TRANSPORTABLE LUNG VENTILATOR

Abstract

A transportable lung ventilator allowing for automatic selection between oxygen and air for feeding a venturi type ventilation system comprising a monobloc body with at least one medical oxygen inlet; at least one compressed air inlet; and at least one ambient air inlet; at least a selector valve integrated with the monobloc body and adapted to allow, selectively, the passage of medical oxygen or compressed air; a venturi system, internal to the monobloc body, comprising an injector nozzle and a venturi tube, the injector nozzle receiving the medical oxygen or the compressed air passing through the selector valve and generating a jet towards the venturi tube, the jet dragging ambient air through the ambient air inlet to generate a mixture of gases to be ventilated to a patient; a fraction of inspired oxygen sensor that measures the concentration of oxygen in the gas mixture; and an electronic control system that controls the selector valve to allow the passage of medical oxygen or compressed air based on the oxygen concentration measured by the fraction of inspired oxygen sensor.

Claims

1. Transport A transportable lung ventilator characterized by comprising: a monobloc body with at least one medical oxygen inlet; at least one compressed air inlet, and at least one ambient air inlet; at least one selector valve integrated to the monobloc body and adapted to allow, selectively, the passage of medical oxygen or compressed air; a venturi system, internal to the monobloc body, that includes an injector nozzle and a venturi tube, the injector nozzle receiving the medical oxygen or the compressed air passing through the selector valve and generating a jet towards the venturi tube, the jet dragging ambient air through the ambient air inlet to generate a mixture of gases to be ventilated to a patient; a fraction of inspired oxygen sensor that measures the concentration of oxygen in the gas mixture; and an electronic control system that controls the selector valve to allow the passage of medical oxygen or compressed air based on the oxygen concentration measured by the fraction of inspired oxygen sensor.

2. The ventilator, according to claim 1, wherein the selector valve is a solenoid valve.

3. The ventilator, according to claim 2, wherein the compressed air inlet is fed by a small compressed air source coupled to the monobloc body.

4. The ventilator, according to claim 3, wherein the small compressed air source is selected from a mini compressor coupled to the monobloc body or a small cylinder coupled to the monobloc body.

5. The ventilator, according to claim 1, wherein the medical oxygen inlet is an oxygen pressure regulating valve, the compressed air inlet is an air pressure regulating valve, and the ambient air inlet is a one-way valve associated with a filter.

6. The ventilator, according to claim 5, further comprising a proportional valve that receives the oxygen or compressed air which passes through the selector valve and forwards it to the injector nozzle.

7. The ventilator, according to claim 6, further comprising: an oxygen proportional valve that allows the passage of medical oxygen from the oxygen pressure regulating valve directly into the gas mixture to be ventilated; and an air proportional valve that allows the passage of compressed air from the air pressure regulating valve directly into the gas mixture to be ventilated; wherein the electronic control system opens and closes the oxygen proportional valve and air proportional valve based on the measurement of the exit flow of the gas mixture measured by a flow sensor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0031] The present invention will be described in more detail below along with references to the attached drawings, in which:

[0032] FIG. 1—is a perspective view of the transport ventilator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] FIG. 2—is a second perspective view of the transport ventilator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] FIG. 3—is a cross-sectional view of the transport ventilator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

[0035] FIG. 4—is a schematic illustration of the integrated electronic blender comprised by the transport ventilator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] The present invention will be further described based on an example of preferred embodiment of the transport ventilator according to the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a first perspective view of the transport ventilator of the present invention.

[0038] The ventilator comprises a monobloc body structure where the ventilator components are inserted or attached and within which the gas passageways are formed.

[0039] FIG. 1 shows the outside part of the monobloc where an oxygen pressure regulating valve 1 is fixed, through which pressurized medical oxygen enters, and an air pressure regulating valve 2, through which the compressed air enters.

[0040] The air pressure regulating valve 2 may be associated with a one-way valve 3, which is schematically illustrated in FIG. 4. The one-way valve 3 prevents the return of the gas in the absence of the air source.

[0041] The compressed air can be any suitable source, such as a hospital compressed air supply network, a compressed air cylinder with a regulating valve or an air compressor.

[0042] The oxygen source can be any suitable source, such as a hospital oxygen supply network or an oxygen cylinder with a regulating valve.

[0043] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ventilator can also comprise, on the outer face of the monobloc body, an air pressure measuring point 14 and an oxygen pressure measuring point 15.

[0044] A venturi system, which comprises an injector nozzle 6 and a venturi tube, uses the pressure of the entering gas to generate a vacuum which allows the dragging of ambient air. As shown in FIG. 3, ambient air enters through an ambient air inlet assembly formed by a one-way valve 8 associated with a filter. As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, the injector nozzle 6 and the venturi system 7 are formed inside the monobloc body.

[0045] A solenoid valve 4 is provided to act as a gas selector valve for the mixture to be delivered to the patient. Thus, the solenoid valve 4 allows alternative passage of air or oxygen. As it will be explained later, the selector solenoid valve 4 allows automatic adjustment of the oxygen concentration in FiO.sub.2.

[0046] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the ventilator also comprises at least one proportional valve 5, preferably fixed to the face of the monobloc body. The proportional valve 5, shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, is a pneumatic valve commanded by an electrical signal whose flow is proportional to the fed electric current.

[0047] Thus, the gas (either oxygen or air), exits the respective regulating valve 1 or 2 with the set pressure, passes through the solenoid valve 4 and continues to the proportional valve 5.

[0048] The proportional valve 5 provides the gas to the injector nozzle 6 of the venturi system 7 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). Thereby, the gas, upon passing through the injector nozzle 6, becomes a gas jet dragging ambient air which enters the monobloc through the ambient air inlet assembly. The gas mixture that exits the venturi system 7 goes to the patient.

[0049] The transport ventilator of the present invention allows the oxygen concentration in the inspired gas to be adjusted to values between 21% and 100% by the electronic control of the selector solenoid valve 4.

[0050] When the selector solenoid valve 4 is open for only the oxygen inlet (i.e., when the solenoid valve 4 is “off”), the oxygen is directed to the injector nozzle 6 dragging the ambient air through the ambient air inlet assembly. In this situation, the gas mixture formed in the venturi tube has a minimum FiO.sub.2 of about 35% O.sub.2 in a higher yield flow rate (i.e., the minimum oxygen concentration achieved in the gas mixture in the venturi when the inlet gas is oxygen is at least about 35%, since the O.sub.2 dragged is mixed with ambient air which has about 21% of oxygen). This minimum value tends to increase when there is a higher pressure at the exit of the venturi tube 7 or when a very low flow rate is set as that suitable for neonates (i.e.; when less ambient air is absorbed).

[0051] Thus, in order to achieve an O.sub.2 concentration of less than 35% in FiO.sub.2, the transport ventilator of the present invention allows the solenoid valve 4 to be selectively “activated” to allow the use of the compressed gas as a motive gas (i.e., the selector valve 4 starts to allow the passage of compressed air). In this situation, the O.sub.2 that enters into the mixture is that one from ambient air which was dragged by the ambient air inlet assembly. Thus, in this situation, the FiO.sub.2 will be 21% of O.sub.2 from very low flow to the maximum air flow that can be inhaled.

[0052] This control of the selector solenoid valve is automatically performed by a software-based control system based on the oxygen concentration measured by an fraction of inspired oxygen sensor 11. Thus, the solenoid valve 4 allows to choose, selectively, between the passage of medical O.sub.2 and the passage of compressed air until the measured oxygen concentration corresponds to the concentration of O.sub.2 in the FiO.sub.2 desired for the situation of use.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment of the ventilator of the present invention, the transport ventilator further includes a proportional oxygen valve 9 that allows the passage of oxygen directly, without passing through the injector nozzle. Preferably, the proportional valve 9 is a high flow valve.

[0054] Similarly, in the preferred embodiment, the transport ventilator includes a proportional air valve 10 that allows the passage of air directly, without passing through the injector nozzle. Preferably, the proportional valve 10 is a high flow valve.

[0055] The proportional oxygen 9 and air 10 valves have the objective of completing the current volume required for the FiO.sub.2 adjusted in the ventilator. This control is done by a control software, which, based on the information received from the flow sensor 12, adjusts the current volume based on the measurement of the flow exiting the monobloc body.

[0056] Thus, the control software adjusts the current volume by opening and closing the proportional oxygen valves 9 and air 10.

[0057] It should be noted that the algorithm of the control software prioritizes the use of the venturi system, so that the proportional oxygen 9 and air 10 are only opened to complete the required current volume for FiO.sub.2.

[0058] Thus, in a situation where the selector solenoid valve 4 only allows the passage of air as motive gas and where, at the maximum flow provided by the venturi, the ventilator cannot ventilate with the required volume, the proportional air valve 10 and/or the proportional O.sub.2 valve 9 open to complete the adjusted volume in the FiO.sub.2 required.

[0059] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transport ventilator is also adapted to be coupled thereto by a mini compressor or small air cylinder 13 as a source of the compressed air used as motive gas, as shown in the diagram of FIG. 4. The possibility of coupling the small air source, associated with the selector valve 4 and the venturi system, allows the transport ventilator to provide good autonomy, since air consumption by the venturi system is low.

[0060] It should be noted that the compressor or small cylinder could also be inserted into the monobloc body itself, increasing even further the compaction of the assembly.

[0061] In the illustrative example of FIG. 4, the pneumatic scheme of the transport ventilator further comprises:

[0062] a safety valve 16, which opens in case of overpressure and reliefs the pressure of the flow delivered to the patient, thereby avoiding barotrauma;

[0063] an expiratory valve 17, which closes, following an electric command, to direct the gas to the lung of a patient during the inspiration/inhalation phase and opens to exhale the gas from the lung during the expiration/exhalation phase;

[0064] a solenoid valve 18 which may be used to allow the gas flow to be used by an accessory device such as a nebulizer or may be connected to a tube to deliver a gas jet directly to the tip of an intubation cannula (knows as—TGI/tracheal gas injection) to aid in expelling the CO.sub.2 that sometimes accumulates in the lung;

[0065] a proximal flow sensor 19 which, when activated, monitors the gases than enter and leave the mouth of the patient; and

[0066] an offset arrangement 20, comprising two three-way solenoid valves, intended to zero the offset of the pressure differential transducers that measure the inspiratory and expiratory flows.

[0067] Therefore, having described examples of embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the scope of the present invention covers other possible variations of the inventive concept described, being limited only by the content of the claims, including possible equivalents.