Sensormedics Corporation

Larry Murdock

Edmond Y Chu

Hung Tran

Tim Quinn

William B Ross

A valve for use in continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices includes a valve body that is disposed at or between the patient mask and the source of positive airway pressure. The valve body includes first and second exhaust paths for exhausting gas from the mask. A floating valve seat is disposed in the valve body and is moveable between first and second positions. A moveable spring-biased piston is releasably engaged with the floating valve seat. When the floating valve seat is in the first position, the moveable spring-biased piston is disengaged from the valve seat and gas travels out the first exhaust flowpath. When the floating valve seat is in the second position, the moveable spring-biased piston is engaged with the valve seat and gas travels out the second exhaust flowpath. The valve provides substantially constant positive airway pressure to the patient at pressures above the threshold pressure level of the valve. When the pressure drops below the threshold value, the valve opens a secondary flowpath in the valve.

Pressure regulating valve for use in continuous positive airway pressure devices

A device and method for applying positive airway pressure to a patient includes an indirect calorimetry system for measuring a patient's resting energy expenditure (REE). The device includes a breathing circuit, one end of which includes a patient interface device such as a nasal face mask. A bi-directional pump is positioned within the breathing circuit. The bi-directional pump pumps gas in a first direction during the application of positive airway pressure. The bi-directional pump reverses direction when the device is in the indirect calorimetry mode. In this IC mode, patient's expired gases are diluted and passed through an IC module containing an oxygen sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, and a flow rate sensor. The device includes a microprocessor for calculating the patient's REE based on the measured oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration, and flow rate.

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Alta Loma, CA, United States of America

Larry Murdock