Device for providing breathable gas

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10149954-B2
Application number	US-201414204041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A kit including a device which provides breathable gas to a patient and a specific facing, the device including a unit which provides a flow of breathable gas, a processor which drives the unit, and a receiving region which receives the specific facing. The unit and the processor provide the breathable gas in at least two different modes of operation, and a specific mode of operation can be selected out of the at least two modes by attaching the specific facing onto the receiving region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A kit comprising:
a device for providing breathable gas to an entrance of a patient's airways to treat sleep disordered breathing, the device comprising:
a flow generator configured to generate a flow of breathable gas at positive pressure with respect to atmosphere in at least two different modes of operation;
a processor programmed to control the flow generator to generate the flow of breathable gas in each of the at least two different modes of operation, each of the at least two different modes of operation being associated with a different therapy;
an input device configured to receive user input and provide the user input to the processor to control the flow generator; and
a receiving region; and

a first specific facing configured to be attached to the receiving region and comprising zero pins, a first pin, a second pin, or the first pin and the second pin,
wherein the receiving region further comprises a first recess configured to receive the first pin and a second recess configured to receive the second pin,
wherein the processor is programmed to determine whether zero pins, the first pin, the second pin, or the first pin and the second pin are received in corresponding recesses, and
wherein the processor is programmed to control the flow generator in a first mode of operation of the at least two different modes of operation in response to whether the processor determines that zero pins, the first pin, the second pin, or the first pin and the second pin are received in corresponding recesses, the first mode of operation being associated with zero pins, the first pin, the second pin, or the first pin and the second pin.

2. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises memory in communication with the processor, the memory being programmed to save the first mode of operation determined by the processor.

3. The kit of claim 2 , wherein the processor is programmed to control the flow generator to generate the flow of breathable gas according to the first mode of operation saved to the memory after the first specific facing is removed and/or replaced by another specific facing or a replacement facing.

4. The kit of claim 2 , wherein the processor is programmed to reset the mode of operation saved to the memory.

5. The kit of claim 2 , wherein the memory is configured such that the mode of operation saved to the memory is only resettable by reprogramming with the processor.

6. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the first specific facing displays information regarding the first mode of operation associated therewith to the patient in response to attachment of the first specific facing to the receiving region.

7. The kit of claim 6 , wherein the information comprises one or a combination of: letters, numbers, symbols, graphics, color, material, and surface finishing.

8. The kit of claim 1 , wherein the first specific facing is structured not to be removable from the device by hand once attached to the receiving region.

9. The kit of claim 8 , wherein the first specific facing is structured to be removable from the device only with a specific tool once attached to the receiving region.

10. The kit of claim 1 , further comprising a second specific facing,
wherein the processor is programmed to control the flow generator in a second mode of operation of the at least two different modes of operation in response to whether the processor determines that zero pins, the first pin, the second pin, or the first pin and the second pin are received in corresponding recesses, the second mode of operation being associated with a different one of zero pins, the first pin, the second pin, or the first pin and the second pin than the first mode of operation.

11. The kit of claim 10 , wherein each of the first specific facing and the second specific facing displays different information regarding the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation, respectively, to the patient in response to attachment to the receiving region.

12. The kit of claim 10 , wherein the first specific facing and the second specific facing differ from each other by one or a combination of: letters, numbers, symbols, graphics, color, material, and surface finishing.

13. The kit of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two different modes of operation is one of Basic CPAP, CPAP with Expiratory Pressure Relief (EPR), a Bi-Level type mode, AutoSet CPAP, and a Cheyne Stokes (CS) treatment therapy.

14. The kit according to claim 1 , further comprising a replacement facing configured to be attached to the receiving region of the device after the first specific facing is removed, the replacement facing having a different one of zero pins, a first pin, a second pin, or the first pin and the second pin than the first specific facing,
wherein the processor is programmed to be initialized to control the flow generator to generate the flow of breathable gas in the first mode of operation of the at least two different modes of operation in response to determining that zero pins, the first pin, the second pin, or the first pin and the second pin of the first specific facing are received in corresponding recesses, and
wherein the processor is programmed to be initialized to control the flow generator to generate the flow of breathable gas in a second mode of operation of the at least two different modes of operation in response to determining that zero pins, the first pin, the second pin, or the first pin and the second pin of the replacement facing are received in corresponding recesses.

15. The kit of claim 14 , wherein the replacement facing has an appearance that is patient-customizable.

16. The kit of claim 14 , wherein the replacement facing comprises one or a combination of: a printing, a sticker, one or more LEDs, one or more light guides, one or more light sheets, a clock, and a frame for one or more pictures.

17. The kit of claim 14 , wherein the replacement facing has the appearance of or is made of one or a combination of: wood, metal, aluminium, chrome, and plastic.

18. The kit of claim 1 , wherein each recess further comprises a light emitting and receiving arrangement on one side of the recess configured to form a light reflection path or on both sides of the recess configured to form a light path.

19. The kit of claim 18 , wherein if the first specific facing comprises zero pins, the light reflection path or the light path of each recess will not be changed or interrupted when the first specific facing is attached to the receiving region, and
wherein if the first specific facing comprises the first pin, the second pin, or the first pin and the second pin, the first pin, the second pin, or the first pin and the second pin are configured to change or interrupt the light reflection path or the light path of corresponding recesses when the first specific facing is attached to the receiving region.

20. The kit of claim 18 , wherein the light emitting and receiving arrangement of each recess further comprises an LED and a phototransistor.

21. A method of providing breathable gas to an entrance of a patient's airways to treat sleep disordered breathing with a device that includes a flow generator configured to generate a flow of breathable gas at positive pressure with respect to atmosphere in at least two different modes of operation; a processor programmed to control the flow generator to generate the flow of breathable gas in each of the at least two different modes of operation, each of the at

Assignees

• Resmed Ltd

Inventors

• Lang Bernd Christoph
• Kirchberger Andreas
• Nickol Johannes
• Biener Achim
• Rothfuss Jens
• Burz Johann Sebastian
• Eibl Robert
• Bayer Christian
• Harris Craig

Classifications

• A61M2205/6036

  characterised by physical shape, e.g. array of activating switches · CPC title

• A61M2205/60

  with identification means · CPC title

• A61M16/00

  Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. ventilators (iron lungs A61H31/02); Tracheal tubes · CPC title

• A61M2016/0036

  in the breathing tube and used in both inspiratory and expiratory phase · CPC title

• A61M2205/6063

  Optical identification systems · CPC title