# US 10,478,375 B2 · Pulmonary expansion therapy devices

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- Number: US 10,478,375 B2
- Document ID: US10478375B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/865,814
- Filed: 2015-09-25
- Published: 2017-03-30
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-25
- Assignees: Peter Antros
- Applicants: Peter Antros
- Inventors: Peter Antros
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478375B2

## CPC

- A61H 31/02: Iron lungs
- A61B 5/087: Measuring breath flow
- A61H 9/0057: {Suction (suction kneading A61H7/008)}
- A61H 23/004: {With mechanical drive, e.g. spring mechanism or vibrating unit being hit for starting vibration and then applied to the body of a patient}
- A61H 23/02: with electric or magnetic drive
- A61B 5/1072: {measuring distances on the body, e.g. measuring length, height or thickness (A61B5/1076 takes precedence)}
- A61B 2505/01: Emergency care
- A61H 23/006: {Percussion or tapping massage (hand percussion A61H23/06)}
- A61H 31/00: Artificial respiration by a force applied to the chest; Heart stimulation, e.g. heart massage (applying electric currents by contact electrodes for stimulation, e.g. heart pace-makers, A61N1/36 {; teaching or training models, demonstration models for medical purposes G09B23/288})
- A61H 2031/025: {using the same pump for pressure and vacuum, not being driven at the respiratory rate, e.g. blowers}
- A61H 2201/0103: inflatable
- A61H 2201/013: Suction cups
- A61H 2201/0153: hand-held
- A61H 2201/0157: portable
- A61H 2201/1207: with electric or magnetic drive
- A61H 2201/1604: Head
- A61H 2201/1619: Thorax
- A61H 2201/1635: Hand or arm, e.g. handle
- A61H 2201/5007: computer controlled
- A61H 2201/5025: Activation means
- A61H 2201/5071: Pressure sensors
- A61H 2201/5076: Frequency sensors
- A61H 2205/084: Chest
- A61M 16/0006: {with means for creating vibrations in patients' airways}
- A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}

## Abstract

A pulmonary expansion therapy (PXT) device may be a handheld device that covers specific lung fields and may generate negative pressure fields locally. The device also may provide percussion therapy for airway clearance. The PXT may generate a localized negative pressure field non-invasively to the exterior of the chest wall, thereby increasing the functional residual capacity in underlying lung fields. As a result, increased ventilation and perfusion to the targeted internal lung field may be achieved by creating a decrease in the external barometric pressure relative to the more positive intrinsic airway pressures. The PXT device also may improve lung compliance by enabling a medical professional such as a Respiratory Therapist/Care provider to grab and elevate the chest wall to compensate for the dysfunction of the respiratory musculature responsible for lifting the chest wall during normal breathing. In some embodiments, once a targeted functional residual capacity (FRC) has been established, percussion may be applied with increased effectiveness due to greater oscillatory movement of chest wall.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A medical device comprising:
an inflow tube;
an outflow tube;
a shell that houses a negative pressure lumen operatively coupled to the outflow tube and a positive pressure chamber operatively coupled to the inflow tube, wherein the shell is generally contoured to the triangular shape of a single human lung within a chest wall;
a membrane operatively coupled to the negative pressure lumen; and
a handle connected to the shell.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The medical device of claim 1, where the membrane includes a substantially concave suction cup.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The medical device of claim 2, where the suction cup include an aperture that is operatively coupled to the negative pressure lumen.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The medical device of claim 3 further comprising a bicuspid valve disposed between the suction cup and the negative pressure lumen.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The medical device of claim 4, where the membrane include a quick release valve operatively coupled to the inflow tube.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The medical device of claim 1, where the shell is divided into segments including an apex segment, a medial segment, and a lower segment.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The medical device of claim 6, where the apex segment of the shell is substantially triangular.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The medical device of claim 6, further comprising a first positive pressure chamber and a divider block, where the positive pressure chamber is operatively coupled to the apex segment of the membrane, the first positive pressure chamber is operatively coupled to the medial segment of the membrane, and the divider block is disposed in the housing between the positive pressure chamber and the first positive pressure chamber.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The medical device of claim 6, further comprising a variable geometry front support coupled to the apex segment of the shell.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a rotatable handle attached to the inflow tube and the outflow tube, whereby rotation of the handle generates a torque that causes distortion of the membrane.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a first positive pressure chamber, where the positive pressure chamber may be pressurized independently of the first positive pressure chamber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The medical device of claim 1, where the positive pressure chamber includes a percussive diaphragm that transfers a percussive force to the membrane when a pressure in the positive pressure chamber reaches a predetermined level.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of positive pressure chambers including the positive pressure chamber, where the inflow tube includes a plurality of outlets and a plurality of pressure tubes, where each of the plurality of outlets is operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of pressure tubes, wherein each of the plurality of pressure tubes are coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality positive pressure chambers.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The medical device of claim 13, further comprising a control system that can pressurize each of the plurality of positive pressure chambers in a predetermine pattern.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of negative pressure lumens cantilevered to form ribs.

### Claim 16

A medical device comprising:
an inflow tube;
an outflow tube;
a shell that houses a plurality of negative pressure lumens operatively coupled to the outflow tube and a plurality of positive pressure chambers operatively coupled to the inflow tube, wherein the shell is generally contoured to the triangular shape of a single human lung within a chest wall;
a membrane including a plurality of suction cups, each of the plurality of suction cups operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality negative pressure lumens; and
a handle connected to the shell.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The medical device of claim 16, where each of the plurality of positive pressure chambers can be pressurized independently of the other positive pressure chambers, each positive pressure chamber includes a percussive diaphragm that transfers a percussive force to the membrane when a pressure in the positive pressure chamber reaches a predetermined level.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The medical device of claim 17, further comprising a control system that can pressure each of the plurality of positive pressure chambers in a predetermine pattern.

### Claim 19

A medical device comprising:
an inflow tube having a plurality of outlets and a plurality of pressure tubes, where each of the plurality of outlets is operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of pressure tubes;
an outflow tube;
a divider block coupled to the inflow tube and the outflow tube;
a shell that houses a plurality of negative pressure lumens operatively coupled to the outflow tube and a plurality of positive pressure chambers, each of the plurality of positive pressure chambers operatively coupled to a corresponding outlet of the inflow tube, where each of the plurality of positive pressure chambers can be pressurized independently of the other positive pressure chambers;
a membrane having an apex segment, a medial segment, and a lower segment, where each of the apex segment, the medial segment and the lower segment include a plurality of suction cups, each of the plurality of suction cups operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality negative pressure lumens, where the divider block is coupled to the membrane between the apex segment and the medial segment; and
a rotatable handle attached to the inflow tube and the outflow tube, whereby rotation of the handle generates a torque that causes distortion of the membrane.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The medical device of claim 19, further comprising a control system that can pressurize each of the plurality of positive pressure chambers in a predetermine pattern.