to treat obstructive
sleep apnea (OSA), as well as other disorders. CPAP therapy is used
to deliver pressurized air, to a patient's airway. In general,
conventional CPAP systems include a bedside "generator" that
operates off either wall current or a large external battery. This
generator is a blower or pump that creates a supply of pressurized
air. A physician would typically prescribe a maximum CPAP in the
range of 5-15 cm of water to treat the disorder. For patient
comfort, the generator device may "ramp up" to the prescribed
pressure over a period of several minutes.
[0003] The bedside generator is connected to the patient via a long
flexible hose that transports the pressurized air from the
generator to an interface worn by the patient. The term of art in
this industry for the mask-like portion of the system is
"interface" and the term is generic for oral, oral-nasal, or nasal
designs. There are a wide variety of interfaces that are used and
preferred by patients. It is important that the interface fit the
patient securely to deliver pressurized air without substantial
leakage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention is a portable CPAP unit that
integrates a blower unit into a vest worn by the patient. In
general the vest is relatively thick and made of foam covered with
a cloth material. In one embodiment the vest provides space to
house both the air handling system, power supply and control
electronics in a balanced arrangement around the neck.
[0005] The vest includes a collar portion that is worn around the
neck. The collar portion connects with first and second extended
panel portions carried over the shoulder onto the chest of the
user. The vest is shaped such that its profile adjacent the
patient's neck fits within the contours of the patient's neck and
is sized so that it does not protrude beyond planes defined by the
patient's body.
[0006] In one preferred embodiment the vest contains a blower unit.
The blower unit includes a clamshell housing defining a complex air
path for a motor/impeller unit that is also contained within the
clamshell housing. The motor/impeller unit and its associated
diffuser housing are mechanically isolated from the clamshell
housing, and together they form the blower unit.
[0007] A motor control unit and battery pack are placed within the
vest to create a self-contained portable wearable CPAP device for
treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other disorders.
[0008] In an alternate embodiment the vest itself is coupled to the
remote air pressure generator and it serves to transfer air from
the generator to the interface. In this embodiment the vest serves
to decouple the user and most importantly the nasal interface from
the remote generator. It has been found that decoupling the mask
improves acceptance of the therapy and in this embodiment the vest
allows air to pass through the vest from the generator to the
interface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Throughout several figures identical reference numerals
refer to identical structure wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a patient, lying down,
wearing the wearable CPAP unit;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a patient wearing the
portable CPAP unit;
[0012] FIG. 3 is an isometric view showing the orientation,
relationship and position of various elements of the wearable CPAP
unit;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the impeller diffuser inlet
and outlet portion of the device;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of an alternate
embodiment;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a view of an interface particularly suited for use
in the system; and
[0016] FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the
cannulas of the interface of FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] FIG. 1 shows the general configuration of a portable
self-contained wearable CPAP vest 14 being worn by a patient or
user 10 who is depicted in a supine position on a bed 11 with a
pillow 16 under his head.
[0018] The vest 14 has a rounded neck portion or collar 30
positioned at the nape of the neck of the user. The collar 30
connects with and flares out onto a first panel 26 and a second
panel 28 that lie over the chest of the user 10. Each panel 26, 28
has a lower edge 29, 31, respectively, and an inner edge 33, 35,
respectively. The optimal size and shape of the collar 30 and the
panels 26 and 28 will depend upon the stature of the user 10. In
general, it is desirable that the cross-section of the collar 30
proximate the neck of the user be of reduced cross-section or
diameter, and have a contoured shape such that it fits within the
nape of the neck and does not act as a "pillow" or interfere with
the patient's actual pillow 16 when the patient 10 reclines. This
relationship is depicted in FIG. 2 which shows a supine patient 10
and an associated plane 32 defined by and extending from the back
of the head to the shoulder blades. It is preferred to have the
collar 30 not completely fill the nape of the neck so that the
collar 30 does not touch or extend beyond the plane 32 toward the
bed 11.
[0019] Returning to FIG. 1, it is also preferred to have the
exterior edges of the panel portions 26 and 28 lie within the
shoulder-width of the patient and within the head-to-shoulder plane
identified by reference numeral 34 in FIG. 1. It has been found
that when these several conditions are met the patient 10 may rest
on his side and roll over in his sleep with the head and shoulders
in a natural posture. When appropriately sized, the collar 30 and
panels 26, 28 do not interfere with the comfort of the patient.
These geometric and dimensional attributes define the shape of a
vest 14 that may be worn unobtrusively during sleep. It has been
found that these design attributes associated with these
cross-sectional areas and bulk of the panels are designed not to
interfere with patient comfort.
[0020] Also shown in FIG. 1, the connection hose 22 couples the
vest 14 to a user interface or mask 24. The mask 24 serves as an
air delivery device and other interfaces may be readily substituted
within the context of the invention. The proximal end of the hose
22 couples to one panel portion 26 of the vest 14 at an outlet 20.
In operation, air entering the vest via inlet 18 is pressurized
within the vest 14 and transferred to the hose 22 and thence to the
mask 24 or other interface structure.
[0021] The distal ends of the panels 26 and 28 may be connected
together by a clasp 27 or other device to keep the vest oriented on
the patient. In a similar fashion the panels may be fixed to the
clothing of the user 10 by structures (not shown) to maintain
orientation of the panels 26, 28 with respect to the chest of the
user.
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a blower unit housing 40 in panel 26 of the
vest 14. This blower unit housing 40 contains within it, a
motor/impeller and associated diffuser scroll unit 42. Many
mechanical features and structures and relationships further
described, have been found to be effective in suppressing noise
generated by the pressurization of air within the vest 14. These
features are described in connection with FIG. 4. In general the
blower unit housing 40 and motor/impeller unit have together
several attributes that will, in combination, produce a very quiet
blower that is believed to be an important characteristic for
acceptance of the vest by the user. It is advantageous for the
motor impeller unit to use very low power to allow portable battery
operation and to prevent excessive heat build up in the device or
in air exiting the device.
[0023] The second panel 28 of the vest 14 contains a battery pack
36 coupled to an electronic motor control unit 38. The battery pack
36 being compact in nature and has sufficient capacity to operate
the vest 14 for periods of time approximating ten hours or so.
Buttons (not shown) on the control unit 38 are exteriorized for use
by the patient 10. The control unit 38 carries motor control
functions (e.g. an on/off switch) and a charging receptacle or jack
to permit the patient 10 to recharge the battery pack 36.
[0024] The partitioning of the battery pack 36, control unit 38 and
blower unit housing 40 is intended to equalize the weight of the
side panels 26 and 28 to make them roughly equivalent, which helps
maintain the vest 14 in position on the wearer or user 10. To
achieve this result, it is permissible to reorganize the
distribution of weight throughout the vest and it is anticipated
that the battery pack may be split or placed elsewhere in the vest
10. Electrical connections, not shown to simplify the figure, are
buried within the foam of the vest 10 and connect the control unit
38 with the battery pack 36 and the motor within the blower unit
housing 40.
[0025] It is preferred, but not essential, that the motor blower
unit 40 exhaust its output to a location near the center line of
the patient 10. A short hose 22 couples the outlet 20 to a user
interface or distribution device, such as a mask 24 (shown in FIG.
1) or nasal cannula (not shown) to provide CPAP flow to the
patient's airways. A short light hose 22 produces less pull on the
mask 24 or interface worn by the patient promoting less movement of
the mask on the patient face with subsequently a better seal. Also,
not being connected to a bed-side CPAP unit provides freedom of
movement for the patient.
[0026] It is also preferred, but not essential, to have the air
inlet 18 for the blower unit housing 40 near the bottom of one
side, or adjacent one panel, of the vest 14 as seen with reference
to inlet 18 on FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. This location directs noise away
from patient and bed partner and is generally unobstructed during
sleep for most patients. Other alternative locations are
contemplated including connections on the upper surface of the
collar or panel away from the patient.
[0027] It is the applicants' view that acceptance of a portable
CPAP unit depends in large measure upon suppressing to the extent
possible noise created by the motor blower unit. The existence of a
loud motor next to the patient would be disconcerting and
uncomfortable, and thereby may reduce usage, so every effort is
made and a substantial effort is directed to designing the motor to
suppress sound described in connection with FIG. 4.
[0028] In FIG. 4, the blower unit housing 40 is shown with a
cross-section taken at line 4-4 in FIG. 3. This figure depicts the
motor/impeller and associated scroll housing 42 contained within
the blower housing 40. The clamshell housing 40 defines a
labyrinthine air path between an inlet 18 to the motor/impeller
unit inlet annulus 54. The motor/impeller and scroll unit 42
accelerate the airflow and increase the kinetic energy in the
airflow. The diffuser scroll is formed integrally with the motor
and it serves to convert the kinetic energy to a static pressure
delivered to the outlet 20 that is also the end of the "scroll"
passage shown as the short tube 21.
[0029] DC brushless motor elements are adjacent to the impeller
wheel 55. The impeller wheel 55 is supported cantilever fashion on
an axle by two bearings 53 and 57, each of which is below the
impeller 55. The motor elements, impeller 55, and diffuser scroll
42 form an independent mechanical unit that is isolated from the
blower housing 40. It may be suspended by or mounted on a foam pad
or a set of rubber standoffs (not shown). Thus, the motor/impeller
elements lie within a "cocoon" like chamber 58 and are mechanically
isolated from the remainder of the blower unit 40.
[0030] Returning to the blower housing 40 the preferred
construction is a clamshell with a top 44 or lid fitting on top of
a lower 46 clamshell portion. The housing is lined with a foam and
it has a complex passage diverting air flowing along path 60
through two ninety degree turns depicted in the figure by flow
arrows 62 and 64 to turn the airflow through a tortuous path to the
inlet annulus 54 of the impeller 55. As the airflow approaches the
annulus 54 it passes over a first annular baffle 48 and then a
second annular baffle 50. These baffles help suppress the radiation
or conduction of noise emanating from the motor/impeller.
[0031] In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, the vest 14, as
described above, houses and supports operational components such as
the blower unit housing 40 with motor impeller and scroll unit 42,
the battery pack 36 and the control unit 38. In addition, the vest
14 supports the hose 22 that carries air from the operational
components to the user interface 24. One of the advantages achieved
by this arrangement over the conventional bedside CPAP machine is
that forces that tend to pull a mask away from a patient's nose and
mouth are significantly reduced. Thus, the "head gear" required to
hold the interface to the patient's face need not be elaborate. The
embodiment of FIG. 1 lacks the conventional straps used to secure
the interface to the face. The vest is very stable in position on
the patient and most patient motion does not result in significant
forces applied to the mask or interface. If the compliant tube 22
is biased toward the face, then a force is generated to retain the
interface on the face.
[0032] FIG. 5 depicts an alternative embodiment where a user
interface 105 connects via a vest 114 to a traditional bedside CPAP
unit 115. The vest 114 supports a hose section 120 between the vest
114 and the CPAP unit 115. In addition, the vest 114 supports a
hose section 125 between the vest 114 and the user interface 105.
Hose sections 120 and 125 are in fluid communication, and may be
continuous or may be in discrete sections, to allow air from the
CPAP unit to pass to the user interface 105. The vest may include a
conduit 126 passing from the inside edge 130 of one panel 131 to
the outside edge 132 of the panel 131, with hose section 125
connected to the inside edge and hose section 120 connected to the
outside edge.
[0033] The vest 114 bears and disperses to the patient's torso the
mechanical forces transmitted by the hose section 120, so that
those forces are not transmitted to the hose section 125. In this
manner, the user interface 105 is de-coupled from these forces and
therefore the interface is held in place without significant head
gear. The FIG. 5 embodiment provides no straps to hold the mask in
place. The vest 114 may include operational components, as
described above with respect to the FIG. 1 embodiment, and allow
the user to selectively couple the hose section 125 to the outlet
of the in-vest blower or to the outlet of a conventional bedside
CPAP unit, as desired.
[0034] FIG. 6 shows a nasal mask or interface 200 that uses only
very "light" retention straps 210 to keep the interface 200 on the
face of the user. The mask 200 includes two nasal cannulas 220, 221
which, in use, are inserted into the patient's nostrils. These
cannulas or portals 220, 221 are designed to experience minimal
lateral movement and are stabilized by the mask 200 fitted over the
patient's nose. The mask 200 is sized to cover the patient's nose,
but not the mouth. FIG. 7 illustrates one of the cannulas 220.
* * * * *