Portable Hyperventilation Relieving Device

Abstract

The hyperventilation relieving device includes a carbon dioxide cartridge holding housing and an inhaler tube and valve-supporting head in threaded engagement in such a manner that as they are rotated relative to one another an orifice-defining prong may be forced to puncture the cartridge. Puncturing of the cartridge results in the flow of carbon dioxide to the inhaler tube at a metered rate, which rate is determined by the transverse cross section of the orifice. A manually operated valve mounted on the head may be selectively placed in a first position to permit metered flow of carbon dioxide to the inhaler tube or in a second position to obstruct flow of carbon dioxide from the cartridge. The housing includes safety vent means to automatically bleed all carbon dioxide from the cartridge prior to the housing and head being separated from one another.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

Portable Hyperventilation Relieving Device.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

Numerous persons when subjected to strain or undue stress breathe at a more rapid rate than normal, and as a result their system is subjected to an imbalance of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Such an imbalance results in light-headedness or hyperventilation.

The primary purpose in devising the present invention is to supply a portable hyperventilation relieving device that employs conventional carbon dioxide cartridges as a source of the carbon dioxide, is of a simple mechanical structure, and is convenient and safe to use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A cup-shaped carbon dioxide cartridge holding housing is threadedly connected to a head that supports both a carbon dioxide inhaler tube and a manually operated valve. The head also supports an orifice-defining plate. By rotation of the head and housing relative to one another, a longitudinally apertured prong may be forced to puncture the cartridge. After the cartridge is punctured, carbon dioxide will flow therefrom to the inhaler tube at a metered rate, which rate is determined by the size of the orifice. The valve may be selectively positioned to either permit such flow or obstruct flow of carbon dioxide from the cartridge to the inhaler tube. A particular feature of the invention is that all flow of carbon dioxide to the breather tube or mouthpiece is at a predetermined metered rate. Any danger of the housing and head flying apart due to carbon dioxide remaining in the cartridge as the head and housing are unscrewed from one another is eliminated by such carbon dioxide being automatically vented to the ambient atmosphere prior to such a separation being effected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hyperventilation relieving device;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device with the valve in a carbon dioxide flow-obstruction position; and

FIG. 3 is a second vertical cross sectional view of the device with the valve in a carbon dioxide flow-permitting position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The hyperventilation relieving device A shown in FIG. 1 includes a carbon dioxide inhaler tube or mouthpiece B that is removably connected to a head C. The head C is threadedly connected to an elongate cup-shaped housing D in which a conventional carbon dioxide cartridge E is contained. By rotation of the head C and housing D relative to one another, a longitudinally apertured prong F that is supported in the head C may be moved to puncture a neck portion 10 of cartridge E. After the cartridge E has been punctured, carbon dioxide flows therefrom through an orifice 12 at a metered rate to enter passage means 14 in head C that are in communication with inhaler tube B.

A valve K is mounted on head C, with the valve, when in a first position, obstructing the flow of carbon dioxide through the passage means 14. When the valve K is moved to a second position, flow of carbon dioxide may take place through passage means 14 at a metered rate to inhaler tube B. The housing D has at least one opening 16 therein that is so disposed that carbon dioxide above atmospheric pressure within the confines of the housing is automatically vented to the ambient atmosphere prior to the head C and housing D being unscrewed from one another.

In detail, it will be seen that the inhaler tube B has a first end 18 on which an oval shaped, outwardly projecting bead 20 is defined that may be easily engaged by the lips (not shown) of the user. The second end portion 22 of inhaler tube B is in the form of a circular boss of smaller transverse cross section than the body of inhaler tube B adjacent thereto. Boss 22 at the junction with inhaler tube B defines a body shoulder 24. The boss 22 on the outer extremity thereof includes an end piece 26 in which an opening 28 is formed that is of substantially greater transverse cross section than that of orifice 12.

Head C is formed from a rigid material and includes a first end 30, as may be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, and a second end portion 32. The second end portion 32 is of circular transverse cross section and of smaller transverse area than the balance of the head. The second end portion 32 and the portion 34 of the head thereabove cooperate to define a body shoulder 36 at their junction, as may best be seen in FIG. 3.

Housing D, as previously mentioned, is of cup-shape configuration and includes a cylindrical side wall 38 and end wall 40. The interior surface of side wall 38 adjacent the open end thereof has first threads 42 formed therein. First threads 42 are engaged by second threads 44 defined on the exterior surface of second end portion 32.

Head portion 34, as best seen in FIG. 3, has a first transverse cavity 46 therein that is frictionally engaged by second end portion 22 of the inhaler tube B. A second cavity 48 extends upwardly in second end portion 32 and snugly engages the neck portion 10 of cartridge E, which neck portion is of tapered configuration. A groove 50 extends outwardly from second cavity 48. The groove 50 supports a resilient ring 52 that is in sealing contact with neck portion 10 when the head C and housing D are in full threaded engagement.

The second cavity 48 is in communication with a first tapped bore 54 that is engaged by the externally threaded prong F, as shown in FIG. 3. The prong F projects downwardly into second cavity 48 and punctures the cartridge neck portion 10 as the head C and housing D are screwed together to the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The passage means 14, as may be seen in FIG. 3, include axially aligned second and third bores 56 and 58, and a fourth transverse bore 60 that is in communication with a third tapped cavity 62 shown in FIG. 3. Second bore 56 at the junctions with first bore 54 and third bore 58 defines first and second ring-shaped body shoulders 64 and 66, respectively.

An orifice plate P is gripped between the upper end of prong F and second body shoulder 64, as shown in FIG. 3. Valve K includes a manually rotatable handle 67 that has a depending externally threaded boss 68 formed as a part thereof, and the boss developing into a stem 70 that extends into third bore 58. The threaded boss 68 engages the third tapped cavity 62 as shown in FIG. 3. Stem 70 has a transverse circumferential groove 72 in the portion thereof most adjacent second body shoulder 66, and the groove supporting a resilient sealing ring 74. The sealing ring 74, when not compressed, is radially spaced from the interior surface of third bore 58. When handle 67 is rotated in the appropriate direction the stem moves from the second position shown in FIG. 3 to the first position illustrated in FIG. 2. When valve K is in the first position, the sealing ring 74 is compressed and pressure contacts second shoulder 66 and a section of the side wall of third bore 58 to obstruct flow of carbon dioxide from cartridge E to inhaler tube B.

The stem 70 has a circumferential slot 76 therein that is engaged by the inner end of a set screw 78, which screw also engages a fourth transverse tapped bore 80 formed in head portion 34. The slot 76 is of substantially greater width than the inner end of screw 78, and permits the valve member K to be selectively rotated to either the first or second position. Screw 78, due to engaging slot 76, prevents valve member K from being inadvertently unscrewed from head C.

The threads 42 are of such depth that they remain in engagement with threads 44 until the seal between ring 50 and cartridge neck 10 is broken as the head C and housing D are unscrewed from one another. Breaking of the above-identified seal permits any carbon dioxide remaining in cartridge E under pressure to flow automatically into the interior of housing D and escape to the ambient atmosphere through the vent opening 16. Thus, the possibility of the head C and housing D flying apart due to pressurized carbon dioxide as they are separated is eliminated.

The use and operation of the device is extremely simple. Valve K is placed in the first position shown in FIG. 2. A sealed cartridge of carbon dioxide E is placed in housing D and the head C is then screw connected to the housing. The housing D and head C are now rotated relative to one another until prong F punctures cartridge neck 10. When the device is desired to be used, the valve member K is rotated to the second position to permit carbon dioxide to flow to the inhaler tube B that has the first end engaged by the lips (not shown) of the user. Flow of carbon dioxide to the inhaler tube B is at a metered rate, which rate is determined by the size of the orifice 12. Openings 82 may be formed in inhaler tube B to permit air to flow inwardly therethrough to mix with carbon dioxide in the inhaler tube, prior to the carbon dioxide being inhaled by the user. When it is desired to separate the head C from housing D to insert a new cartridge E of carbon dioxide in the housing, the above-described procedure is simply reversed.

In FIG. 3 it will be noted that the orifice 12 is in communication with an aperture 84 that extends longitudinally through prong F. After cartridge E is punctured, carbon dioxide is at all times free to flow from the cartridge through aperture 84 and orifice 12 to the passage means 14. Flow of carbon dioxide from passage means 14 to inhaler tube B may occur only when valve K is in an open position as shown in FIG. 3.

Claims

We claim:

1. A portable hyperventilation relieving device that uses a sealed cartridge of liquid carbon dioxide having a puncturable neck portion, said device when in use providing a stream of gaseous carbon dioxide at a predetermined metered rate that is independent of the size of the puncture in said neck portion, said device including:

a. an elongate cup shaped housing having an open end in which said cartridge is disposed with said neck portion adjacent said open end, said housing having first threads defined thereon adjacent said open end;

b. a rigid head that has a first end, a second end portion on which second threads are defined and rotatably engage said first threads and a side wall extending between said first end and second end portion, a first cavity that extends inwardly from said sidewall and communicates with a first inwardly extending passage, a second cavity that extends inwardly in said second end portion to communicate with a first tapped bore from which a second axially aligned bore extends to communicate with a third axially aligned bore that is in communication with said first passage and in communication with a third tapped cavity that extends inwardly from said first end, said second bore and first and third bores at their intersections defining first and second circular body shoulders;

c. a handle that includes a cylindrical externally threaded base that extends outwardly therefrom and rotatably engages said third tapped cavity, and a stem of less transverse cross section than that of said third bore that is axially aligned with said base and extends outwardly therefrom, said stem disposed in said third bore and cooperating therewith to define an annulus shaped space that is at all times in communication with said first passage;

d. first sealing means on said second end portion that seal with the external surface of said neck portion after said first and second threads have been brought into rotatable engagement, with said rotatable engagement removably securing said housing to said head;

e. an orifice defining plate disposed in said first tapped bore and in abutting contact with said first body shoulder, with the size of the orifice in said plate determining the rate at which carbon dioxide gas discharging from said cylinder can flow through said annulus shaped space and passage to said first cavity;

f. second sealing means on said stem that may be brought into pressure sealing contact with said second body shoulder to obstruct flow of carbon dioxide gas between said cylinder and said annulus shaped space when said handle is rotated relative to said head in an appropriate direction;

g. an externally threaded prong that engages said first tapped bore and bears against said orifice defining plate, said prong including a piercing portion that extends into said second cavity and punctures said neck portion after said head and housing have been screwed together, said prong having a longitudinal passage therein communicating with said orifice and aligned with said carbon dioxide cartridge through which carbon dioxide gas flows from said cylinder to said orifice after said neck portion has been punctured;

h. a breather tube having first and second end portions, said first end portion being engageable by the mouth of the user, and said second end portion removably engaging said first cavity;

i. vent means in said housing for discharging carbon dioxide gas inside said housing that is at greater than atmospheric pressure to the ambient atmosphere after said housing and head have been unscrewed from one another to the extent that said first sealing means is moved out of sealing contact with said neck portion; and

j. first means that permit said handle to be rotated to move said second sealing means into and out of sealing contact with said second body shoulder but prevents said handle being inadvertently rotated out of engagement with said head.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the neck portion of said cartridge is less than that of the interior of said housing and cooperates with said housing to define a confined space, and said vent means is at least one transverse bore in said housing that at all times maintains communication between said confined space and the ambient atmosphere.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the free end of said stem has a circumferential recess defined therein and said second sealing means is a resilient O-ring mounted in said recess, and said breather tube having at least one transverse opening therein through which air from the ambient atmosphere may flow to mix with carbon dioxide in said breather tube prior to said carbon dioxide being inhaled by the user of said device.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said second cavity has a groove extending outwardly therefrom, and said first sealing means is a resilient O-ring mounted in said groove.

5. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said first means includes:

k. an elongate externally threaded member that engages a fourth transverse tapped bore that extends inwardly from said sidewall to said third bore, said threaded member including an inner end portion disposed in said third bore that at all times is in engagement with a circumferential groove on said stem that is of sufficient longitudinal length as to permit said second sealing means to move into and out of sealing contact with said second body shoulder by rotation of said handle relative to said head.