VENTURI DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE OXYGEN FRACTION IN RESPIRATORY THERAPIES

Abstract

The invention concerns a Venturi device (1) for delivering oxygen or an air/oxygen mixture comprising a main body (10) with an inner compartment (11) and a Venturi nozzle (20); a rear member (30) with an oxygen inlet (31), air inlets (32) and a mixing chamber (33) for mixing oxygen and air. The rear member (30) is mobile with respect to the main body (10) between a closed position wherein the rear member (30) provides oxygen to the Venturi nozzle (20), and an open position wherein the rear member (30) provides an air/oxygen mixture to the Venturi nozzle (20). The rear member (30) is mobile at least in rotation with respect to the main body (10) for allowing a user to manually select a desired open or closed position, preferably according to a helicoidal motion. Installation (100) for providing oxygen or an air/oxygen mixture to a patient comprising a gas reservoir (101), a flexible hose (103), a respiratory interface (104), a connecting hollow body (102), and such a Venturi device (1).

Claims

1. A Venturi device (1) for delivering oxygen or an air/oxygen mixture comprising: a main body (10) comprising an inner compartment (11) and a Venturi nozzle (20) arranged in said inner compartment (11), a rear member (30) comprising an oxygen inlet (31) for providing oxygen and at least one air inlet (32) for providing air, and a mixing chamber (33) for mixing therein oxygen and air provided by said oxygen inlet (31) and said at least one air inlet (32), said rear member (30) being mobile with respect to the main body (10) between at least: a closed position wherein the rear member (30) provides oxygen to the Venturi nozzle (20), and an open position wherein the rear member (30) provides an air/oxygen mixture to the Venturi nozzle (20), said air/oxygen mixture being obtained in the mixing chamber (33), characterized in that the rear member (30) is mobile at least in rotation with respect to the main body (10) for allowing a user to manually select a desired open or closed position.

2. The Venturi device according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear member (30) is mobile with respect to the main body (10) according to a helicoidal motion.

3. The Venturi device according to claim 1, characterized in that the main body (10) comprises at least one elongated groove (40) and the rear member (30) comprises at least one guiding member (50), or vice versa, said at least one guiding member (50) being inserted into said at least one elongated groove (40) so as to cooperate with said at least one elongated groove (40) for guiding the motion of the rear member (30) with respect to the main body (10), while the rear member (30) is actuated by a user.

4. The Venturi device according to claim 3, characterized in that the main body (10) comprises at least two elongated grooves (40) and the rear member (30) comprises at least two guiding members (50), or vice versa.

5. The Venturi device according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner compartment (11) of the main body (10) comprises an inlet chamber (12) and a gas outlet (13), the inlet chamber (12) of the main body (10) being in fluid communication with the mixing chamber (33) of the rear member (30), and a front portion (30-1) of the rear member (30) is inserted into at least a part (12-1) of the inlet chamber (12) of the main body (10).

6. The Venturi device according to claim 3, characterized in that: the elongated grooves (40) are slots (41) arranged in the peripheral wall (42) of the main body (10), and the guiding members (50) are or comprise protrusions (51) arranged on the outer surface of the rear member (30).

7. The Venturi device according to claim 4, characterized in that each elongated groove (40), in particular each slot (41), comprises a curved linear portion (47) terminated by two end lodgings (46A, 46B) each configured for lodging a guiding member (50) in the open or closed positions.

8. The Venturi device according to claim 7, characterized in that the curved linear portion (47) of each elongated groove (40) is diagonally-arranged in the peripheral wall (42) of the main body (10).

9. The Venturi device according to claim 7, characterized in that each end lodging (46A, 46B) comprises an abutment (45).

10. The Venturi device according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear member (30) comprises an inner conduct element (35) comprising a proximal portion (35-1) comprising an oxygen delivery port (36) and projecting into the mixing chamber (33) of the rear member (30).

11. The Venturi device according to claim 10, characterized in that, in the closed position, the proximal portion (35-1) of the inner conduct element (35) of the rear member (30) is directly fluidly connected to the inner nozzle channel (20-1, 20-2) of the Venturi nozzle (20) for providing oxygen thereto.

12. The Venturi device according to claim 10, characterized in that, in the open position, the proximal portion (35-1) of the inner conduct element (35) of the rear member (30) opens into the mixing chamber (33) of the rear member (30) for providing oxygen therein and obtaining an air/oxygen mixture that is subsequently fed to the inner nozzle channel (20-1, 20-2) of the Venturi nozzle (20).

13. The Venturi device according to claim 4, characterized in that the guiding members (50) and the elongated grooves (40) are configured so that each guiding member (50) travels into one corresponding elongated groove (40), when the rear member (30) is actuated, clockwise or counterclockwise, with respect to the main body (10), or vice versa, by a user.

14. The Venturi device according to claim 7, characterized in that the abutments (45) are configured for maintaining the guiding members (50) in the end lodgings (46A, 46B), in the open or closed positions.

15. An installation (100) for providing oxygen or an air/oxygen mixture to a patient comprising a gas reservoir (101), a flexible hose (103), a respiratory interface (104) and a connecting hollow body (102), the gas reservoir (101) and the flexible hose (103) being fluidly connected to the connecting hollow body (102), and the respiratory interface (104) being fluidly connected to the flexible hose (103), characterized in that a Venturi device (1) according to claim 1 is further fluidly connected to the connecting hollow body (102) for delivering oxygen or the air/oxygen mixture to said connecting hollow body (102), preferably an oxygen line (105) is fluidly connected to the Venturi device (1) for providing oxygen thereto.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0107] Embodiments of a Venturi device according to the present invention are shown in the enclosed illustrative, but not limitative, Figures, among which:

[0108] FIG. 1 represents a general view of an embodiment of a Venturi device according to the present invention,

[0109] FIG. 2 is a schematic lateral view of a Venturi device according to the present invention,

[0110] FIG. 3 shows a Venturi device according to the present invention in the open (on the right side) and closed (on the left side) positions,

[0111] FIG. 4 represents the passage of the Venturi device of FIG. 3 from the closed position to the open position, when actuated by a user, or vice versa,

[0112] FIG. 5 shows several lateral views of the Venturi device of FIGS. 3 and 4,

[0113] FIG. 6A represents a lateral and sectional view of the Venturi device of the present invention in the open position,

[0114] FIG. 6B represents a lateral and sectional view of the Venturi device of the present invention in the closed position,

[0115] FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the Venturi device of the present invention in the open corresponding to FIG. 6A, and

[0116] FIG. 8 shows an installation for providing oxygen or an air/oxygen mixture to a patient including a Venturi device according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0117] FIG. 1 is a general view of an embodiment of a Venturi device 1 according to the present invention showing in transparency the two main parts or sub-units cooperating together, namely a main body 10 and a rear member 30, i.e. a gas-providing member or part, forming the Venturi device 1 according to the present invention, which are mobile with respect to the other for controlling, i.e. selecting, the type of gas that has to be provided by the Venturi device 1, i.e. oxygen or an air/oxygen mixture, as below explained.

[0118] As shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 7, the main body 10 comprises an inner compartment 11 comprising a Venturi nozzle 20 co-axially arranged in said inner compartment 11. The inner compartment 11 is divided in 2 sub-compartments by an inner wall 39, namely an inlet chamber 12 or upstream chamber, and an outlet chamber 13 or downstream chamber. As the inner compartment 11 has a circular section, i.e. a cylindrical inner-shape, the inner wall 39 has a ring-shape. The outlet chamber 13 is also shown in the bottom view 61 of FIG. 5.

[0119] The Venturi nozzle 20 is arranged through the inner wall 39 that divides the inner compartment 11. It comprises a nozzle inlet 21 located on the side of the inlet chamber 12 and a nozzle outlet 22 located on the side of the outlet chamber 13, preferably in said outlet chamber 13 as shown in FIGS. 6A, 68, and 7. An inner nozzle channel 20-1, 20-2 is arranged between the nozzle inlet 21 and the nozzle outlet 22 for conveying the gas from the nozzle inlet 21 to the nozzle outlet 22.

[0120] More precisely, the Venturi nozzle 20 comprises two successive channel portions forming the inner nozzle channel 20-1, 20-2 comprising a first channel portion 20-1 comprising the nozzle inlet 21 and having an inner cylindrical shape, and a second channel portion comprising the nozzle outlet 22 and having an inner divergent shape. The first channel portion 20-1 fluidly connects the nozzle inlet 21 to the second channel portion 20-2. According to another embodiment (not shown), the first channel portion 20-1 can have an inner convergent shape.

[0121] The second channel portion 20-2 is arranged between the first channel portion 20-1 and the nozzle outlet 22. As it comprises an inner divergent shape or profile, its inner diameter gradually increases toward the nozzle outlet 22, as shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 7.

[0122] The gas (i.e. O.sub.2 or air/O.sub.2) enters into the inner nozzle channel 20-1, 20-2 of the Venturi nozzle 20 by the nozzle inlet 21, travels successively in the first 20-1 and then second 20-2 channel portions of the inner nozzle channel 20-1, 20-2, and flows out, i.e. leaves, of the Venturi nozzle 20 by the nozzle outlet 22.

[0123] The main body 10 has an axially-elongated shape, i.e. along axis (XX) shown in FIG. 7, in particular a tubular outer shape, e.g. cylindrical outer shape, but other outer shapes are possible. For instance, the outer diameter of the main body 10 is of about between 25 and 40 mm, and its length is of about between 60 and 110 mm.

[0124] Further, the inlet chamber 12 of the main body 10 is in fluid communication with the mixing chamber 33 of the rear member 30 that constitutes the second main part or sub-unit of the Venturi device 1 according to the present invention.

[0125] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 7, the rear member 30 has a generally cup-like shape, but other shapes are possible. It comprises an oxygen inlet 31 for providing oxygen and one or preferably several air inlets 32 for providing air, and the mixing chamber 33 for mixing therein air with the oxygen and provided by said oxygen inlet 31. The oxygen inlet 31 and the air inlets 32, e.g. here four air inlets 32, arranged around the oxygen inlet 31 are better visible in the top view 60 of FIG. 5.

[0126] The rear member 30 is mobile with respect to the main body 10, upon actuation of a user, between (at least) a closed position (as shown in FIG. 6B), wherein the rear member 30 cooperates directly with the Venturi nozzle 20 for providing oxygen to the Venturi nozzle 20, in particular to the inner nozzle channel 20-1, 20-2 of the Venturi nozzle 20, and an open position (as shown in FIG. 6A), wherein the rear member 30 cooperates with the Venturi nozzle 20 for providing the air/oxygen mixture obtained in the mixing chamber 33 to the inner nozzle channel 20-1, 20-2 of the Venturi nozzle 20.

[0127] In other words, in the closed position (FIG. 68), the inner nozzle channel 20-1, 20-2 of the Venturi nozzle 20 is fed with oxygen only, i.e. “pure” oxygen, whereas in the closed position (FIG. 6A), the inner nozzle channel 20-1, 20-2 of the Venturi nozzle 20 is fed with a mixture of air and oxygen, i.e. an air/oxygen mixture, coming from the mixing chamber 33 of the rear member 30.

[0128] According to the present invention, in the goal of avoiding or limiting accidental motions of those mobile parts, i.e. rear member 30 and main body 10, leading to wrong position settings and to a wrong-gas delivery, for instance oxygen in lieu of an air/O.sub.2 mixture, or vice versa, the rear member 30 is not mobile in translation, but rather at least in rotation with respect to the main body 10, as shown in FIGS. 3 & 4, for allowing the user to manually select and set a desired open or closed position.

[0129] In the context of the present invention, “at least in rotation” means that the selection or setting of the closed or open position is made by the user when turning, clockwise or counterclockwise (cf. FIGS. 3 & 4), the rear member 30 with respect to the main body 10 of the Venturi device 1 of the invention, or vice versa, thereby obtaining an helicoidal motion of those parts 10, 30, one with respect to the other. In other words, it screws in and out.

[0130] In other words, the rear member 30 is helicoidally mobile with respect to the main body 10 when manually-turned clockwise or counterclockwise by a user.

[0131] To achieve such a clockwise or counterclockwise motion of those parts, specific structures are provided on the rear member 30 and the main body 10 of the Venturi device 1 of the present invention.

[0132] More precisely, the main body 10 comprises one or several elongated grooves 40 and the rear member 30 comprises one or several guiding members 50, or vice versa, preferably two elongated grooves 40 cooperating with two guiding members 50, as shown in FIG. 1-6A&B, each guiding member 50 being inserted into one of said elongated grooves 40, thereby cooperating with said elongated grooves 40 for guiding the helicoidal motion of the rear member 30 with respect to the main body 10, while the rear member 30 is actuated by a user, i.e. manually rotated/turned around axis (XX), with respect to the main body (10), or vice versa.

[0133] As shown in FIGS. 4 & 5, the two elongated grooves 40 are arranged in the peripheral wall 42 of the main body 10 and are diametrically-opposed, whereas the two guiding members 50 are diametrically-oppositely arranged on the peripheral surface of the rear member 30.

[0134] The elongated grooves 40 constitute guides or paths that guide the guiding members 50, when the Venturi device 1 is manually-actuated by the user, i.e. turned clockwise or counterclockwise as shown in FIGS. 3 & 4.

[0135] As shown in FIGS. 4 & 5, the elongated grooves 40 are preferably elongated slots 41 traversing the peripheral wall 42 of the main body 10, in particular the inlet chamber 12 of the main body 10, i.e. traversing slots 41 or the like.

[0136] Further, the guiding members 50 comprise or are protrusions 51 arranged on the peripheral outer surface 34 of the rear member 30, preferably the peripheral outer surface 34 of the front portion 30-1 of the rear member 30. Each protrusion 51 forms a dent, a pin or any other similar small structure projecting away from the peripheral outer surface 34 of the rear member 30.

[0137] As shown in FIG. 3-5, the elongated grooves 40 of the main body 10, in particular the slots 41, comprise a curved linear portion 47, i.e. a linear segment, arranged in the cylindrical peripheral wall 42 of the main body 10, which is terminated by two end lodgings 46A, 46B that correspond to the open (46B) and closed (46A) positions of the Venturi device 1.

[0138] The end lodgings 46A, 46B are sized and configured for receiving or lodging the guiding members 50, in particular the protrusions 51. In other words, the protrusions 51 cooperate with the end lodgings 46A, 46B for setting the Venturi device 1 in the open (46B) or closed (46A) positions as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0139] The curved linear portion 47 of each elongated groove 40, preferably of each elongated slot 41, is diagonally-arranged in the peripheral wall 42 of the main body 10, namely in the peripheral wall of the inlet chamber 12 of the main body 10 as shown in FIG. 3-5.

[0140] For ensuring a stable maintaining of the Venturi device 1 in said open or closed position, it is provided, in each end lodging 46A, 46B, an abutment 45 as visible in FIG. 2, that is located at a site of junction 48 between of the curved linear portion 47 of the elongated grooves/slots 40, 41 and each end lodgings 46A, 46B.

[0141] As shown in FIG. 2, said abutments 45 can be little wall structures or similar projecting in each end lodging 46A, 46B. The role of those abutments 45 is to block or to retain the protrusions 51 in the end lodgings 46A, 46B for setting the Venturi device 1 in the open (46B) or in the closed (46A) positions as illustrated in FIGS. 2-5. In other words, those abutments 45 are safety blocks or the like.

[0142] For instance, when the Venturi device 1 in the closed position with the two protrusions 51 lodged and blocked in the first end lodgings 46A corresponding to said closed position, as illustrated in FIG. 3 (left side), and has to be set in the open position, the user actuates, namely rotates counterclockwise, for instance the rear member 30 so that the two protrusions 51 are helicoidally guided by the two slots 41, in particular the linear curved portions of the slots 41, until they reach the second end lodgings 46B corresponding to the open position, as illustrated in FIG. 3 (right side).

[0143] Once lodged in the second end lodgings 46B, the two protrusions 51 are blocked and retained therein by the abutments 45, as better shown in FIG. 2, that shows an enlarged view of a second end lodging 46B with a protrusion 51 retained therein by an abutment 45. The abutments 45 prohibit that the protrusions 51 accidentally get out of the end lodgings 46A, 46B thereby ensuring stable open or closed positions of the Venturi device 1.

[0144] For instance, the elongated grooves 40, e.g. the elongated slots 41, each have a length of about between 20 and 30 mm, and/or a width of about between 3.5 and 5 mm. Further, the guiding members 50, e.g. the protrusions 51, have a height of about between 1.5 and 3 mm.

[0145] Furthermore, as visible in FIGS. 6A, 68, and 7, for allowing the rear member 30 to rotate with respect to the main body 10 of the Venturi device 1 of the present invention, a front portion 30-1 of the rear member 30 is inserted into at least a part of the inlet chamber 12 of the main body 10.

[0146] Further, said front portion 30-1 of the rear member 30 is externally cylindrical, i.e. tubular, and at least a part 12-1 of the inlet chamber 12 of the main body 10 is internally cylindrical, so that said cylindrical front portion 30-1 of the rear member 30 can be rotate in said cylindrical part 12-1 of the inlet chamber 12 of the main body 10 as shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 7. Preferably, the outer diameter Do of said front portion 30-1 of the rear member 30 is less but approximately equal to the inner diameter Di of the cylindrical part 12-1 of the inlet chamber 12 of the main body 10 so that the rotation motion is allowed, i.e. Do<Di.

[0147] Generally speaking, the front portion 30-1 of the rear member 30 delimits at least a part of the mixing chamber 33 used for mixing the oxygen flow and the air flow(s), when required. More precisely, the rear member 30 comprises a hollow tubular portion 30-2 closed at one end by a blind bottom 30-3, i.e. it has a cup-like shape or similar as better shown in FIG. 7. The other end of the tubular portion 30-2 is open toward the inlet chamber 12 of the main body 10.

[0148] For instance, the rear member 30 has an outer diameter of about between 20 and 40 mm, and a length of about between 40 and 70 mm.

[0149] Further, the rear member 30 comprises, i.e. is traversed by, an oxygen feeding conduct 35 comprising an outer conduct portion 35-2, i.e. upstream portion, and an inner conduct portion 35-1, i.e. downstream portion, for providing oxygen gas to the Venturi device 1.

[0150] The oxygen feeding conduct 35 is axially-arranged (XX axis) through the blind bottom 30-3 of the rear member 30, i.e. it traverses the blind bottom 30-3. The outer conduct portion 35-2 of the oxygen feeding conduct 35 comprises the oxygen inlet 31, at its distal free end, and is located outside of the Venturi device 1.

[0151] Further, the inner conduct portion 35-1 of the oxygen feeding conduct 35 comprises an oxygen delivery port 36 for providing oxygen located at its free end.

[0152] The oxygen feeding conduct 35 is axially-traversed by a lumen 37 for conveying oxygen gas from the oxygen inlet 31 to the oxygen delivery port 36 thereby providing oxygen coming from an external oxygen source, such as a gas cylinder, a gas line or any other O.sub.2 source.

[0153] More precisely, the outer conduct portion 35-2 of the oxygen feeding conduct 35 also comprises connector means 38, such as a specific outer design, for fluidly connecting an oxygen line thereto as shown in FIG. 8, preferably an oxygen line fluidly connected to an external oxygen source, such as an oxygen gas cylinder or an oxygen wall-plug fed by a gas network.

[0154] As shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 7, the inner conduct portion 35-1 of the oxygen feeding conduct 35 is arranged so as to axially-project into the mixing chamber 33, whereas the outer conduct portion 35-2 of the oxygen feeding conduct 35 is arranged so as to axially-project outwardly of the rear member, i.e. outside of it.

[0155] The oxygen feeding conduct 35 is in fluid communication, in particular via the lumen 37 of the inner and outer conduct portions 35-1, 35-2, with the mixing chamber 33, when the rear member 30 is in the open position as shown in FIGS. 6A and 7, for mixing air and oxygen, and providing such an O.sub.2/air mixture to the Venturi nozzle 20.

[0156] In contrast, the oxygen feeding conduct 35 is in fluid communication, in particular via the lumen 37, with the inner nozzle channel 20-1, 20-2 of the Venturi nozzle 20, when the rear member 30 is in the closed position as shown in FIG. 6B. In the closed position, the proximal free end of the inner conduct portion 35-1 of the oxygen feeding conduct 35 penetrates in the inner nozzle channel 20-1, 20-2 of the Venturi nozzle 20, through the nozzle inlet 21, to deliver oxygen directly into the Venturi nozzle 20.

[0157] FIG. 8 shows an installation 100 for providing oxygen or an air/oxygen mixture to a patient comprising a gas reservoir 101, a flexible hose 103, a respiratory interface 104, a connecting hollow body 102 and a Venturi device 1 according to the present invention that are in fluid communication.

[0158] The Venturi device 1 according to the present invention is fed with oxygen by an oxygen line 105, such as a flexible hose or the like, that conveys an oxygen flow provided by an oxygen source (not shown), such as an O.sub.2 gas cylinder or an O.sub.2 gas conduct.

[0159] As above explained, the Venturi device 1 provides a gaseous flow of oxygen or of an air/O.sub.2 mixture to the connecting hollow body 102 that itself feeds the gaseous flow to the gas reservoir 101, such as a flexible bag or the like, and/or to the flexible hose 103, such as a polymer hose, that conveys said gaseous flow to the respiratory interface 104, such as a respiratory mask, i.e. a nasal or facial mask, for delivering said oxygen or air/oxygen mixture to a patient in need thereof.

[0160] The gas reservoir constitutes a flexible buffer or the like having an inner volume of between about 1 and 50 L (L in water equivalent), for instance of about 30 L.

[0161] The installation 100 of the present invention can be used for providing oxygen or an air/oxygen mixture to a patient suffering from respiratory troubles, such as a person infected by a coronavirus, for example the Covid-19 virus or one of its variants, involving pulmonary troubles, failures or the like, leading to hypoxemia or the like.

[0162] It will be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangement of parts, which have been herein described in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments in the examples given above.