Abstract
The invention relates to a respiratory air purifier device. In order to provide an improved respiratory air purifier device which is able effectively to retain viruses, a respiratory air purifier device 101 is proposed for retention of viruses from respiratory air flowing through the device 101, the latter having an interface 110 designed such that it can be placed by a wearer sealingly onto at least one respiratory opening, a hollow-fibre dialyser 120 as a filter, and a connection piece 130 between the interface 110 and the dialyser 120, wherein interface 110, dialyser 120 and connection piece 130 are configured in such a way as to form an airtight fluid channel which fluidically connects the interface to either only the exterior of the hollow fibres X or only the interior of the hollow fibres I of the hollow-fibre dialyser 120, and wherein the purifier device 101 is designed in such a way that, in at least one flow direction E, A, each flow path pE, pA that runs completely through the purifier device extends through the pores of the hollow-fibre membranes, i.e. transversely with respect to the hollow-fibre membrane, of the hollow-fibre dialyser 120.
Claims
1. A respiratory air purifier device for retention of viruses from respiratory air flowing through the device, comprising a. an interface designed such that it can be placed by a wearer sealingly onto at least one respiratory opening, b. a hollow-fibre dialyser as a filter, c. a connection piece between the interface and the dialyser, wherein interface, dialyser and connection piece are configured in such a way as to form an airtight fluid channel which fluidically connects the interface to either only the exterior of the hollow fibres or only the interior of the hollow fibres of the hollow-fibre dialyser (120), and wherein the purifier device is designed in such a way that, in at least one flow direction , each flow path that runs completely through the purifier device extends through the pores of the hollow-fibre membranes, i.e. transversely with respect to the hollow-fibre membrane, of the hollow-fibre dialyser (120).
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the interface is a mouthpiece, a mouth/nose mask, a nose mask, a mouth/nose/eye mask, a breathing safety tube, a respiratory helmet or a respiratory bubble.
3. The device according to claim 1, having a check valve which is arranged such that it opens in inflow direction into the device and all flow paths of the outflow run through the hollow-fibre dialyser or dialysers, or such that it opens in outflow direction out of the device and all flow paths of the inflow direction run through the hollow-fibre dialyser or dialysers.
4. The device according to claim 1, having at least two check valves or a three-way valve, which are arranged such that the inflow paths fixed in inflow direction by the valves are determined by a different fluid channel of the purifier device than for the outflow paths in outflow direction, and such that air can flow through the dialyser only in one flow direction.
5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the check valves are arranged such that a fluid channel is configured such that each flow path that runs completely through the purifier device extends either only in inflow direction or only in outflow direction through the hollow-fibre membranes of the dialyser .
6. The device according to claim 4, having at least two dialysers, wherein the check valves and the dialysers are arranged such that a first fluid channel, and the flow paths in inflow direction, runs only through the first dialyser or dialysers, and such that a second fluid channel, and the flow paths in outflow direction, runs only through one or more second dialysers.
7. The device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of dialysers are connected in parallel into one or both flow paths , such that the surface areas of the membrane surfaces that are to be passed across in one or both flow paths add together.
8. The device according to claim 1, additionally having a supporting structure for holding the dialyser or dialysers in a defined position relative to the interface.
9. The device according to claim 1, additionally having an electric fan, which is configured to assist an air flow in inflow direction or in outflow direction into or out of the device.
10. The device according to claim 1, configured such that, at least in outflow direction, each flow path extends through the pores of the hollow-fibre membrane of one or more dialysers (120), wherein the connection piece has a condensate trap.
11. A method for purifying respiratory air, said method comprising passing the respiratory air through a haemodialysis dialyser .
12. A method for purifying respiratory air, said method comprising passing the respiratory air through the device of claim 1 .
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0038] Embodiments of the device are described below with reference to the drawing, in which:
[0039] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the respiratory air purifier device according to the invention, with a mouth/nose mask as an interface and with optional check valves,
[0040] FIG. 2 shows the embodiment according to the invention from FIG. 1, wherein a flow path in the inflow direction and a flow path in the outflow direction are additionally shown,
[0041] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the respiratory air purifier device according to the invention, with a mouth/nose mask as an interface and with a particularly compact connection piece,
[0042] FIG. 4 shows a dialyser prepared for a respiratory air purifier device according to the invention,
[0043] FIG. 5 shows an example of an arrangement of a connection piece, check valves and an interface in the context of the invention,
[0044] FIGS. 6a and 6b show two views of an example of an arrangement of a plurality of dialysers and an example of a connection piece, for the arrangement of the dialysers, as a component part of a respiratory air purifier device according to the invention,
[0045] FIGS. 7a and 7b show two views of an example of an arrangement of a plurality of dialysers and an example of a connection piece, for the arrangement of the dialysers, as a component part of a respiratory air purifier device according to the invention,
[0046] FIG. 8 shows an illustrative embodiment of a respiratory air purifier device according to the invention with an electric fan, in a variant in which the fan is arranged directly on a dialyser,
[0047] FIG. 9 shows an illustrative embodiment of a respiratory air purifier device according to the invention with an electric fan, in a variant in which a distribution piece is arranged between the fan and a plurality of dialysers,
[0048] FIG. 10 shows an illustrative embodiment of a respiratory air purifier device according to the invention with an electric fan, in a variant in which the fan is arranged on a dialyser but spaced apart from the latter with a transition piece,
[0049] FIGS. 11a and 11b show two views of a variant of the respiratory air purifier device according to the invention with an electric fan, with a respiratory hood as an interface and with separate dialysers in the inflow direction and the outflow direction, in which variant the fan is arranged to assist the inflow of air,
[0050] FIG. 12 shows a device according to the invention for the cleaning, sterilizing or disinfecting of dialysers used in respiratory air purifier devices according to the invention.
[0051] In the figures, identical or similar elements may be referred to by the same reference signs.
[0052] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the respiratory air purifier device 101 according to the invention, with a mouth/nose mask as an interface 110 and with a connection piece 130, having optional check valves 135, between the interface 110 and the dialyser 120. The optional check valves can also be omitted. In the arrangement shown, the check valves 135 and further elements of the connection piece are arranged such that an airtight fluid channel is formed from the exterior X of the hollow fibres of the dialyser 120 to the interface 110. At the ends of the hollow fibres, a sealing compound seals off the exterior X of the hollow fibres of the dialyser 120 from ambient air (shown by hatching).
[0053] FIG. 2 shows the embodiment according to the invention from FIG. 1, wherein a flow path pE in the inflow direction dE and a flow path pA in the outflow direction dA are additionally shown. The embodiment of the respiratory air purifier device according to the invention is configured such that airtight fluid channels are created by interface 110, dialyser 120 and connection piece 130 such that resulting flow paths pE, pA are obtained. Flow path pE lies in inflow direction dE. When the wearer inhales through the respiratory air purifier device 101, ambient air will flow through the axial ends (which are open in the illustrative embodiment) of the dialyser 120 into the interiors I of the hollow fibres, through the pores of the membrane into the exterior X of the hollow fibres, and through the optional hoses, tubes, Y-pieces or nozzles of the connection piece 130, through an optional inlet check valve 135 to the interface 110, and then into a respiratory opening of the wearer. The second check valve 135 is arranged such that it opens when air flows through the device in the direction of exhalation of a wearer (flow path pA in outflow direction dA). This is the outflow direction. This means that air flows from the interface 110 into the device. In this case, the check valve 135 shown further above in FIGS. 1 and 2 remains opened, and the check valve 135 shown further below opens. Air can thus flow out of the device without passing through the dialyser 120 again. The airtight fluid channel created in the outflow direction by the device thus generates flow paths pA which do not run through the dialyser 120. In the embodiment of the respiratory air purifier device 101 according to the invention shown, its component parts are thus configured for filtering air when the wearer inhales. Alternatively, in an embodiment not shown, it is possible that only the air that the wearer exhales is filtered, if, in relation to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the orientation of the check valves 135 is simply changed around. In this way, the airtight fluid channels of the device run in reverse, such that each flow path pA runs through the dialyser 120 during the outflow. Alternatively, a further dialyser 120, e.g. also with a Y-piece, can also be arranged at the branch of the connection piece 130 shown further below in FIGS. 1 and 2, such that in both directions, i.e. inflow direction dE and outflow direction dA, all flow paths pE, pA extend through the pores of the hollow-fibre membranes of a dialyser and are thus filtered of viruses. Optionally, the check valves 135 can also be omitted in all three variants.
[0054] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the respiratory air purifier device 101 according to the invention, with a mouth/nose mask as interface 110 and with a particularly compact connection piece 130, which connects interface 110 and dialyser 120 almost directly. Here, it is possible for a fluid channel to be formed in the device in such a way that, both in inflow direction dE and outflow direction dA, all flow paths pE, pA run through the dialyser 120. A port 121 on the dialyser 120, on the exterior X of the hollow fibres, is closed in an airtight manner with a stopper, and the interior I of the hollow fibres is connected to the ambient air. The interface is connected in an airtight manner to the interior I of the hollow fibres. Optionally, one or two check valves 135 can be arranged on the device 101 and can be configured such that each flow path pE, pA runs through the dialyser 120 only in either inflow direction dE or outflow direction dA.
[0055] FIG. 4 shows a dialyser 120 prepared for a respiratory air purifier device 101 according to the invention, in which the axial end caps often to be found on dialysers, at the cylinder top and cylinder bottom of the housing, have been removed and the fibres exposed. Alternative embodiments can use dialysers that have other end caps or shapes. For example, the FX dialysers manufactured by Fresenius Medical Care also have ports which are connected to the interior I of the hollow fibres and which extend radially with respect to the cylindrical housing. It is shown, by way of example, how ambient air flows in inflow direction dE into the interiors I of the hollow fibres.
[0056] FIG. 5 shows an example of an arrangement of a connection piece 130, check valves 135 and an interface 110 of a respiratory air purifier device 101 in the context of the invention. It is shown here how optional check valves 135 are oriented and how the inflow direction dE and outflow direction dA thus arise.
[0057] FIG. 6 shows two views 6a and 6b of an example of an arrangement of a plurality of dialysers 120 (here, for example, four or eight) and an example of a connection piece 130, for the arrangement of the dialysers 120, as a component part of a respiratory air purifier device 101 according to the invention. Here, 6a shows a plan view and 6b a side view of the same embodiment. The dialysers are connected in parallel with respect to the flow paths pE, pA, as a result of which the flow resistance is particularly advantageously reduced. The figure shows an example of how elements of the connection piece 130 can be designed. Thus, the connection piece may have a tube portion 136. The latter can be produced additively, for example by 3D printing. Moreover, the connection piece can have a flexible hose 137, for example a corrugated hose of the kind often used in vacuum cleaners. Adhesive 138, for example hotmelt adhesive, can be applied in order to seal the transition between nozzles on the housing of the dialysers 120.
[0058] FIG. 7 shows two views 7a and 7b of an example of an arrangement of a plurality of dialysers 120 and an example of a connection piece 130, for the arrangement of the dialysers 120, as a component part of a respiratory air purifier device 101 according to the invention. Here, 7a shows a plan view of the same arrangement of which 7b shows a side view. Here, the connection piece 130 has a supporting structure 131, which can be designed as a hollow channel and with an attachment nozzle 132. In the variant shown, six dialysers 120 are shown. These can be connected at one end or at both ends to the supporting structure. Depending on the design of the supporting structure, airtight fluid channels are created such that all six dialysers 120 can be switched into inflow paths pE and/or outflow paths pA of a respiratory air purifier device 101 according to the invention, or some of the dialysers are switched only either into the inflow path pE or the outflow path pA in any desired distribution. For example, all inflow paths run through two dialysers, and all outflow paths run through four other dialysers. Or the distribution can be three to three. A similar structure is also conceivable for other numbers of dialysers, for example for 4, 5, 8 or 10 dialysers.
[0059] FIG. 8 shows an illustrative embodiment of a respiratory air purifier device 101 according to the invention with an electric fan 140, in a variant in which the fan 140 is arranged directly on a dialyser 120 and assists the air flow in inflow direction dE. In this way, the flow resistance along inflow paths pE is particularly advantageously reduced, and it is thus made easier for a wearer to inhale. This advantage applies analogously to an arrangement of a fan such that it suctions ambient air (not shown) at an outlet region of a dialyser 120 through which air flows in outflow direction dA, thus reducing the resistance in this direction, as a result of which it is made easier for a wearer to exhale. The electric fan 140 has an electric battery 145, an electric motor 142 and a fan rotor 143, e.g. a propeller.
[0060] FIG. 9 shows an illustrative embodiment of a respiratory air purifier device 101 according to the invention with an electric fan 140, in a variant in which a distribution piece is arranged between the fan 140 and a plurality of dialysers 120. This affords the combined advantages of a plurality of dialysers and an electric fan, as explained above for the device 101 according to the invention.
[0061] FIG. 10 shows an illustrative embodiment of a respiratory air purifier device 101 according to the invention with an electric fan 140, in a variant in which the fan 140 is arranged on a dialyser 120 but spaced apart from the latter with a transition piece. Compared to the embodiment from FIG. 8, this affords the advantage that the fan 140 can be mounted flexibly.
[0062] FIG. 11 shows two views 11a and 11b of a variant of the respiratory air purifier device 101 according to the invention with an electric fan 140, with a respiratory hood as an interface 110 and with separate dialysers 120 arranged in inflow direction dE and outflow direction dA, in which variant the fan 140 is arranged to assist the inflow of air. Here, 11b shows a detail of the device 101 from 11a in a plan view, while 11a shows the whole device in a front view. In addition to the respiratory hood, the connection piece 110 also has flexible hoses, which are fitted releasably onto a coupling 139 of a rigid supporting structure, which is also an element of the connection piece. A variant with a respiratory hood advantageously provides enhanced protection not only against infection but also against contamination and is, for example, expedient in conjunction with protective clothing for the whole body or for a large part of the body of a wearer.
[0063] FIG. 12 shows an illustrative embodiment of a device according to the invention for the cleaning, sterilizing or disinfecting of dialysers used in respiratory air purifier devices according to the invention. A disinfectant 215 can be present in liquid form (e.g. alcohol) or gaseous form (e.g. hot steam). A pump 220, here shown as a roller pump, can be provided to circulate disinfectant. Attachment nozzles 210 for attachment to a dialyser 120 can be provided. A particular advantage of disinfection is that it allows dialysers to be reused for purifying respiratory air.
