GB2448212A

GB2448212A - PEP device with visual indicator

Info

Publication number: GB2448212A
Application number: GB0804718A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anna Jane Elizabeth Mitchell
Original assignee: Smiths Group PLC
Current assignee: Smiths Group PLC
Priority date: 2007-04-03
Filing date: 2008-03-14
Publication date: 2008-10-08
Also published as: GB0804718D0; GB0706561D0

Abstract

A pulmonary therapy device i.e. positive expiratory pressure (PEP), especially for children, is shaped like a dolphin having a mouthpiece inlet 2 at one end and a tail fin 3 at the opposite end. A gas path 15 from the inlet 2 extends to an outlet 16 closed by a beam 20 mounted midway along its length about a horizontal axis. The beam 20 is held down by a magnet arrangement 23 until exhaled pressure is sufficient to lift it and open the outlet 16. The tail fin 3 is attached to the opposite end of the beam from the inlet 2 and extends externally of the housing 10. The fin 3 flaps up and down as the patient experiences vibrating resistance to exhalation to give a visual feedback.

Description

PULMON&Jy IIIERAPY DEVICE This invention relates to pulmonary therapy

devices.

People suffering from pulmonary problems in which the lungs produce large amounts of mucus often require assistance to help remove these secretions. This may be done by physiotherapy techniques or using positive expiratory pressure therapy, or PEP, where the patient exhales against a constant flow resistance to produce a substantially constant expiratoiy flow rate.

The effect of the PEP therapy can be enhanced by using an oscillatory PEP device in which the flow resistance is varied in an alternating manner so as to produce an oscillation in the expiratozy flow. One such oscillatory PEP device is sold by Smiths Medical ASD, Inc under the trade mark Acapella (Registered Trade Mark). The operation of this device is described in detail in US 6581598. Modifications of the device are also described in US67761 59 and US7059324. This device employs a see-saw like rocker beam held down at one end by a magnet arrangement to close an outlet. As the patient exhales, the pressure increases sufficiently to raise the end of the beam and open the outlet. The arrangement is such that the beam rapidly falls again to a closed state leading to an oscillatory pressure pattern. Other therapy devices are described in US5O 18517 and US565 8221.

Children are often subject to respiratory infection leading to a cough and the production of mucus. Treatment is usually by administration of over-the-counter medication, which typically gives little benefit.

Where the patient with the pulmonary problem is a young child it can be very difficult to persuade him to carry out the necessary therapy regularly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative pulmonary therapy device.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a pulmonary therapy device including a housing having an inlet by which a patient exhales into the device, an outlet through which exhaled patient breath flows, a gas flow path between the inlet and outlet, and oscillator means within the housing and driven by patient breath for alternately obstructing and opening the gas flow path so that the patient experiences an alternating resistance to flow through the device, the device including visual indicator means extending externally of the housing and coupled with the oscillator means such that the indicator means is displaced in an oscillatory manner and such that displacement of the indicator means is visible to the patient.

The indicator means is preferably arranged to be displaced in a flapping motion. The indicator means may be arranged to be displaced in an up and down movement. The housing is preferably elongate with the inlet at one end and the indicator means towards the opposite end. The oscillator means preferably includes an oscillating beam. The oscillator means may include magnet means arranged to retain the oscillator means in a first position until pressure exerted by the exhaled breath is sufficient to overcome the force of the magnet means and displace the oscillator means to a second position. The gas flow path may include a one-way valved inlet arranged to allow the patient to inhale and draw air into the path through the valved inlet before exhaling to displace the oscillating means. The visual indicator means is preferably detachable from the oscillator means.

An oscillatory pulmonary therapy device for children will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device: Figure 2 is an end view of the device from its inlet end; and Figure 3 is a simplified cross-sectional, side elevation view.

The device is designed to resemble a dolphin or similar sea mammal having a body 1 with a mouth 2 at one end and a tail fin 3 towards its opposite end. The device preferably is coloured and provided with decorative features to enhance its attraction to children. It will be appreciated, however, that the device could take various alternative shapes.

The body 1 is provided by a housing 10 of a rigid plastics material. The housing 10 is elongate, rounded and bulbous, being slightly fatter towards the right-hand, mouth or user inlet end 2, before it tapers to reduced dimensions. The right-hand end of the housing 10 projects a short distance to form the inlet or mouth 2. The mouth 2 opens internally of the housing 10 and is of an oval shape suitable for sealing insertion in the mouth of a child, such that he can blow into the inlet or mouth 2 without any substantial leakage around the outside.

The housing 10 is preferably formed from three casing parts, namely two elongate parts making up the upper and lower parts of the main body and a third moulding on which the mouth 2 is formed, which is retained between the upper and lower casing parts.

The mechanism inside the housing 10 is substantially as described in US658 1598, the contents of which are hereby incorporated in this application. At the far, left-hand end of the housing 10 is an inhalation inlet 12 covered by a one-way flap valve 13 arranged to allow flow of air from left to right, into a channel 15 extending along the lower part of the housing and communicating with the mouth 2 at its far, right-hand end. The flap valve 13 prevents gas flowing out of the housing 10 via the valve. The channel 15 is isolated from the remainder of the interior of the housing 10 except for a tapered, conical opening 16 on the upper surface of the channel. The opening 16 is normally closed by an oscillating beam or rocker mechanism 20 having a conical plug 21 projecting downwardly at its left-hand end.

The beam 20 is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis at a support 22 about midway along its length. A magnet arrangement 23 at the left-hand end of the beam 20 holds down its left-hand end, with the plug 21 in sealing engagement with the opening 16, thereby preventing any flow of air out through the channel 15. The magnet arrangement 23 comprises a magnet 24 mounted with the housing 10 and a ferromagnetic keeper 25 attached with the beam 20. The magnet 24 is preferably secured in a fixed position but, as described in US658 1598, it could be mounted on an adjustable frame to enable the user to control the frequency of operation of the device. The preferred, fixed location of the magnet simplifies manufacture, reduces the cost of the device and simplifies its use.

The device differs from previous arrangements in that the rocker beam 20 is coupled with a visual indicator extending externally of the housing 10. In the present example, the indicator is provided by the tail fin 3 or a similar flapper device. The fin 3 is removably attached at its right-hand end by means of a catch 26 with the left-hand end of the beam 20 so that it is moved up and down with the beam. The fin 3 can be easily unclipped from the beam 20 if the user prefers. A weight 34 is attached to the right-hand end of the beam 20 in a position selected to counterbalance the effect of the fin 3. Alternatively, a spring could be used to Counterbalajice the weight of the fin 3.

Air can flow freely from the air inlet 12 to the user inlet 2 along the channel 15 so that the user can inhale air freely through the mouthpiece. The air flow path to the outlet 14, however, is initially blocked by the plug 21 in the opening 16, since the beam 20 is held down in a first position by the magnet arrangement 23. In this state, the fin 3 is in a lowered position. As the user exhales, pressure on the underside of the plug 21 increases until it is sufficient to overcome the force of the magnet 23 and lift the left-hand end of the beam 20, in a sudden motion, to a second position. it will be appreciated that the flap valve 13 prevents any exhaled air flowing out of the housing 10 through the air inlet 12. As the left-hand end of the beam 20 rises, the outer end of the fin 3 moves up with it. Air can now escape from the channel 15 through the opening 16 into the remainder of the interior of housing 10, which is open to atmosphere. As this happens, pressure in the channel 15 drops, allowing the left-hand end of the beam 20 to fall and thereby lowering the tail fm 3. Once the plug 21 again seals the opening 16, pressure builds up inside the channel 15 until it is sufficient to raise the rocker beam 20 and the fin 3. The effect of this is that the user experiences a vibratory resistance to exhalatory flow, which helps to loosen mucus in the respiratory passages. The positioning of the tin 3, opposite the user inlet 2 and on the upper side of the housing 10, is such that it can be seen easily by the user and provides biofeedback to him in an amusing fashion that encourages child users to continue with the therapy and, thereby achieve a clinical benefit.

The device can be used easily by children and the flapping motion of the fin provides confirmation to a clinician or carer that the device is being used correctly.

It will be appreciated that the oscillatory motion could be provided in other ways instead of by the magneticallyact rocking beam described above. It is not essential that the visual indicator be moved in a flapping fashion since alternative indicators could be moved in other oscillatory motions, such as a rocking, wagging or twisting motion.

Claims

1. A pulmonary therapy device including a housing having an inlet by which a patient exhales into the device, an outlet through which exhaled patient breath flows, a gas flow path between the inlet and outlet, and oscillator means within the housing and driven by patient breath for alternately obstructing and opening the gas flow path so that the patient experiences an alternating resistance to flow through the device, wherein the device includes visual indicator means extending externally of the housing and coupled with the oscillator means such that the indicator means is displaced in an oscillatory manner and such that displacement of the indicator means is visible to the patient.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the indicator means is arranged to be displaced in a flapping motion.

3. A device according to Claim I or 2, wherein the indicator means is arranged to be displaced in an up and down movement.

4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing is elongate with the inlet at one end and the indicator means towards the Opposite end.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the oscillator means includes an oscillating beam.

I

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the oscillator means includes magnet means arranged to retain the oscillator means in a first position until pressure exefled by exhaled breath is sufficient to overcome the force of the magnet means and displace the oscillator means to a second position.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas flow path includes a One-way valved inlet arranged to allow the patient to inhale and draw air into the path through the valved inlet before exhaling to displace the oscillating means.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the visual indicator means is detachable from the oscillator means.

9. A pulmonary therapy device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. Any novel and inventive feature or combination of features as hereinbefore described.