Respiratory Ventilation System with Gas Sparing Valve Having Optional CPAP Mode and Mask for Use with Same

Abstract

A system for delivering gas to a patient. The system includes a gas control unit, a breathing circuit, a control switch, and a patient interface. The gas control unit has a main gas outlet. The breathing circuit has a main gas line having a first end. The first end of the main gas line is coupled to the main gas outlet. The control switch may be a pneumatic switch, in which case the breathing circuit further has a pilot control line for pneumatically controlling the gas control unit to deliver gas to the main gas line via the main gas outlet. The control switch may be an electrical switch, in which case the breathing circuit may use electrical control of the gas delivery or electrical and pneumatic control of the gas delivery. Other embodiment of the gas control unit may include a continuous positive airway pressure branch.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for delivering gas to a patient, comprising:
 a gas control unit comprising an outlet comprising a main gas line outlet, the gas control unit further comprising a gas sparing circuit comprising a primary branch coupled to the main gas line outlet, the primary branch comprising a gas sparing valve for controlling a flow of gas through the primary branch;   a breathing circuit comprising a main gas line comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of the main gas line coupled to the main gas line outlet;   a pilot control switch for selectively causing the gas sparing valve to provide the flow of gas to the main gas line via the main gas line outlet; and   a patient interface coupled to the second end of the main gas line of the breathing circuit.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the outlet of the gas control unit further comprises a pilot control line outlet,   the breathing circuit further comprises a pilot control line coupled to the pilot control line outlet,   the pilot control switch is a pneumatic control switch for selectively occluding the pilot control line,   the gas sparing circuit further comprises a pilot control branch coupled to the pilot control line outlet, and   the gas sparing valve is a pneumatic control valve disposed in the primary branch, the pilot control switch configured to actuate the pneumatic control valve based on the selective occlusion of the pilot control line by the pneumatic control switch to provide the flow of gas to the main gas line via the main gas line outlet.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the patient interface is a mask coupled to the second end of the main gas line of the breathing circuit, and the pneumatic control switch is disposed on the mask. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the patient interface is an endotracheal tube adapter for connection to an endotracheal tube, and the pneumatic control switch is disposed on the endotracheal tube adapter. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the gas control unit further comprises an electric solenoid control valve and an electrical pilot control line input,   the breathing circuit further comprises an electrical pilot control line, and   the pilot control switch is an electrical control switch coupled to the electrical pilot control line for selectively controlling the electric solenoid control valve to control the gas sparing valve to provide the flow of gas to the main gas line via the main gas line outlet.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the patient interface is a mask coupled to the second end of the main gas line of the breathing circuit, and the electrical control switch is disposed on the mask. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the patient interface is an endotracheal tube adapter for connection to an endotracheal tube, and the electrical control switch is disposed on the endotracheal tube adapter. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the gas control unit further comprises a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) branch coupled to the main gas outlet, and a mode-selection switch for selectively directing source gas to the CPAP branch or to the gas sparing circuit, and   the patient interface is a mask coupled to the second end of the main gas line of the breathing circuit, the mask comprising a CPAP exhalation port.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas control unit further comprises an internal air supply that sources the flow of gas to the main gas line, and wherein the primary branch is further coupled to internal air supply. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pilot control switch is a pneumatic-mechanical timer-based trigger. 
     
     
         11 . A gas control unit for delivering gas to a patient, comprising:
 an outlet comprising a main gas line outlet; and   a gas sparing circuit comprising:
 a primary branch coupled to the main gas line outlet; and 
 a gas sparing valve for controlling a flow of gas to the main gas outlet in response to a selective control. 
   
     
     
         12 . The gas control unit of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the outlet further comprises a pilot control line outlet,   the gas sparing circuit further comprises a pilot control branch coupled to the pilot control line outlet, and   the gas sparing valve is a pneumatic control valve comprising a pneumatic control input coupled to the pilot control branch, the pneumatic control valve disposed in the primary branch and configured to actuate in response to the selective control to provide the flow of gas to the main gas line outlet.   
     
     
         13 . The gas control unit of  claim 12 , further comprising a first pneumatic timer control disposed in the pilot control branch, the first pneumatic timer control configured to control an on-time of the pneumatic control valve in response to the selective control to provide the flow of gas to the main gas line outlet. 
     
     
         14 . The gas control unit of  claim 13 , further comprising a second pneumatic timer control disposed in the pilot control branch, the second pneumatic timer control configured to control an off-time of the pneumatic control valve in response to the selective control to provide the flow of gas to the main gas line outlet. 
     
     
         15 . The gas control unit of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the gas control unit further comprises an electrical pilot control line input,   the gas sparing valve is controlled by an electric solenoid control valve disposed in the pilot branch, the electric solenoid control valve configured to actuate in response to the selective control to actuate the gas sparing valve to provide the flow of gas to the main gas outlet.   
     
     
         16 . The gas control unit of  claim 15 , further comprising an electrical timer control configured to receive the selective control via the electrical pilot control line input and to control an on-time and an off-time of the electric solenoid control valve in response to the selective control to provide the flow of gas to the main gas line outlet. 
     
     
         17 . The gas control unit of  claim 11 , further comprising a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) branch coupled to the main gas outlet, and a mode-selection switch for selectively directing source gas to the CPAP branch or to the gas sparing circuit. 
     
     
         18 . A patient interface for use with a gas sparing circuit for delivering gas to a patient, comprising:
 an output for delivering the gas to the patient;   an input for receiving the gas from a source; and   a control switch for selectively controlling the delivery of the gas to the patient.   
     
     
         19 . The patient interface of  claim 18 , wherein the control switch is a pneumatic switch configured for selectively occluding a pilot control line to control the delivery of the gas to the patient. 
     
     
         20 . The patient interface of  claim 18 , wherein the control switch is an electric switch configured for selectively causing a gas sparing valve to be actuated to control the delivery of the gas to the patient.