Devices, systems and methods for ozone sanitization of continuous positive airway pressure devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10953121-B2
Application number	US-201816191059-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2018
Priority date	May 6, 2014
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

The present invention is generally related to an apparatus and method for sanitizing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, in particular the invention relates to a system, method and device that attach to a CPAP device and sanitizes all of the parts of the CPAP device, including the inner areas of the hose, reservoir and face mask most prone for bacteria buildup. The device has an ozone operating system and one or more ozone distribution lines that distributes ozone to a CPAP device and a non-permeable bag for sanitizing a CPAP mask.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for sanitizing components of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, comprising:
fluidly coupling an ozone operating system to a bag for receiving ozone gas; and
generating ozone gas with the ozone operating system, such that said ozone gas flows into an interior of said bag;

wherein:
said bag comprises a sealing mechanism and an opening that is movable between an unsealed configuration and a sealed configuration;
in said unsealed configuration, the opening is configured to permit insertion of a CPAP mask into the bag; and
in said sealed configuration, the sealing mechanism is configured to form a seal that substantially prevents leakage of ozone gas from said bag.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising fluidly coupling the ozone operating system to a CPAP hose.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
said CPAP hose comprises a first end and a second end;
fluidly coupling said ozone operating system to said bag comprises fluidly coupling the ozone operating system to the first end of said CPAP hose; and
the method further comprises:
disposing at least the second end of the CPAP hose in the interior of said bag; and
conveying said ozone gas from said ozone operating system through said CPAP hose to the interior of said bag.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second end of the CPAP hose is configured to couple to a CPAP mask.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a filter cartridge is coupled to the bag or disposed within the interior of the bag.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said bag comprises an inner layer, an outer layer, and a barrier layer between the inner and outer layers.

7. A system for sanitizing components of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, comprising:
an ozone operating system;
a connector unit, wherein the connector unit fluidly couples said ozone operating system to a first end of a hose of a CPAP device;
a bag, wherein a second end of the hose is coupled to a mask within the bag; and,
a sealing mechanism to seal an opening in the bag, wherein said sealing mechanism is movable between an unsealed configuration and a sealed configuration.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a filter cartridge coupled to or disposed in said bag.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein said bag comprises an inner layer, an outer layer, and a barrier layer between the inner and outer layers.

Assignees

• Soclean Inc

Inventors

• Schmidt Michael U
• Leyva Timothy
• Surowaniec Mariusz

Classifications

• A61L2103/15

  Laboratory, medical or dentistry appliances, e.g. catheters or sharps · CPC title

• A61L2/20

  Gaseous substances, e.g. vapours · CPC title

• A61L2103/05

  Living organisms or biological materials · CPC title

• A61M16/0057 Primary

  Pumps therefor · CPC title

• A61M16/16

  Devices to humidify the respiration air {(A61M16/1045 takes precedence)} · CPC title