Ventilator apparatus

Abstract

One or more embodiments of the presently described invention provides a ventilator including a timing device, an electric power source and a flow control device. The timing device is electronically controlled and is capable of controlling a period of time that a fluid is delivered to a patient. The timing device can control this period of time using a solenoid. The flow control device controls a rate of flow that the fluid is delivered to the patient. The flow control device can control the rate of flow using a plurality of orifices. The timing device and flow control device are separate from one another and each is capable of being operated independent of the other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ventilator apparatus comprising:
 an electrically powered timing control device configured to control a period of time that a fluid is delivered to a patient during inspiratory time periods, the timing control device including a solenoid and an outlet, the timing control device configured to be adjusted to change the inspiratory time periods that the fluid is delivered to the patient, the timing device configured to move the solenoid to a position to block flow of the fluid to the patient during times between the inspiratory time periods; and   a flow control device configured to control a rate of flow that the fluid is delivered to the patient, the flow control device including plural orifices configured to be adjusted to change the rate of the flow that the fluid is delivered to the patient during the inspiratory time periods.   
     
     
         2 . The ventilator apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the timing control device is disposed upstream of the flow control device along a pathway that the fluid flows to the patient. 
     
     
         3 . The ventilator apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the timing control device is configured to control durations of the inspiratory time periods by actuating the solenoid to an open position or a closed position, the inspiratory time periods beginning when the solenoid is actuated to the open position and ending when the solenoid is actuated to the closed position, the solenoid configured to permit flow of the fluid to the patient when the solenoid is at the open position and to prevent the flow of the fluid when in the closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The ventilator apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein orifices have different diameters. 
     
     
         5 . The ventilator apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a volume of the fluid provided to the patient by the timing control device and the flow control device is capable of being altered by manually adjusting one or more of the inspiratory time periods using the timing control device or by manually adjusting the rate of flow using the flow control device. 
     
     
         6 . The ventilator apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control device includes an inlet that is configured to be fluidly coupled with the timing control device to receive the fluid from the timing control device, a first outlet fluidly configured to be fluidly coupled with the patient to deliver the fluid to the patient, and a different second outlet, and further comprising a patient airway pressure sensor configured to be fluidly coupled with the second outlet of the flow control device, the pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of the fluid delivered to the patient through the first outlet of the flow control device based on at least some of the fluid that flows to the pressure sensor through the second outlet of the flow control device. 
     
     
         7 . The ventilator apparatus of  claim 6 , further including at least one alarm communicatively coupled with the pressure sensor and configured to provide at least one of a visual notification or an audible notification when at least one of several alarm events occurs. 
     
     
         8 . The ventilator apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the alarm events include one or more of:
 the pressure of the fluid exceeding an upper airway pressure threshold;   the pressure of the fluid falling below a lower airway pressure threshold for at least a predetermined period of time; or   the pressure at which the fluid is supplied by the fluid source falling below a source pressure threshold.   
     
     
         9 . The ventilator apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the second outlet of the flow control device does not direct the fluid to the patient. 
     
     
         10 . A ventilator apparatus comprising:
 an inspiratory timing control device configured to be fluidly coupled with a patient airway connection that delivers a fluid to a patient, the timing control device configured to start and stop a flow of the fluid to the patient through the patient airway connection, the timing control device configured to receive manual input from an operator that directs the timing control device when to start or stop the flow of the fluid to the patient;   a flow control device configured to be fluidly coupled with the timing control device and with the patient airway connection, the flow control device having a first outlet configured to be fluidly coupled with the patient airway connection, plural orifices having different sizes, and a different second outlet, the flow control device configured to receive the fluid from the timing control device and control a rate of the flow of the fluid to the patient through the first outlet and the patient airway connection; and   a patient airway pressure sensor fluidly coupled with the second outlet of the flow control device, the patient airway sensor configured to receive at least some of the fluid passing through one or more of the orifices of the flow control device and exiting the flow control device through the second outlet, the pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of the fluid delivered to the patient based on the fluid received from the second outlet.   
     
     
         11 . The ventilator apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the timing control device is configured to calculate a time period required to deliver a desired tidal volume of the fluid to the patient at a manually selected rate of fluid flow based on the manual input. 
     
     
         12 . The ventilator apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the timing control device is powered by one or more replaceable batteries. 
     
     
         13 . The ventilator apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the timing control device is configured to start and stop the flow of the fluid to the flow control device at a point upstream from the orifices in the flow control device. 
     
     
         14 . The ventilator apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the timing control device includes a solenoid and an outlet, the timing control device configured to move the solenoid to a position to block flow of the fluid to the patient with the fluid flowing through the timing control device directed away from the patient and out of the timing control device through the outlet of the timing control device when the solenoid blocks the flow of the fluid. 
     
     
         15 . A method of providing a ventilator apparatus, the method comprising:
 fluidly coupling an inspiratory timing control device with a patient airway connection that delivers a fluid to a patient, the control device configured to start and stop a flow of the fluid to the patient through the patient airway connection;   fluidly coupling a flow control device with the timing control device and with the patient airway connection, the flow control device having a first outlet configured to be coupled with the patient airway connection and plural orifices having different sizes, the flow control device configured to receive the fluid from the timing control device and control a rate of the flow of the fluid to the patient through the first outlet and the patient airway connection; and   fluidly coupling a patient airway pressure sensor with the flow control device, the patient airway sensor configured to receive at least some of the fluid passing through one or more of the orifices of the flow control device and exiting the flow control device, the pressure sensor measuring a pressure of the fluid delivered to the patient based on the fluid received from the second outlet.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the timing control device is fluidly coupled with the patient airway connection such that at least some of the fluid is directed out of the timing control device and away from the patient through an outlet in the timing control device when the timing control device stops the flow of the fluid to the patient through the patient airway connection. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein fluidly coupling the flow control device includes fluidly coupling the flow control device such that a desired tidal volume is delivered to the patient at a selected rate of fluid flow through the flow control device, the flow control device configured to calculate a time period required to deliver the desired tidal volume at the selected rate of fluid flow based on the manual input and controlling a start and end to the time period by moving a solenoid between first and second positions. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein fluidly coupling the flow control device includes fluidly coupling the flow control device downstream of the timing control device such that the timing control device is configured to start and stop the flow of the fluid at a point upstream from the plurality of orifices in the flow of the fluid through the flow control device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further including providing at least one of a visual and audible notification when at least one of plural alarm events occurs, the alarm events including: the pressure in the patient airway connection exceeding an upper airway pressure threshold, the pressure in the patient airway connection falling below a lower airway pressure threshold, the pressure at which the fluid is supplied by the fluid source falling below a source pressure threshold, a level of a power source of the timing control device falling below a power source threshold. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein further comprising electronically controlling a period of time that the fluid is supplied to the patient using the timing control device by moving a solenoid between an open position and a closed position.