초록 ▼

The pulmonary oxygen flow control system delivers oxygen from a source of pressure to a nasal cannula worn by the patient. Between the source and the nasal cannula is a pendant flow structure which includes an orifice followed by a gas dynamic valve. When the downstream pressure in the cannula is hi

The pulmonary oxygen flow control system delivers oxygen from a source of pressure to a nasal cannula worn by the patient. Between the source and the nasal cannula is a pendant flow structure which includes an orifice followed by a gas dynamic valve. When the downstream pressure in the cannula is high, the gas dynamic valve diverts the oxygen flow through the orifice to a flexible reservoir. Upon inhalation, the pressure at the cannula falls so that the gas dynamic valve delivers the orifice flow to the cannula and also utilizes a Venturi effect to withdraw oxygen from the reservoir and deliver it to the cannula. The cannula has nasal tubes which have angular faces and which are positioned farther into the nares to deliver the oxygen more efficiently.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A pulmonary oxygen flow control system comprising: a structure, said structure having an oxygen inlet connection and an outlet connection, an inlet passage in such structure connected to said inlet connection, said inlet passage terminating in a venturi orifice, an outlet pas

What is claimed is: 1. A pulmonary oxygen flow control system comprising: a structure, said structure having an oxygen inlet connection and an outlet connection, an inlet passage in such structure connected to said inlet connection, said inlet passage terminating in a venturi orifice, an outlet passage in said structure, said outlet passage being positioned in the flow path of said venturi orifice to receive oxygen flowing through said venturi orifice, a reservoir passage adjoining said outlet passage and lying adjacent said venturi orifice, a reservoir connected to said reservoir passage; a nasal cannula connected to said outlet passage; said venturi orifice, said outlet passage and said reservoir passage being configured so that when a patient is inhaling from said nasal cannula, oxygen flows through said venturi orifice and draws oxygen from said reservoir because of low pressure in said outlet passage due to venturi caused decrease in pressure with oxygen flow delivered to said cannula, and when the patient is not inhaling, oxygen is directed from said orifice into said reservoir passage and into said reservoir due to increased pressure in said outlet passage so that said passages act as a gas dynamic valve directing oxygen flow to deliver at the very beginning of inhalation and to permit pursed lip breathing. 2. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 1 wherein said reservoir, said outlet passages and said cannula tubes have a volume of about 25 milliliters so that oxygen flow through said orifice fills said reservoir and fills said outlet passages and cannula tubes before the next inhalation. 3. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 1 wherein said reservoir comprises a reservoir chamber connected to said reservoir passage and a flexible reservoir membrane within said reservoir chamber to form a reservoir which contains oxygen passing through said reservoir opening, said flexible reservoir membrane being configured to favor flow into said reservoir so that exhalation into said nasal cannula is not necessary to cause oxygen flow into said reservoir. 4. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 3 wherein said reservoir chamber is vented so that said flexible reservoir membrane can expand and contract the reservoir by rolling its membrane walls within said reservoir chamber. 5. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 1 wherein said outlet passage is a first outlet passage and there is a second outlet passage, and wherein said reservoir passage is a first reservoir passage and there is a second reservoir passage adjacent said venturi orifice, said first and second reservoir passages being respectively adjacent to said first and second outlet passages so that said venturi orifice and said passages act as a fluid dynamic valve which selectively delivers oxygen from said venturi orifice and from said reservoir to said outlet passages or delivers oxygen from said venturi orifice to said reservoir until said reservoir is filled and thereupon delivers oxygen to said outlet passages and said cannula to fill said cannula. 6. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 5 wherein said cannula has first and second cannula tubes for extending into the patients nares, said cannula tubes each having a tubular axis and terminating in surfaces which are formed at an acute angle to the tubular axis so that they partially face each other to provide an outlet area larger than the cross sectional area of said cannula tube. 7. A pulmonary oxygen flow control system comprising: a structure, said structure having a body panel, said body panel having an oxygen inlet connection and an outlet connection, an inlet passage in said body panel connected to said inlet connection, said inlet passage terminating in an venturi orifice, an outlet passage in said body panel, said outlet passage being positioned in the flow path of said venturi orifice to receive oxygen flowing through said venturi orifice, a reservoir passage in said body panel adjoining said outlet passage and lying in the low pressure zone adjacent said venturi orifice; a passage cover overlying said body panel to cover said passages, said body panel and said passage cover defining said inlet passage, said outlet passage and said reservoir passage; a reservoir cover, a flexible reservoir mounted on said panel body and secured on said body panel by said reservoir cover, said passage cover having a reservoir opening therethrough into said flexible reservoir from said reservoir passage; said outlet passage being configured to be connected to a nasal cannula; said venturi orifice, said outlet passage and said reservoir passage being configured so that when a patient is inhaling from the nasal cannula, oxygen flows through said venturi orifice and draws oxygen from said reservoir because of low pressure in said outlet passage due to venturi caused decrease in pressure with oxygen flow delivered to said cannula, and when the patient is not inhaling, oxygen is directed from said orifice into said reservoir passage and into said reservoir due to increased pressure in said outlet passage so that said passages act as a gas dynamic valve directing oxygen flow. 8. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 7 wherein said reservoir cover is a vented cover over said flexible reservoir to constrain said flexible reservoir. 9. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 7 wherein there are first and second reservoir openings and first and second outlet passages. 10. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 7 wherein there is a midline through said structure and said orifice lies on said midline and said outlet passages comprise first and second outlet passages in said structure and walls to define a Y-shaped outlet, said passages lying substantially equidistant on the opposite sides of said midline and said reservoir passages comprise first and second reservoir passages adjacent said orifice, each of said first and second reservoir passages lying opposite said midline. 11. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 10 wherein said first outlet passage and said first reservoir passage intersect each other at a point on one side of said midline and said second outlet passage and said second reservoir passage intersect each other at a point on the other side of said midline. 12. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 11 wherein said first and second outlet passages in said structure join each other adjacent said reservoir passages to form a Y-shaped outlet passage adjoining said reservoir passages, said Y-shaped outlet passage lying on said midline. 13. A pulmonary oxygen flow control system comprising: a structure, said structure having a body panel, said body panel having an oxygen inlet connection and an outlet connection, an inlet passage in said body panel connected to said inlet connection, said inlet passage terminating in a venturi orifice, an outlet passage in said body panel, said outlet passage being positioned in the flow path of said venturi orifice to receive oxygen flowing through said venturi orifice, a reservoir passage in said body panel adjoining said outlet passage and lying in the low pressure zone adjacent said venturi orifice; a passage cover overlying said body panel to cover said passages, said body panel and said passage cover defining said inlet passage, said outlet passage and said reservoir passage; a reservoir cover, a flexible reservoir membrane mounted on said panel body and secured on said body panel by said reservoir cover to define a reservoir, said passage cover having a reservoir opening therethrough into said reservoir from said reservoir passage; said outlet passage being configured to be connected to a nasal cannula, a nasal cannula connected to said outlet passage, said nasal cannula having first and second inlet tubes connected to said outlet passage of said structure and said cannula having first and second cannula tubes extending therefrom, said cannula tubes being sized and positioned with respect to each other to extend into the patient's nares, said cannula tubes having faces which are angular with respect to the centerline of said cannula tubes so that said faces partially face each other to direct oxygen toward the patient's septum, to provide a discharge interface area larger than cannula tube area; said venturi orifice, said outlet passage and said reservoir passage being configured so that when a patient is inhaling from said nasal cannula, oxygen flows through said venturi orifice and draws oxygen from said reservoir because of low pressure in said outlet passage due to venturi caused decrease in pressure with oxygen flow delivered to said cannula, and when the patient is not inhaling, oxygen is directed from said orifice into said reservoir passage and into said reservoir due to increased pressure in said outlet passage so that said passages act as a gas dynamic valve directing oxygen flow. 14. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 13 wherein said cannula tubes are sized for flow only from said cannula so that said cannula tubes are sufficiently small that they can be worn comfortably over the ears. 15. A pulmonary oxygen control system comprising: a structure, said structure having an inlet passage, an venturi orifice, a main passage and a nasal cannula connector in serial connection, said inlet passage, said venturi orifice and said main passage being in line with each other and defining a substantially straight flow path, said venturi orifice being sized to pass gaseous oxygen at about one liter per minute to supply the oxygen needs of a patient and to reduce pressure in said main passage when said nasal cannula connector is below atmospheric pressure; said structure having first and second reservoir passages therein and a reservoir recess in said structure, said first and second reservoir passages lying on first and second opposite sides of said flow path in said main passage adjacent the outlet of said venturi orifice, said first and second reservoir passages intersecting said main passage adjacent said venturi orifice to form a gas dynamic valve so that when pressure in said main passage is at atmospheric pressure, flow from said orifice goes into said reservoir passages and said reservoir recess, and when the pressure in said main passage is below atmospheric pressure flow from said orifice and flow from said reservoir goes through said main passage to said nasal cannula connector; a nasal cannula connected to nasal cannula connector in serial connection to said main passage so that pressure in said nasal cannula controls directional flow through said gas dynamic valve. 16. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 15 wherein there is a reservoir with flexible walls within said recess so that said reservoir expands and contracts with oxygen flow through said reservoir passages, said flexible walls being resilient and configured to favor flow into said reservoir. 17. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 16 wherein said flexible reservoir has a variable volume of about 0.025 liter so that said reservoir fills and continued oxygen flow through said orifice fills said cannula so that oxygen is available at said cannula at the beginning of each inhalation. 18. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 15 wherein said main passage divides into a Y-shaped outlet passage which becomes first and second cannula passages downstream of said venturi orifice and downstream of said reservoir passages and there are first and second outlet tubes connected to said cannula passages, said tubes being connected to said cannula and being sufficiently small and flexible to be worn over the patient's ears. 19. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 18 wherein said cannula has first and second cannula tubes, said tubes being sized to extend into the patient's nares, said cannula tubes having axes and having faces at an acute angle with respect to said tube axes so that said faces are partially directed toward each other when said axes are parallel to increase the tube exit area interface. 20. The pulmonary oxygen control system of claim 15 wherein said structure is made up of a plurality of layers of injection-moldable synthetic polymer composition and is sized so that it can be worn as a pendant to minimize the length of the oxygen tube between said structure and said cannula.