Passive respiratory therapy device

An oscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy device for use by a patient, the device comprising:

• a housing sized for handling by a patient and defining a patient breathing passage extending from a patient end and through which a patient to be treated inhales and exhales air;
• and
• an interrupter valve assembly carried by the housing and including:
• a control port though which expiratory airflow is released from the patient breathing passage,
• a valve body sized to at least partially obstruct fluid flow through the control port,
• a member having a first end attached to the valve body and a second end opposite the first end, the member being assembled to control a position of the valve body relative to the control port;
• wherein the interrupter valve assembly is configured to operate in response to expiratory airflow from the patient to selectively move the valve body relative to the control port in creating an oscillatory positive expiratory pressure effect, a distance between the second end of the member and the control port remaining fixed during operation of the interrupter valve assembly.

An oscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy device for use by a patient, the device comprising:

• a housing sized for handling by a patient and defining a patient breathing passage extending from a patient end and through which a patient to be treated inhales and exhales air;
• and
• an interrupter valve assembly carried by the housing and including:
• a control port through which expiratory airflow is released from the patient breathing passage,
• a valve body sized to at least partially obstruct fluid flow through the control port,
• a drive mechanism including a component configured to rotate in response to expiratory airflow, wherein the drive mechanism is operable to move the valve body relative to the control port,
• wherein the interrupter valve assembly is configured such that with rotation of the drive mechanism component, the valve body repeatedly transitions between a position of maximum obstruction and a position of minimum obstruction relative to the control port.

A method of providing respiratory therapy to a patient comprising:

• providing a respiratory therapy device including:
• a housing sized for handling by a patient and defining a patient breathing passage extending from a patient end and through which a patient to be treated inhales and exhales air,
• an interrupter valve assembly carried by the housing and including:
• a control port through which expiratory airflow is released from the patient breathing passage,
• a valve body sized to at least partially obstruct fluid flow through the control port,
• a drive mechanism for rotating the valve body relative to the control port in response to expiratory airflow,
• placing the patient end into a mouth of the patient;
• breathing by the patient through the patient end, including inhaling and exhaling,
• wherein expiratory airflow from the patient into the device to acts upon the drive mechanism;
• rotating the valve body relative to the control port by the drive mechanism in response to the expiratory airflow;
• and
• creating an oscillatory positive expiratory pressure effect on the patient with rotation of the valve body.

A method of providing respiratory therapy to a patient comprising:

• providing a respiratory therapy device including:
• a housing sized for handling by a patient and defining a patient breathing passage extending from a patient end and through which a patient to be treated inhales and exhales air,
• an interrupter valve assembly carried by the housing and including:
• a control port through which expiratory airflow is released from the patient breathing passage,
• a valve body sized to at least partially obstruct fluid flow through the control port,
• a drive mechanism for moving the valve body relative to the control port in response to expiratory airflow,
• placing the patient end into a mouth of the patient;
• breathing by the patient through the patient end, including inhaling and exhaling;
• actuating the drive mechanism to create a rotational movement in response to expiratory airflow from the patient;
• moving the valve body relative to the control port with operation of the drive mechanism;
• and
• creating an oscillatory positive expiratory pressure effect on the patient with movement of the valve body.