BREATHING PROTECTOR

Abstract: The present invention relates to a breathing protector for a laryngectomized or tracheotemized person having a hole (4) in the throat that communicates with the windpipe. The breathing protector is designed to be applied over the hole in the throat and is provided with a heat-moisture exchanger body (6). The heat-moisture exchanger body communicates with hole (4) in the windpipe through an inlet (relative to exhaling) and has an outlet. In accordance with the invention, heat-moisture exchanger body (6) has a contact surface turned toward the person which is largely flat and which is designed so that when it is applied it will assume a shape that conforms with the shape of the said part of the skin. Moreover, heat-moisture exchanger body (6) has an outlet oriented so that it is parallel with the plane in which the breathing protector contacts the skin around the hole in the throat or has at least one component in this direction. Risk that the breathing protector will be clogged by an item of clothing is thereby eliminated while simultaneously ensuring a very simple embodiment of the breathing protector.

Description: BREATHING PROTECTOR The present invention relates to a breathing protector of the type set forth in the preamble to claim 1. A person with a stoma in the throat breaths through it fully or partially. It is known to have such patients wear a protector above the stoma which enables inhaled air to be moistened and heated. An example of such a protector is described in Swedish patent 385 767. Such a device functions well as a moisturizing device, but it is disadvantageous in that the opening through which the air enters and exits can easily be covered by a shirt, scarf or the like. When this happens, the flow of air through the stoma is obstructed, and this can cause difficulty in breathing. A device that attempts to alleviate this problem is described in Swedish patent application 9304273-7. This device consists of a movable cover plate that can be pressed down against the surface of a heat-moisture exchanger, thereby shutting off the flow of air, whereupon the air passes through a voice valve located between the oesaphophagus and windpipe of the user. When the valve is not pressed in, air can flow out through the device at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the stoma. The device can thus be worn beneath, for example, a shirt without obstructing the flow of air to and from the user. However, it has the disadvantage of being relatively complicated (it contains a spring-loaded cover and a separate heat-moisture exchanger element, and it has a rigid structure). It is also relatively expensive to manufacture because of its complexity. In addition to being complicated, the device is relatively long axially due to the fact that the elements which permit air to flow radially are located axially outside the heat-moisture exchanger body. There are similar devices in which the breathing protector, at its outer axial end surface, is provided with an element that deflects the air flowing axially through the heat-moisture exchanger body to a radial out-flow direction thereby, eliminating the clogging problem. These devices are described in Swedish patent applications 348 643, 8800203-5 and 9003720-1. However, these devices also suffer from disadvantages similar to those of the breathing protector described in Swedish patent application 9304273-7. The purpose of the present invention is, in view of the above, to provide a breathing protector in which the risk of blocking the flow of air is eliminated and which is simultaneously very simple and reliable. In accordance with this invention, this has been achieved by means of a breathing protector of the type set forth in the preamble to claim 1 which exhibits the special characteristics set forth in this claim. Thanks to the fact that the actual moisture-heat exchanger body is arranged so that its outlet is in a non-axial direction, air can flow through it even if a shirt or the like covers its outer end, and this is accomplished without having to increase its overall built-in length. In the present patent application, the outlet and inlet are defined relative to the direction in which exhaled air flows. For inhaling, the conditions are reversed of course so that the outlet serves as an inlet and vice versa. The outlet from the heat-moisture exchanger body is appropriately arranged so that at least one part of it is in a direction which, for the most part, is fully parallel with the skin adjacent to the stoma, thereby realizing the inventive concept. In a preferred embodiment, the entire outlet is in a lateral direction, thus making certain that none of the flowing air will be affected by any clothing that comes into contact with the breathing protector. Therewith, it is preferred that this be accomplished by means of a plate arranged on the outer end of the heat-moisture exchanger body, a simple and purposeful way of doing so. The plate also supports the heat-moisture exchanger body and prevents it from being contaminated by clothing that contacts the outside of the body. Appropriately, the outlet is fully open around its entire periphery, thereby providing maximum usage of the available space and permitting the design of the breathing protector to be simplified as much as possible, thus making it simple and inexpensive to manufacture and simple for the patient to handle. In certain cases, it may be appropriate to arrange a casing that surrounds the heat- moisture exchanger body, thereby providing an alternative to the embodiment described immediately above. Here, an opening is made in the casing for the laterally directed outlet. The heat-moisture exchanger body will thus be better protected against external effects, although this is disadvantageous in that the flow-through area of the outlet is reduced, in comparison with the variant described immediately above. In another preferred embodiment, the heat-moisture exchanger body is connected in such a way that it can be removed at an attachment device applied to the skin of the user. This is advantageous in that the heat-moisture exchanger body can be replaced without loosening the connection to the skin of the user. This makes it considerably more comfortable to use since loosening this connection can cause irritation and pain, especially because it is in the form of an adhesive film. For this embodiment, it is preferred that the disconnectable joint between the heat- moisture exchanger body and the attachment device comprise an adhesive joint. This provides a very simple design, as compared with using some form of locking or snap-in device, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and making it very easy to replace the heat-moisture exchanger body. In addition, such an embodiment will eliminate the need for any attachment element that connects the heat-moisture exchanger body to the attachment device by having the heat- moisture exchanger body adhere directly to the attachment device. Here, one side of the adhesive joint comprises a surface of the heat-moisture exchanger body itself. In accordance with another preferred embodiment, the heat-moisture exchanger body is provided with an open structure. In this concept, the flow-paths through the open structure are oriented in all directions just as, for example, in wadding or the pores in foamed plastic. To provide a laterally-directed outlet, some embodiments will, to be sure, require a up to a 90° deflection of the air flow inside the heat-moisture exchanger body. The structure set forth for this provides a simple and effective implementation. Another preferred embodiment of the invented breathing protector is equipped with a valve that can shut off the flow of air through the heat-moisture exchanger body, a so-called voice valve. For the preferred embodiment into which a valve is integrated, the heat-moisture exchanger body comprises an elastic material. Valve action can thus be accomplished easily by compressing the elastic material axially. For a preferred variant of the embodiment mentioned immediately above, the heat- moisture exchanger itself performs the valve function when its flow paths are pinched together when it is compressed, thereby throttling or shutting off the flow. In general, the valve device can consist of a flange set at an angle, preferably a right angle, to the plane of contact, said flange being appropriately attached at the attachment device used for the breathing protector. Through interaction with the heat-moisture exchanger body which is compressible because of its elasticity, the voice valve is integrated in such a way that it does not increase the axial length of the breathing protector while increasing its complexity only slightly. It is thus practical to position the flange in an axial hole made in the heat-moisture exchanger body, thereby creating a preferred embodiment of this alternative. The preferred embodiments of the invention described above and others are set forth in the sub-claims that are dependent on claim 1. The invention is explained more fully in the detailed description of its preferred embodiments which follows, with reference to the attached drawings of which: Fig. 1 shows an axial section taken through the first embodiment of the breathing protector in accordance with the invention. Figs. 2-4 show sections, corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1, of the second, third and fourth embodiments of the invention. Fig. 5 shows the fifth embodiment of the invention, partially in an axial cross-section and partially in a side view. Fig. 6 shows a section corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1 of a sixth embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment of the breathing protector shown in Fig. 1, it is provided with attachment film 1 having an adhesive layer 2 on its inside, i.e. adhesive tape. The film adheres to skin sections 3 which are located around stoma 4 in the windpipe of the person, and it is provided with through-opening 5 located directly opposite stoma 4. The breathing protector serves as the main component in a largely circular-cylindrical heat-moisture exchanger body which has a layer 7 of adhesive on the side that is intended to face the skin. The adhesive layer is located on a circular surface on the radial outer part of the aforesaid side, and an uncoated area is left at the centre which is intended to be located directly opposite stoma 4 and opening 5. By means of adhesive layer 7, the heat-moisture exchanger body is attached to the outside of attachment film 1, quite simply by pressing it into contact with this film. It should be understood, of course, that before the heat-moisture exchanger body is used, it is provided with a protective film that covers adhesive joiner 7 and which is removed before the adhesive is applied. At the outer end surface of heat-moisture exchanger body 6, a cover plate 8 is attached. Arrows A and B illustrate the air-flow path through the heat-moisture exchanger body for exhaling and inhaling respectively. As shown, the air flow is deflected at a right angle to the axial flow through the opening at 5 wherewith, in accordance with the terminology set forth for this application, the part of the heat exchanger that faces this opening is defined as the inlet opening (i.e. relative to the exhaling direction of flow). This deflection is to a flow that is largely radial at the shell surface of the heat-moisture exchanger body, which is defined as the outlet. As shown in the figure, an item of clothing (symbolized by broken line 9) which contacts the outside of the breathing protector will not in any way prevent flow through the heat- moisture exchanger body. The material in the heat-moisture exchanger body is appropriately soft or elastic so that the breathing protector readily follows the contours of the skin without chafing and without leaks occurring between the tape and skin. The material can comprise, for example, paper, foamed plastic, wadding made of different fibres or combinations of these. It can also be impregnated with a moisture absorbing substance. It is advantageous if the pores in the material do not have any special direction since this makes it easy to have the breathing air pass through the material in a number of directions, thereby achieving deflection. Cover plate 8 can be made of hard or soft material, but a soft elastic plastic is preferred. The breathing protector can, alternatively, be designed without such a cover plate. The breathing protector illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises, from many aspects, an optimally designed variant, whose biggest advantages are ease of manufacturing and handling. The heat-moisture exchanger body can be shaped in a way that differs in different ways from what is shown. It can, for example, be a truncated cone as shown in Fig. 2, a full cone as shown in Fig. 3 or a cylinder with a hole through it as shown in Fig. 4, and it does not of course have to be circular. For the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the flow through the heat-moisture exchanger body material can proceed in one direction, and in such case this flow will not be deflected. This provides greater freedom in selecting the structure of the material used in the body. If a more protected heat-moisture exchanger body is desired by sacrificing a certain amount of simplicity and reducing to some extent the outlet area, it can be housed in casing 10 as shown in Fig. 5. Here, as an alternative to having the heat-moisture exchanger body attached directly to attachment film 1, 2, the heat-moisture exchanger body can adhere to film 1 via casing 10. Casing 10 can therewith either adhere to film 1 or, as shown in the example in the figure, it can be provided with a locking device in, for example, the form of a snap-in flange 11 on casing 10 designed to interact with a snap-in collar 12 on film 1. Casing 10 is provided with radially oriented openings 13 around its periphery which face heat-moisture exchanger body 6. Openings 13 are relatively large so that the casing, in this area, resembles a cage. Fig. 6 shows an embodiment in which the breathing protector also incorporates a voice valve. It is therewith an important embodiment of the invention since it was possible to integrate the voice valve with the breathing protector without the breathing protector becoming significantly more complicated. For the sake of clarity, the figure illustrates the attachment device as an axial section taken through it, while the remainder of the breathing protector is shown as a side view. In this case, the heat-moisture exchanger body, just as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, is designed as a cylinder with a hole through it through which exhaled air flows axially from stoma 4 into cavity 14 inside heat-moisture exchanger body 6 through which it then flows largely radially. The heat-moisture exchanger body is, at its outer end, covered by plate 8. Film 1 is provided with an outwardly oriented axial flange 15 that surrounds centre opening 5 in the film. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat-moisture exchanger body is made of a relatively soft elastic material. The valve is closed by, for example, exerting finger pressure against the outside of plate 8, therewith pressing together the heat-moisture exchanger body until the inside of the plate comes into contact with the axial outer end of flange 15. This makes it impossible for air to pass through the heat-moisture exchanger body. Flange 15 can either be attached to plate 8 and oriented inwards or replaced with a circular band that contacts the wall surface of the cavity. Alternatively, flange 15 or, in applicable cases, the circular band can be placed on the outer shell surface of the heat-moisture exchanger body. Moreover, the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 shows how heat-moisture exchanger body 6 can also be provided with a cover plate 16 for the inwardly turned end surface, said cover plate being attached to attachment film 1 by means of an adhesive substance. A similar cover plate can also be provided on the inside of the heat-moisture exchanger body for the embodiments shown in Figs. 1-5.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Breathing protector for a laryngectomized or tracheotemized person having a hole (4) in the throat that communicates with the windpipe, said breathing protector being designed so that it can be applied to cover hole (4) and define a plane of contact with the hole and the adjacent part of the skin, wherewith said breathing protector incorporates a heat-moisture exchanger body (6) with an inlet designed to communicate with hole (4) and also with an outlet, characterized in that heat-moisture exchanger body (6) has a surface that contacts the person which is largely flat and which is arranged so that when applied it assumes a shape that corresponds to that of the part of skin in question and in that said outlet incorporates at least one part which has a direction having at least one component that is parallel with the said plane of contact. 2. Breathing protector in accordance with claim 1 in which the said part of the outlet has a direction that is largely parallel with the said plane of contact. 3. Breathing protector in accordance with claim 1 or 2 in which heat-moisture exchanger body (6) has a circular-cylindrical shape and in which the said part of the outlet has a radial orientation. 4. Breathing protector in accordance with any of claims 1-3 in which the entire outlet has the said orientation. 5. Breathing protector in accordance with any of claims 1-4 in which heat-moisture exchanger body (6) has an end plane that is turned away from the plane of contact, and in which the end plane is covered by a plate. 6. Breathing protector in accordance with any of claims 1-5 in which the said outlet or a part of the said outlet is completely open. 7. Breathing protector in accordance with any of claims 1-5 in which the heat-moisture exchanger body is housed inside a casing (10) with openings (13) for the said outlet or a part of the said outlet. 8. Breathing protector in accordance with any of claims 1-7 incorporating an attachment device used to attach the breathing protector to the skin of the person, wherewith said attachment device includes an attachment film (1, 2). 9. Breathing protector in accordance with claim 8 in which heat-moisture exchanger body (6) is removably attached to said attachment film (1, 2). 10. Breathing protector in accordance with claim 9 in which heat-moisture exchanger body (6) is removably attached by means of an adhesive joiner (7) to the said attachment device. 11. Breathing protector in accordance with claim 10 in which adhesive joiner (7) joins heat- moisture exchanger body (6) to attachment film (1, 2). 12. Breathing protector in accordance with any of claims 1-11 in which heat-moisture exchanger body (6) has an open structure in which the flow paths are not oriented in any special direction. 13. Breathing protector in accordance with any of claims 1-12 in which said inlet is largely at right angles to the said plane of contact. 14. Breathing protector in accordance with any of claims 1-13 provided with valve device (15) arranged so that it can shut off or throttle air flow through the heat-moisture exchanger. 15. Breathing protector in accordance with claim 14 in which heat-moisture exchanger body (6) is elastic in at lease one direction perpendicular to the said plane of contact, wherewith valve device (15) is arranged to shut off or throttle air flow when the heat-moisture exchanger body is pressed together in the said direction. 16. Breathing protector in accordance with claim 15 in which the valve device contains a flange (15) with at least one directional component at right angles to said plane of contact. 17. Breathing protector in accordance with claim 15 in which the flange is largely perpendicular to said plane of contact. 18. Breathing protector in accordance with claim 16 or 17 in which heat-moisture exchanger body (6) is compressible to a thickness which in large part corresponds to the extent of flange (15) in the said direction. 19. Breathing protector in accordance with any of claims 16-18 in which flange (15) is in contact with either the outlet or inlet of the heat-moisture exchanger body. 20. Breathing protector in accordance with claims 16-17 in which the flange is attached at the attachment device (1, 2). 21. Breathing protector in accordance with any of claims 17-20 in which heat-moisture exchanger body (6) has a through hole (14) that is largely peφendicular to said plane of contact, wherewith flange (15) is located in said hole (14). 22. Breathing device in accordance with claim 15 in which the flow paths existing in heat- moisture exchanger body (6) when it is in the said compressed state are pinched together, thereby comprising the said valve device.

Inventors: LAMBERT HANS, LAMBERT, HANS
Applicants: GIBECK LARYCARE AB, LAMBERT HANS, LAMBERT, HANS
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A61M16
IPC codes: A61F2, A61M16