Pulmonary interface system

A device for sensing the respiratory air of a patient, comprising:

• a venturi tube including a first open end through which the patient inspires and expires, a second open end, and a constricted portion therebetween, said venturi tube having an inspiration orifice, an expiration orifice, and a central orifice positioned therebetween positioned at said tube constricted portion;
• a flow sensor positioned within said venturi tube to provide air flow data on the respiratory air flowing through said venturi tube;
• a flow direction housing attached to said venturi tube exterior thereof, said housing having a channel with an inspiration portion, an expiration portion and a central portion positioned therebetween, said housing further including an inspiration opening providing communication between said tube inspiration orifice and an end portion of said inspiration channel portion spaced away from said central channel portion, an expiration opening providing communication between said tube expiration orifice and an end portion of said expiration channel portion spaced away from said central channel portion, and a central opening providing communication between said tube central orifice and said central channel portion to cause a flow of a portion of the respiratory air which the patient inspires to pass from said second open end of said venturi tube through said tube inspiration orifice and said housing inspiration opening and to flow through said inspiration channel portion to said housing central opening and said tube central orifice for return to said venturi tube at said tube constricted portion, and a flow of a portion of the respiratory air which the patient expires to pass from said first open end of said venturi tube through said tube expiration orifice and said housing expiration opening and to flow through said expiration channel portion to said housing central opening and said tube central orifice for return to said venturi tube at said tube constricted portion;
• and
• an inspiration air flow direction sensor positioned in said inspiration channel portion and having an output responsive to said flow of said portion of the respiratory air through said inspiration channel portion, and an expiration air flow direction sensor positioned in said expiration channel portion and having an output responsive to said flow of said portion of the respiratory air through said expiration channel portion, said outputs of said inspiration and expiration air flow direction sensors being indicative of whether the respiratory air flowing through said venturi tube is inspired air or expired air.

A device for sensing the respiratory air of a patient, comprising:

• a venturi tube including a first open end through which the patient inspires and expires, a second open end, and a constricted portion therebetween, said venturi tube having an inspiration orifice, an expiration orifice, and a central orifice positioned therebetween positioned at said tube constricted portion;
• a flow sensor positioned within said venturi tube to provide air flow data on the respiratory air flowing through said venturi tube;
• a conduit with an inspiration portion, an expiration portion and a central portion positioned therebetween, said conduit having an inspiration opening providing communication between said tube inspiration orifice and an end portion of said inspiration conduit portion spaced away from said central conduit portion, an expiration opening providing communication between said tube expiration orifice and an end portion of said expiration conduit portion spaced away from said central conduit portion, and a central opening providing communication between said tube central orifice and said central conduit portion to cause a flow of a portion of the respiratory air which the patient inspires to pass from said second open end of said venturi tube through said tube inspiration orifice and said conduit inspiration opening and to flow through said inspiration conduit portion to said conduit central opening and said tube central orifice for return to said venturi tube at said tube constricted portion, and a flow of a portion of the respiratory air which the patient expires to pass from said first open end of said venturi tube through said tube expiration orifice and said conduit expiration opening and to flow through said expiration conduit portion to said conduit central opening and said tube central orifice for return to said venturi tube at said tube constricted portion;
• and
• an inspiration air flow direction sensor positioned in said inspiration conduit portion and having an output responsive to said flow of said portion of the respiratory air through said inspiration conduit portion, and an expiration air flow direction sensor positioned in said expiration conduit portion and having an output responsive to said flow of said portion of the respiratory air through said expiration conduit portion, wherein the respiratory air flowing through said venturi tube can be determined to be inspired air or expired air from said outputs of said inspiration and expiration air flow direction sensors.

A device for sensing the direction of flow of a gas, comprising:

• a venturi tube including a first open end, a second open end, and a constricted midportion therebetween, the gas being able to flow in a first direction from said first open end to said second open end and in a second direction from said second open end to said first open end, said venturi tube having a first orifice, a second orifice, and a central orifice positioned therebetween at said tube midportion;
• a flow direction housing attached to said venturi tube exterior thereof, said housing having a channel with a first portion, a second portion and a central portion positioned therebetween, said housing further including a first opening aligned with said tube first orifice and in communication with an end portion of said first channel portion spaced away from said central channel portion, a second opening aligned with said tube second orifice and in communication with an end portion of said second channel portion spaced away from said central channel portion, and a central opening aligned with said tube central orifice and in communication with said central channel portion to cause a flow of a portion of the gas flowing in said first direction to pass from said first open end of said venturi tube through said tube first orifice and said housing first opening and to flow through said first channel portion to said housing central opening and said tube central orifice for return to said venturi tube at said tube midportion, and a flow of a portion of the gas flowing in said second direction to pass from said second open end of said venturi tube through said tube second orifice and said housing second opening and to flow through said second channel portion to said housing central opening and said tube central orifice for return to said venturi tube at said tube midportion;
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• a first gas flow direction sensor positioned in said first channel portion and having an output responsive to said flow of said portion of the gas through said first channel portion, and a second gas flow direction sensor positioned in said second channel portion and having an output responsive to said flow of said portion of the gas through said second channel portion, wherein the gas flowing through said venturi tube can be determined to be flowing in said first or second direction by comparing said outputs of said first and second gas flow direction sensors.

A device for sensing the direction of flow of a gas, comprising:

• a venturi tube including a first open end, a second open end, and a constricted portion therebetween, the gas being able to flow in a first direction from said first open end to said second open end and in a second direction from said second open end to said first open end, said venturi tube having a first orifice, a second orifice, and a central orifice positioned at said tube constructed portion therebetween;
• a conduit with a first portion, a second portion and a central portion positioned therebetween, said conduit having a first opening providing communication between said tube first orifice and an end portion of said first conduit portion spaced away from said central conduit portion, a second opening providing communication between said tube second orifice and an end portion of said second conduit portion spaced away from said central conduit portion, and a central opening providing communication between said tube central orifice and said central conduit portion to cause a flow of a portion of the gas flowing in said first direction to pass from said first open end of said venturi tube through said tube first orifice and said conduit first opening and to flow through said first conduit portion to said conduit central opening and said tube central orifice for return to said venturi tube at said tube constricted portion, and a flow of a portion of the gas flowing in said second direction to pass from said second open end of said venturi tube through said tube second orifice and said conduit second opening and to flow through said second conduit portion to said conduit central opening and said tube central orifice for return to said venturi tube at said tube constricted portion;
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• a first gas flow direction sensor positioned in said first conduit portion and having an output responsive to said flow of said portion of the gas through said first conduit portion, and a second gas flow direction sensor positioned in said second conduit portion and having an output responsive to said flow of said portion of the gas through said second conduit portion, wherein the gas flowing through said venturi tube can be determined to be flowing in said first or second direction from said outputs of said first and second gas flow direction sensors.

A device for sensing the direction of flow of a gas, comprising:

• a venturi tube including a first open end, a second open end, and a constricted midportion therebetween, the gas being able to flow in a first direction from said first open end to said second open end and in a second direction from said second open end to said first open end, said venturi tube having a first orifice positioned toward said first open end and a central orifice positioned at said tube midportion;
• a gas flow sensor positioned within said venturi tube to provide a tube gas flow signal indicating gas is flowing through said venturi tube;
• a flow direction housing attached to said venturi tube exterior thereof, said housing having a first opening aligned with said tube first orifice and a central opening aligned with said tube central orifice, said housing further including a channel extending between said housing first opening and said housing central opening to cause a flow of a portion of the gas flowing in said first direction to pass from said first open end of said venturi tube through said tube first orifice and said housing first opening and to flow through said channel to said housing central opening and said tube central orifice for return to said venturi tube at said tube midportion;
• a first gas flow direction sensor positioned in said channel and producing a channel gas flow signal indicating gas is flowing through said channel, wherein said first gas flow direction sensor indicates that gas is flowing through said venturi tube in said first direction;
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• an electronic device receiving said tube gas flow signal and said channel gas flow signal, and determining that the gas is flowing through said venturi tube in said second direction based on the lack of said channel gas flow signal indicating flow in said channel indicative of flow in said venturi tube in said first direction as sensed by said first gas flow direction sensor and the indication of gas flow in said venturi tube by said tube gas flow signal as sensed by said tube gas flow sensor.

A device for sensing the direction of flow of a gas, comprising:

• a venturi tube including a first open end, a second open end, and a constricted portion therebetween, the gas being able to flow in a first direction from said first open end to said second end and in a second direction from said second open end to said first open end, said venturi tube having a first orifice positioned toward said first open end and a central orifice positioned at said tube constricted portion;
• a gas mass flow sensor positioned within said venturi tube to provide a tube gas flow signal indicating gas is flowing through said venturi tube;
• a conduit extending between said tube first orifice and said tube central orifice to cause a flow of a portion of the gas flowing in said first direction to pass from said first open end of said venturi tube through said tube first orifice and said conduit to said tube central orifice for return to said venturi tube at said tube constricted portion;
• a first gas flow direction sensor positioned in said conduit and producing a conduit gas flow signal indicating gas is flowing through said conduit, wherein said first gas flow direction sensor indicates that gas is flowing through said venturi tube in said first direction;
• and
• an electronic device receiving said tube gas flow signal and said conduit gas flow signal, and determining that the gas is flowing through said venturi tube in said second direction based on the lack of said conduit gas flow signal indicating flow in said conduit as sensed by said first gas flow direction sensor and the indication of gas flow in said venturi tube by said tube gas flow signal as sensed by said tube gas flow sensor.

A device for sensing the respiratory air of a patient, comprising:

• a venturi tube including a first open end through which the patient inspires and expires, a second open end, and a constricted portion therebetween, said venturi tube having an inspiration orifice and an expiration orifice;
• a flow sensor positioned within said venturi tube to provide air flow data on the respiratory air flowing through said venturi tube;
• a conduit with an inspiration portion, an expiration portion and a central portion positioned therebetween, said conduit having an inspiration opening providing communication between said tube inspiration orifice and an end portion of said inspiration conduit portion spaced away from said central conduit portion, an expiration opening providing communication between said tube expiration orifice and an end portion of said expiration conduit portion spaced away from said central conduit portion, and a central opening providing communication between a location exterior of said venturi tube and said central conduit portion to cause a flow of a portion of the respiratory air which the patient inspires to pass from said second open end of said venturi tube through said tube inspiration orifice and said conduit inspiration opening and to flow through said inspiration conduit portion to said conduit central opening for delivery to said location exterior of said venturi tube, and a flow of a portion of the respiratory air which the patient expires to pass from said first open end of said venturi tube through said tube expiration orifice and said conduit expiration opening and to flow through said expiration conduit portion to said conduit central opening for delivery to said location exterior of said venturi tube;
• and
• an inspiration air flow direction sensor positioned in said inspiration conduit portion and having an output responsive to said flow of said portion of the respiratory air through said inspiration conduit portion, and an expiration air flow direction sensor positioned in said expiration conduit portion and having an output responsive to said flow of said portion of the respiratory air through said expiration conduit portion, wherein the respiratory air flowing through said venturi tube can be determined to be inspired air or expired air from said outputs of said inspiration and expiration air flow direction sensors.