Methods of powering medical equipment for the treatment of sleep apnea
OwnerIsmael Nieves-Ramírezinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An uninterruptible D.C. battery backup power supply is designed to operate medical respiratory treatment equipment such as a machine for the treatment of sleep apnea. A power supply with D.C. backup consists of a rectifier/charger, a rechargeable battery and a D.C.-to-D.C. converter. The rectifier/charger is connected to the wall outlet providing the D.C. charging capacity as well as the capacity to provide power to the D.C.-to-D.C. converter which provides D.C. power to the equipment being protected during a momentary interruption in the A.C. commercial voltage or a prolonged power outage.
Claims19
A method of operating a machine for the treatment of sleep apnea comprising:
- providing a machine for the treatment of sleep apnea that operates on D.C. power, wherein the machine includes a motor and compressor that are operationally coupled with a mask for delivering pressurized air to a patient;
- providing a power supply system for providing D.C. power to the sleep apnea machine, wherein the power supply system includes:
- an A.C.-to-D.C. converter for receiving an A.C. power input and converting the A.C. power into a D.C. power output;
- a rechargeable battery operationally coupled with the D.C. power output of the A.C.-to-D.C. converter;
- and
- a D.C.-to-D.C. converter operationally coupled with the rechargeable battery and the D.C. power output of the A.C.-to-D.C. converter, wherein the D.C.-to-D.C. converter receives a D.C. voltage within a range having a minimum and a maximum and outputs a D.C. voltage at a fixed level for powering the machine for the treatment of sleep apnea;
- and
- activating an audible alarm sufficient to wake a sleeping patient when the rechargeable battery is nearly depleted and A.C. power to the A.C.-to-D.C. converter fails but not activating the audible alarm when the rechargeable battery is able to provide power sufficient to operate the machine for the treatment of sleep apnea.
A method of operating a machine for the treatment of sleep apnea and especially suited for distinguishing between a short interruption of A.C. power, which does not require alerting a sleeping patient, and a prolonged interruption of A.C. power, which may require alerting a sleeping patient, comprising the steps of:
- providing an A.C.-to-D.C. converter for converting A.C. input power to D.C.;
- providing a rechargeable battery operationally coupled with the A.C.-to-D.C. converter;
- providing a D.C.-to-D.C. converter operationally coupled with the A.C.-to-D.C. converter and the rechargeable battery, wherein the D.C.-to-D.C. converter receives a D.C. voltage within a range having a minimum and a maximum and wherein the range extends over at least two volts and provides an output D.C. voltage at a fixed level;
- providing a machine for the treatment of sleep apnea, wherein the machine is powered by a D.C. voltage and is operationally coupled with the D.C.-to-D.C. converter, wherein when the A.C.-to-D.C. converter receives A.C. input power the machine is powered through the D.C.-to-D.C. converter by the A.C.-to-D.C. converter and wherein when the A.C.-to-D.C. converter does not receive A.C. input power the machine is powered through the D.C.-to-D.C. converter by the rechargeable battery;
- and
- activating an audible alarm sufficient to wake a patient from sleep when an output voltage from the rechargeable battery is approximately at or near the minimum of the range of the D.C.-to-D.C. converter and the A.C.-to-D.C. converter is not receiving A.C. input power but not when the output voltage from the rechargeable battery is substantially above the minimum range of the D.C.-to-D.C. converter and the A.C.-to-D.C. converter is not receiving A.C. input power.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.