US 9,956,371 B2 · Ventilator with integrated cough-assist

Abstract

A ventilator with an integrated cough assist for use with a patient circuit in fluid communication with a patient connection of a patient, and operable in a ventilation mode and in a cough-assist mode. The ventilator includes a user input for switching operation from ventilation mode to cough-assist mode without disconnecting the ventilator from the patient, and a controller operable in response to the user input and controlling operation of the ventilator in cough-assist mode to provide for at least one cough assist to the patient having an insufflation phase followed by an exsufflation phase. A cough-assist valve in a first state for the insufflation phase communicates a positive pressure to the ventilator connection and in a second state for the exsufflation phase communicates a negative pressure to the ventilator connection.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A ventilator with an integrated cough assist for use with a patient circuit in fluid communication with a patient connection of a patient, the ventilator being operable in a ventilation mode and in a cough-assist mode, the ventilator comprising:

a ventilator connection to which the patient circuit is connectable for fluid communication therewith;
a controller configured to switch the ventilator from operation in the ventilation mode to operation in the cough-assist mode and to control operation of the ventilator in cough-assist mode to provide for at least one cough assist to the patient having an insufflation phase followed by an exsufflation phase;
a blower having an inlet and an outlet;
and
a cough-assist valve coupled to the blower and the controller, and the cough-assist valve being configured to move between (a) a first position that fluidically connects the outlet of the blower to the ventilator connection such that gas flows from the blower to the ventilator connection for the insufflation phase of the cough assist and (b) a second position that fluidically connects the inlet of the blower to the ventilator connection such that gas flows from the ventilator connection to the blower for the exsufflation phase of the cough assist.

2 more elements

a controller controlling operation of the ventilator in the cough-assist mode to provide for at least one cough assist to the patient having an insufflation phase followed by an exsufflation phase;
a ventilator connection to which the patient circuit is connectable for fluid communication therewith;
a ventilator subsystem directing a flow of ventilation air to the ventilator connection for delivery to the patient in the ventilation mode;
a compressor having a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet, the compressor being operable to accelerate gaseous fluid input to the compressor inlet and deliver the accelerated gaseous fluid out the compressor outlet;
and a cough-assist valve which is in a first state for the insufflation phase of the cough assist and then moved to a second state for the exsufflation phase of the cough assist, when the cough-assist valve is in the first state for the insufflation phase of the cough assist, the cough-assist valve directs a flow of air to the compressor inlet and directs the flow of the accelerated air from the compressor outlet to the ventilator connection for delivery to the patient, and when the cough-assist valve is in the second state for the exsufflation phase of the cough assist, the cough-assist valve directs the flow of exsufflation gases from the patient to the compressor inlet and exhausts the flow of the accelerated exsufflation gases from the compressor outlet.

2 more elements

a controller controlling operation of the ventilator in the cough-assist mode to provide for at least one cough assist to the patient having an insufflation phase followed by an exsufflation phase;
a ventilator connection to which the patient circuit is connectable for fluid communication therewith;
a ventilator portion directing a flow of ventilation air to the ventilator connection for delivery to the patient in the ventilation mode;
a compressor having a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet, the compressor being operable to accelerate gaseous fluid input to the compressor inlet and deliver the accelerated gaseous fluid out the compressor outlet;
and a cough-assist valve which is in a first state for the insufflation phase of the cough assist and then moved to a second state for the exsufflation phase of the cough assist, the cough-assist valve comprising:
a first chamber;
a second chamber;
a third chamber;
a valve air intake aperture in fluid communication with a supply of air;
a valve exhaust outlet aperture;
a valve-to-compressor outlet aperture in fluid communication with the compressor input;
a compressor-to-valve inlet aperture in fluid communication with the compressor output;
a first aperture through which the first chamber and second chamber are in fluid communication;
a second aperture through which the second chamber and third chamber are in fluid communication;
a third aperture in fluid communication with the ventilator connection;
a first valve member movable between a first position closing the first aperture and a second position closing the valve air intake aperture;
a second valve member movable between a first position closing the valve exhaust outlet aperture and a second position closing the second aperture;
when the cough-assist valve is in the first state for the insufflation phase of the cough assist, the first valve member is in the first valve member first position, and the second valve member is in the second valve member first position;
when the cough-assist valve is in the second state for the exsufflation phase of the cough assist, the first valve member is in the first valve member second position, and the second valve member is in the second valve member second state;
and
a valve actuator configured to move the first and second valve members to their first positions for the insufflation phase of the cough assist and to move the first and second valve members to their second positions for the exsufflation phase of the cough assist.

18 more elements

a controller controlling operation of the ventilator in the cough-assist mode to provide for at least one cough assist to the patient having an insufflation phase followed by an exsufflation phase;
a ventilator connection to which the patient circuit is connectable for fluid communication therewith;
a ventilator portion directing a flow of ventilation air to the ventilator connection for delivery to the patient in the ventilation mode;
a compressor having a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet, the compressor being operable to accelerate gaseous fluid input to the compressor inlet and deliver the accelerated gaseous fluid out the compressor outlet;
and a cough-assist valve which is in a first state for the insufflation phase of the cough assist and then moved to a second state for the exsufflation phase of the cough assist, the cough-assist valve comprising:
a valve air intake in fluid communication with a supply of air;
a valve exhaust outlet;
a valve-to-compressor outlet in fluid communication with the compressor input;
a compressor-to-valve inlet in fluid communication with the compressor output;
a first valve member movable between a first valve member first position and a first valve member second position;
a second valve member movable between a second valve member first position and a second valve member second position;
a third aperture in fluid communication with the ventilator connection;
when the cough-assist valve is in the first state for the insufflation phase of the cough assist, the first valve member is in the first valve member first position permitting the flow of air from the supply of air entering the valve air intake to flow through the valve-to-compressor outlet and enter the compressor inlet while blocking the flow of air entering the valve air intake from flowing directly to the third aperture, and the second valve member is in the second valve member first position permitting the flow of the accelerated air from the compressor outlet entering the compressor-to-valve inlet to flow through the third aperture for flow to the ventilator connection for delivery to the patient while blocking the flow of the accelerated air from the compressor outlet entering the compressor-to-valve inlet from flowing through the valve exhaust outlet;
when the cough-assist valve is in the second state for the exsufflation phase of the cough assist, the first valve member is in the first valve member second position permitting the flow of exsufflation gases from the patient entering the third aperture to flow through the valve-to-compressor outlet and enter the compressor inlet while blocking the flow of exsufflation gases from the patient entering the third aperture from flowing through the valve air intake, and the second valve member is in the second valve member second state permitting the flow of the accelerated exsufflation gases entering the compressor-to-valve inlet to flow through the valve exhaust outlet while blocking the flow of accelerated exsufflation gases entering the compressor-to-valve inlet from flowing to the third aperture;
and
a valve actuator configured to move the first and second valve members to the first and second valve member first positions for the insufflation phase of the cough assist and to move the first and second valve members to the first and second valve member second positions for the exsufflation phase of the cough assist.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ventilator with integrated cough-assist

Life of this patent

Ventilator with integrated cough-assist

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25