Surgery – Respiratory method or device – Combined with or convertible to a nonrespiratory device – or...
Reexamination Certificate
1996-09-20
2001-01-23
Lewis, Aaron J. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Respiratory method or device
Combined with or convertible to a nonrespiratory device, or...
C128S202180
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176236
ABSTRACT:
The invention concerns a treatment device for supplying a person with additional oxygen in accordance with the preamble of claim
1
.
As a source for the treatment gas, known oxygenating devices of this type comprise a pressure cylinder filled with oxygen which is connected via a reducing valve to a hose, the free end of which has a face mask attached to it. In this way a specific and loss-free supply of oxygen to the user can be guaranteed. For long-term therapy in particular, however, this method is not very acceptable because the wearing of a face mask in treatment sessions is unpleasant and the treatment takes up a lot of time which cannot be used for other purposes.
It has now been recognised that an oxygen enrichment of blood in human beings can also be brought about by cutaneous respiration. It has further been recognised that between the top side of the mattress of a bed and the cover lying over a sleeping person there is a space which is quite well sealed from the environment which provides good flow contact with the skin of the sleeper through the thin night clothes. By virtue of the device according to the invention, this space which encompasses a large part of the surface of the skin is supplied with oxygen or with oxygen enriched air through an appropriate conducting device.
The supply of additional oxygen into the circulation through cutaneous respiration is, it is true, less intensive than the supply through inhaled air, but this can largely be compensated for by a considerably longer treatment period. In addition, the supply of extra oxygen in this way in no way involves the user in any unpleasantness, nor does it involve any extra time; it is done during sleep. The additional oxygen emerging from the space lying between the cover and the surface of the mattress also provides oxygen enrichment in the immediate environment around the sleeper so that an additional oxygen enrichment of the blood is obtained by the sleeper breathing in any oxygen in the space which has not been consumed.
Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are given in the subclaims.
The further embodiment of the invention according to claim
2
is of advantage in respect of undisturbed sleep comfort and the evenly distributed supply of the treatment gas into the space.
The further embodiment of the invention according to claim
3
also serves to provide an even distribution of the treatment gas without any impairment in sleep comfort.
According to claims
4
to
6
an open pore internal structure of the interposed mat can be achieved simply and in a user-friendly manner.
If, in order to feed the treatment gas into the space, as interposed mat is used which lies over the sleeping person, then the oxygen emerging from this mat first of all reaches those parts of the skin which are uppermost. In order to supply the lowermost parts of the skin, a similar interposed mat can be used in principle; since, however, pressure is applied on this by the weight of the sleeping person, its porous internal structure must be somewhat harder in design, although as a rule no loss in comfort is perceived since the surface of a mattress is generally quite a lot harder than the cover lying over the sleeping person.
In the case of a device according to claim
7
, use is made of the fact that in the mattress itself you already have a structure which allows a certain rate of air flow and which also supports the body evenly and comfortably and which, with a slight modification, can also take over the role of supplying oxygen to the lower parts of skin of a sleeping person. With a device according to claim
7
the area of the bed underneath the sleeping person essentially has the same construction as a conventional bed.
The use of an interior sprung mattress as an interposed structure as is indicated in claim
8
, is advantageous with respect to achieving optimum permeability and uniform supply of oxygen.
In the construction of the mattress forming the interposed structure according to claim
9
, the release of oxygen into the environment of the bed is kept small.
The further embodiment of the invention according to claim
10
is of advantage with respect to the fact that a standard sheet is laid on the mattress.
Mattresses normally have two choices of surfaces on which to lie for summer or winter use. In a further embodiment of the invention according to claim
11
, when a double-sided mattress of this type is used, whichever surface of the mattress is bottom-most is sealed so that it is impermeable to the circulating medium, so that no oxygen is able to escape through it.
With a device according to claim
12
the circulating medium link between the interior of the mattress and the oxygen supply line is achieved automatically when the mattress is laid on the base.
With the further embodiment of the invention according to claim
13
a double-sided mattress guarantees that any time that the supply line connection is not needed it is automatically sealed if it is not in use and is compulsorily opened whenever it is connected to the supply line.
A device of the type described in claim
14
does not need oxygen supply cylinders which have to be replaced at intervals.
With a device according to claim
15
, the production of oxygen enriched air can be done at times when the bed is not in use so that the sleep of the user is not disturbed by the noise generated by the compressor.
With a device according to claim
16
, oxygen is only supplied when the user desires it.
With a device according to claim
17
the supply of oxygen enriched air in the supply cylinder can be kept at a high level at any time, and the periods when the supply cylinder is topped up can be preset by the user.
With a device according to claim
19
, other additives and/or fragrances can also be supplied to the space lying between the cover and the surface of the mattress in addition to the oxygen.
With a device according to claim
20
, the supply of the treatment gas does not cause any cooling of the surface of the skin.
The further embodiment of the invention according to claim
21
is of advantage with respect to the economical use of the treatment gas.
The further embodiment of the invention according to claim
22
makes it possible to produce the treatment gas centrally for a number of places of use, e.g. in the cellar of a hotel. In view of the fact that the treatment gas is bottled in supply cylinders which are then connected to the conducting device at the place of use, there is no need for any additional line installations in the building.
The further embodiment of the invention according to claim
23
is advantageous with respect to the small size of the supply cylinders. The treatment gas for one night can be stored in small five liter cylinders which can stand unobtrusively in the room.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2917046 (1959-12-01), Fairbanks
patent: 3859993 (1975-01-01), Bitner
patent: 3898427 (1975-08-01), Levin et al.
patent: 4377161 (1983-03-01), Whitt
patent: 4523588 (1985-06-01), Dolsky
patent: 4739753 (1988-04-01), Brehm
patent: 5038431 (1991-08-01), Burgin et al.
patent: 5188099 (1993-02-01), Todeschini et al.
patent: 5305483 (1994-04-01), Watkins
patent: 5317767 (1994-06-01), Hargest et al.
patent: 0491145 A2 (1992-06-01), None
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