APPARATUS FOR MEASURING PROPERTIES OF GASES SUPPLIED TO A PATIENT
The gases temperature supplied to a patient when the patient is undergoing treatment such as oxygen therapy or positive pressure treatment for conditions such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is often measured for safety and to enable controlling of the humidity delivered to the patient. The invention disclosed is related to measurement of properties, particularly temperature (thermistor), of gases flowing through a heated tube, supplying gases to a patient, which utilises the heating wire within the tube.
Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57.
BACKGROUND FieldThis invention relates to an apparatus for measuring properties, such as temperature and humidity, of gases being supplied to a patient. Humidifiers are commonly controlled by measuring the temperature of gas at two points, adjacent to the output of the humidifier and proximal to the patient. This invention predominantly relates to the measurement of temperature of gas supplied to a patient at a point proximal to the patient.
Description of the Related ArtThe gases temperature supplied to a patient when the patient is undergoing treatment such as oxygen therapy or positive pressure treatment for conditions such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is often measured for safety and to enable controlling of the humidity delivered to the patient. Measurement of temperature near the patient is commonly performed using a probe inserted into the breathing tube, such as that of Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,272,933 and 6,584,972. Such a temperature probe is connected to the humidifier through a cable that runs external to the breathing circuit This approach has some drawbacks. In particular, the user must correctly install the temperature probe. If the probe is not correctly installed then the humidification system may malfunction which may increase risk to the patient. Existing end of breathing tube sensors require sensor wires to be run down the outside of the breathing tube. This lowers reliability of the sensors due to the vulnerability of these wires. Alternatively, if these wires are run down the inside of the breathing tube there would be an increase of the resistance to airflow and the hygiene of the breathing circuit would be lowered.
SUMMARYIt is an object of the present invention to provide a method of measuring properties of gases supplied to a patient that goes some way to overcoming the abovementioned disadvantages in the prior art or which will at least provide the industry with a useful choice.
Accordingly in a first aspect the present invention consists in an apparatus for measuring properties of gases being supplied to a patient comprising:
-
- a gases supply,
- at least one delivery conduit including a heater wire for heating said conduit,
- wherein said heater wire is utilised in an electrical circuit to determine said properties of said gases.
Preferably said electrical circuit is connected in series with said heater wire and provides a measurement or enables a calculation of an indication of at least one of temperature, humidity, pressure and composition of said gases.
Preferably said electrical circuit is mounted and sealed on a printed circuit board that at least partially extends into the gases supplied to said patient through said at least one delivery conduit.
Preferably said electrical circuit is at least partially moulded into the wall of said delivery conduit.
Preferably said electrical circuit includes a sensing means with known properties at ambient temperature such that said sensing means can be matched with said at least one delivery conduit.
Preferably said sensing means is a temperature sensor.
Preferably said electrical circuit includes at least one measuring means in series with said heater wire.
Preferably said at least measuring means is a temperature measuring means.
Preferably said temperature measuring means includes a thermistor and diode in parallel and a reference resistor.
Preferably said thermistor and said diode are located at the end of said delivery conduit near to said patient and said reference resistor is included in said gases supply means.
Preferably said gases supply means includes a device to supply gas flow, such as a blower, and a humidifier to humidify said gases from said blower.
Preferably said gases supply means is a humidifier.
Preferably said electrical circuit includes a gases property measuring means.
Preferably said gases property measuring means includes at least one of a sensor, band pass filter or thermistor and at least one reference resistor.
Preferably said at least one of a sensor, band pass filter or thermistor are located at the end of said delivery conduit near to said patient and said at least one reference resistor and at least one band pass filter is included in said gases supply means.
The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples.
Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present invention seeks to measure various properties, for example temperature or humidity, at the end of a gas delivery tube or conduit using sensors mounted on a wire, such as a wire used for heating the gases flow through the tube or conduit, where the wire resides within the delivery tube or conduit. A heated tube with a heating wire such as that described in Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,730 or any other similar tube and heating wire could be utilised with the present invention.
Referring to
The inspiratory conduit 3 is connected to the outlet 4 of the humidification chamber 5 that contains a volume of water 6. The humidification chamber 5 is preferably formed from a plastics material and may have a highly heat conductive base (for example an aluminium base) that is in direct contact with a heater plate 7 of humidifier 8. The humidifier 8 is provided with control means or an electronic controller 9 that may comprise a microprocessor based controller executing computer software commands stored in associated memory. Gases flowing through the inspiratory conduit 3 are passed to the patient by way of the nasal cannula 12, but may also be passed to the patient by way of other patient interfaces such as a nasal or full face mask.
The controller 9 receives input from sources such as user input means or dial 10 through which a user of the device may, for example, set a predetermined required value (preset value) of humidity or temperature of the gases supplied to patient 13. In response to the user set humidity or temperature value input via dial 10 and other possible inputs such as internal sensors that sense gases flow or temperature, or by parameters calculated in the controller, controller 9 determines when (or to what level) to energise heater plate 7 to heat the water 6 within humidification chamber 5. As the volume of water 6 within humidification chamber 5 is heated, water vapour begins to fill the volume of the chamber above the surface of the water and is passed out of the humidification chamber 5 outlet 4 with the flow of gases (for example air) provided from a gases supply means or blower 15 which enters the humidification chamber 5 through inlet 16.
The blower 15 may be provided with a variable speed pump or fan 2 which draws air or other gases through the blower inlet 17. The speed of the variable speed pump or fan 2 maybe controlled by a further control means or electronic controller 18 which responds either to inputs from controller 9 or to user-set predetermined required values (preset values) of pressure or fan speed, via dial 19. Alternatively, the function of this controller 18 can be combined with the other controller 9.
A heating element or wire 11 is preferably provided within, around and throughout the conduit or tubing 3 to help prevent condensation of the humidified gases within the conduit. Such condensation is due to the temperature of the walls of the conduit being close to the ambient temperature, (being the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere) which is usually lower than the temperature of the humidified gases within the conduit. The heater element effectively replaces the energy lost from the gases through conduction and convection during transit through the conduit. Thus the conduit heater element ensures the gases delivered are at an optimal temperature and humidity.
Such a heater wire is commonly driven either with direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) and in both cases the heating voltage is usually switched on and off to control the power applied to the heating element. In the present invention the heating element 11, which is most preferably a wire, is used along with an electronic circuit to determine properties of the gases supplied to the patient. The circuit (20 or 40 in
More generally, the thermistor may be replaced by an impedance (for example, a resistor and a capacitive sensor) for pressure or humidity measurement. Either the impedance can be measured by measuring the voltage across the reference resistor 24 or the rise-time could be determined by looking at the voltage across the reference resistor 24 in time.
Part of the circuit 20 would be included in the delivery conduit 3 and in particular the diode 22 and thermistor 23 (in parallel with one another) are preferably placed in series with the heater wire 21, 28 at a point in the heater wire at or near the end 30 (nearest the user 13, see
The thermistor's value can be chosen to have different resistance curves with known properties at ambient temperature. The choice of a particular thermistor value for use with the circuit allows identification by the control system of the present invention and matching of that thermistor value with a specific conduit or tubing 3. Such that different thermistor values can be matched with a particular and appropriate conduit types and upon connection of the conduit to a humidifier or blower device, the control system can identify that thermistor and apply the appropriate control strategy to the heating of the conduit.
AC or DC Heating VoltageThe circuit shown in
The heating and measurement currents return through the heater wire 46 and can be filtered through a number of measurement filters 47, 49, 57 in parallel that pass frequency bands that correspond to the filters, 41, 43, 45 located at the end 30 of the tube 3. The heating current takes a different path than the measurement currents. The measurement currents each take a different path depending on their frequency and this allows each measurement current to be measured by passing it through a reference resistor 48, 54 or similar. Again a look up table or equation may be used to convert the voltage across the reference resistor 48, 54 to, for example, a temperature. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the measurement filters 47, 49, 57 would be included in the humidifier 8 control circuitry.
In a further embodiment one or more of the sensing elements 55, 56 at the end 30 of the delivery tube 3 could be replaced by a fixed impedance to allow identification of the tube so that different control algorithms can be used for different conduits or tubes.
The circuits and method of the present invention can be applied to a number of applications of these technologies for humidification and breathing circuit products. For example, the measurement of the temperature or humidity at the end of the delivery tube (or in a patient interface, for example, nasal cannula or mask) can be used to better control the humidifier, such that a more accurate temperature of gases can be supplied to the patient, providing optimal patient comfort and therapy. Additionally, other gases properties may be measured, such as the gases pressure or gas composition near the patient.
The apparatus of the present invention eliminates the need for external wires for sensing gases properties, as is required by the prior art. Furthermore the apparatus of the present invention only uses two pins or contacts (as opposed to four pins as used in current heated tube implementations). This means the system of the present invention is likely to be more reliable as the contacts/pins are likely to be less prone to breakage. The utilisation of the heater wire for measuring gases properties may also reduce the cost of the breathing tube 3 and associated parts, especially if the breathing tube is to be disposable.
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. A delivery tube for supplying a flow of gases from a gases supply to a patient, the delivery tube comprising:
- a wall defining a lumen;
- a heater wire provided within or around the delivery tube and extending at least a portion of a length of the delivery tube;
- an electrical circuit configured to determine at least one property of the flow of gases, the electrical circuit comprising a temperature sensor and a diode, the temperature sensor and the diode being connected in parallel; and
- a printed circuit board, the temperature sensor being positioned on the printed circuit board and being connected with the heater wire, wherein: at least a portion of the electrical circuit is located within the delivery tube; at least one portion of the printed circuit board is positioned in the path of the flow of gases in the lumen, the temperature sensor being positioned on said at least one portion of the printed circuit board; and the printed circuit board is positioned at or near a first end of the delivery tube, the first end being nearest the patient.
3. The delivery tube of claim 2, wherein the tube is configured to connect to a humidifier or blower device.
4. The delivery tube of claim 2, wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor.
5. The delivery tube of claim 2, wherein:
- when a heating voltage is applied to the heater wire, the diode conducts current flow through the heating element which provides heating to the delivery tube; and/or
- when a measurement voltage is applied, a current in the heater wire does not flow through the diode but does flow through the temperature sensor.
6. The delivery tube of claim 2, wherein the at least one portion of the printed circuit board is overmoulded with plastic for sealing and mounted in the flow of gases through the delivery tube.
7. The delivery tube of claim 2, wherein temperature sensor is in series with the heater wire.
8. The delivery tube of claim 2, wherein the temperature sensor is positioned at or near a radial center of the lumen.
9. A respiratory therapy system configured to provide respiratory gases to a patient to treat one or more respiratory conditions of the patient, the respiratory therapy system comprising:
- a blower;
- a humidifier in fluid communication with the blower to receive a flow of gases from the blower and the humidifier configured to humidify the flow of gases; and
- a delivery tube in fluid communication with the humidifier and configured to convey the flow of gases to the patient, wherein the delivery tube is a tube.
10. A delivery tube for supplying a flow of gases from a gases supply to a patient, the delivery tube comprising:
- a wall defining a lumen;
- a heater wire provided within or around the delivery tube and extending at least a portion of a length of the delivery tube;
- an electrical circuit connected to the heater wire, the heater wire being utilised within the electrical circuit to determine a temperature of the flow of gases, the electrical circuit being configured to provide a signal to a controller through the heater wire indicative of the temperature of the flow of gases;
- a portion of the electrical circuit being located within tube;
- the electrical circuit includes a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the gases flow, the temperature sensor being coupled to the heater wire;
- the temperature sensor located at a patient end of the tube; and
- a moulding enclosing at least the temperature sensor, and the moulding extending into a region conveying the stream of gases through the conduit.
11. A conduit as per claim 10, wherein the electrical circuit comprises a temperature sensor arranged in series with the heater wire.
12. A conduit as per claim 10, wherein the overmolding comprises a housing protruding from a wall of the conduit into the stream of gases.
13. A conduit as per claim 10, wherein the electrical circuit is positioned on a printed circuit board, and wherein the overmolding encloses at least part of the printed circuit board; and the printed circuit board at least partially extends into the flow of gases supplied to the patient through the.
14. A conduit as per claim 13, wherein the electrical circuit comprising a temperature sensor and a diode, the temperature sensor and the diode being connected in parallel, wherein the temperature sensor is positioned on a printed circuit board; and
- wherein the printed circuit board is positioned at or near a first end of the delivery tube, the first end being nearest the patient; and wherein at least one portion of the printed circuit board is positioned in the path of the flow of gases in the lumen, the temperature sensor being positioned on said at least one portion of the printed circuit board.
15. A respiratory therapy system configured to provide respiratory gases to a patient to treat one or more respiratory conditions of the patient, the respiratory therapy system comprising:
- a gases supply for providing a stream of gases;
- a blower;
- a humidifier in fluid communication with the blower to receive a flow of gases from the blower and the humidifier configured to humidify the flow of gases;
- a conduit configured to connect to the gases supply and to deliver the flow of gases to the patient;
- a nasal cannula removably connectable to the conduit, wherein the flow of gases are delivered to the patient from the conduit via the nasal cannula;
- a heater wire located throughout a length of the conduit;
- an electrical circuit connected to the heater wire, the heater wire being utilised to determine at least one property of the flow of gases, the electrical circuit being configured to provide a signal to a controller through the heater wire indicative of the at least one property of the flow of gases wherein: the controller is configured to determine the at least one property of the flow of gases, at least a portion of the electrical circuit being configured to be positioned within the flow of gases; and an overmolding enclosing at least part of the electrical circuit, the overmolding extending into a region conveying the flow of gases through the conduit.
16. The respiratory therapy system of claim 15, wherein the overmolding comprises a housing protruding from a wall of the conduit into the stream of gases.
17. The respiratory therapy system of claim 15, wherein:
- the electrical circuit is positioned on a printed circuit board, and wherein the overmolding encloses at least part of the printed circuit board; and
- the printed circuit board at least partially extends into the flow of gases supplied to the patient through the conduit.
18. The respiratory therapy system of claim 15, wherein the electrical circuit is configured to measure at least one of temperature, pressure, gas composition, or humidity of the flow of gases.
19. The respiratory therapy system of claim 15, the electrical circuit comprising a temperature sensor and a diode, the temperature sensor and the diode being connected in parallel, wherein the temperature sensor is positioned on a printed circuit board.
20. The respiratory therapy system of claim 15, wherein the printed circuit board is positioned at or near a first end of the delivery tube, the first end being nearest the patient; and wherein at least one portion of the printed circuit board is positioned in the path of the flow of gases in the lumen, the temperature sensor being positioned on said at least one portion of the printed circuit board.
Type: Application
Filed: May 9, 2023
Publication Date: Feb 8, 2024
Inventors: Matthew Jon Payton (Auckland), Kevin Peter O'Donnell (Auckland), Andrew Baden Clark (Auckland), Christopher Simon James Quill (Auckland), Peter Geoffrey Hawkins (Auckland)
Application Number: 18/314,505