Patent Publication Number: US-2009235928-A1

Title: Helmet for artificial respiration without the aid of face masks or tracheal tubes, with improved wearability

Description:
The present invention refers to a helmet for artificial respiration without the aid of face masks or tracheal tubes, with improved wearability. 
     Helmets for artificial respiration, comprising a container body made of plastic flexible material and provided with a neck collar applied to hold the head of the patient are currently used often—as an alternative to the face masks or tracheal tubes—in oxygen therapy and in the continuous positive pressure ventilation, the so-called CPAP, or in the Non-invasive ventilation, the so-called NIV. 
     The helmet can be connected to a ventilation machine and it is provided with at least one air outlet. 
     The abovementioned ventilation techniques are for example performed in the resuscitation units, intensive care units, pneumology, in the infectious diseases units, general medicine units, as well as in the hyperbaric chambers, as well as in home treatment. 
     The main problems concerning helmets of the known type regards the requirement of a plurality of sizes, the need of two people, i.e. four hands, for wearing and removing it, the wearability of the same on patients who, additionally, are in critical conditions. Furthermore, the helmet must be, worn by the patient also for long periods of time both in sitting position and in a position lying on a bed. 
     The helmets must be fittable onto the head of the patient and fastenable around the neck of the same, as well as removable, in a quick manner and causing least discomfort possible to the patient who is already in pain. 
     Source of discomfort to the patient are the armpit straps, which are constrained to the helmet and hold it in position on the head of the patient operating against the pressure that would tend to raise it. 
     An object of the present invention is that of providing a helmet for artificial respiration without the aid of face masks or tracheal tubes, with improved wearability, capable of overcoming the abovementioned drawbacks of the prior art. 
     Another object of the present invention is that of providing a helmet for artificial respiration that can be worn even during the sleep in a lying down position, especially when treating diseases at the patient&#39;s home. 
     Another object of the present invention is that of providing a helmet for artificial respiration that can be fitted onto the head of the patient and subsequently removed in a simple and quick manner by only one operator or by the patient himself. 
     Further object of the present invention is that of providing a helmet for artificial respiration that can be fitted onto the head of the patient in a simple and quick manner. 
     Another object is that of providing a helmet for artificial respiration that allows eliminating the presence of armpit straps or reducing the traction on the same to ease the discomfort of the patient. 
     The objects according to the present invention are attained by providing a helmet for artificial respiration without the aid of face masks or tracheal tubes, with improved wearability as outlined in the independent claims. 
     Further characteristics are provided for in the dependent claims. 
    
    
     
       Characteristics and advantages of a helmet for artificial respiration without the aid of face masks or tracheal tubes, with improved wearability according to the present invention shall be clearer from the following exemplifying and non-limiting description, with reference to the attached schematic drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a helmet for artificial respiration without the aid of face masks or tracheal tubes, with improved wearability, without the rigid structural elements; 
         FIG. 2  shows the helmet of  FIG. 1  in position on the head of the patient during the ventilation therapy; 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  show a neck collar with sliding closure of the “coulisse” type for an artificial respiration helmet subject of the present invention, respectively in open and closed position; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a helmet for artificial respiration without the aid of face masks or tracheal tubes, with improved wearability, provided with the neck collar of  FIGS. 3 and 4  and provided with counterweights; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a helmet subject of the present invention provided with a plurality of hooks for applying counterweights. 
     
    
    
     Referring to the figures, shown is a helmet for artificial respiration without the aid of face masks or tracheal tubes, with improved wearability, indicated in its entirety with  10 . 
     The helmet  10  comprises a body  12  for containing the head of the patient and a neck collar  13 , for fastening around the patient&#39;s neck, made of plastic flexible material. Generally, the container body  12  comprises at least one transparent front element, not shown in the figures, to allow the patient to see through the helmet. 
     The helmet  10  further comprises a plurality of fittings  14  fixed onto the container body  12  for connecting a ventilation apparatus, not shown, and for connecting various accessories  15 , such as for example valves, filters, caps or a compensation balloon. Furthermore, at least one of the fittings  14  allows the exit of the air from the helmet  10 . 
     The helmet  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is free of the rigid structural elements, and thus it does not have a rigid or semi-rigid ring. As a matter of fact, the neck collar  13  is directly connected to a lower end of the container body  12 . In this manner, the container body  12  and the neck collar  13  are entirely made of flexible material and thus free of rigid structural elements. 
     This embodiment of the helmet  10  offers greater comfort for the patient, in particular if the helmet is to be worn for long periods of time and/or in a lying down position, such as when sleeping. This is for example the case when treating the so-called sleep apnea disorder, that is the apnea phenomena from which some patients suffer during the phase of deep sleep, or the REM sleep. 
     Eliminating the rigid or semi-rigid ring between the container body and the neck collar implies eliminating the risk of decubitus ulcers on the patient&#39;s nape and makes the helmet suitable even for newborns or patients affected by the Down&#39;s syndrome. 
     The container body  12  and the neck collar  13  may be alternatively made in a single piece of the same material, or be made of two different materials fixed to each other. 
     The neck collar  13  may be made of elastically yielding plastic material, generally polyurethane, in order to form an airtight seal around the patient&#39;s neck. Due to the effect of the positive pressure inside the helmet during the ventilation therapy, the neck collar swells on the patient&#39;s chest, acquiring the configuration of  FIG. 2 . The container body  12  is instead generally made of polyvinyl chloride. 
     However, should polyvinyl chloride for example be used for the entire helmet, a neck collar  113  is advantageously provided with a sliding closure device, the so-called coulisse. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , the neck collar  113  comprises a substantially cylindrical sleeve  19  constrained at an upper end thereof to the container body  12  and provided with a lower end of the sliding closure device. The sliding closure device comprises a circumferential pocket  16  made by joining the lower edge of the sleeve  19 , a cord  17  sliding into the pocket and a closure button  18  for firmly holding the two ends of the cord  17  in the desired position, and subsequently loosening this constraint. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the container body comprises at least one pair of eyelets, or rings,  20  made of plastic material fixed at opposite ends of the circumference of the container body  12  for the connection of the fastening elements  21  to discharge the upward thrust to which the helmet is subjected due to the ventilation therapy. 
     In the example of  FIG. 2 , the fastening elements  21  are made up of two cushioned armpit straps, connected to a front ring  20  and to an opposite ring, not shown. 
     Shown in  FIG. 1  instead are two pairs of rings  20  arranged at opposite points of the circumference of the container body  12 . 
     The helmet  10  free of rigid structural elements may also be provided with at least one pair of rings  120 , fixed in an upper portion of the container body  12 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , for the connection of the fastening elements  21 . 
     The fastening elements  21  connected to the rings  20  or  120  to discharge the traction of the helmet, may also be connected to fixed points with respect to the patient, such as for example the bed rails, or also be constrained to counterweights  22  adapted to counteract the upwards thrust on the helmet, as schematically shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Another important aspect of the helmet  10  according to the present invention is that the neck collar  113  provided with sliding closure, is suitable to be provided for on each type of helmet—also for example on a helmet provided with a rigid ring  11  between the container body and the neck collar, such as the one shown in  FIG. 5 , and regardless of the positioning—with other components such as rings  20  and  120  or counterweights  22  on the helmet. 
     The helmet  10  provided with neck collar  113  having a sliding closure, is suitable to be worn by any patient, without requiring providing for up to six different neck sizes. Furthermore, when the neck collar  113  is at the open position ( FIG. 3 ) it may be fitted onto the head of the patient even by one person alone, such operation not being possible when using traditional helmets, which require to be widened and fitted by two people. Furthermore, it is possible to remove the helmet  10  in an equally practical and quick manner, a crucial aspect in cases where quick access to the patient is required for the safety of the same. 
     Another aspect that characterises the helmet  10  according to the present invention is the presence of at least one pair of eyelets, or rings,  120  made of plastic material, fixed onto the container body  12  in an upper portion for the connection of the fastening elements  21  which allow discharging the upward thrust, which can even reach 5-10 kg. 
     The rings  120  on the upper portion of the container body  12  may be applied to any of the types of helmets described, and possibly also additionally to the pairs of rings  20  arranged circumferentially on the container body  12 . 
     The possibility of connecting the fastening elements  21  not only to the patient, but also directly to the fixed points, such as for example the bed rails, particularly by means of the rings  120  in upper position, represents a considerable improvement to the comfort of the patient who can be relieved, maybe even only for short periods of time, of the discomfort caused by the armpit straps, which can cause decubitus ulcers in the most critical cases. 
     Another aspect of the helmet  10  of the present invention which improves the wearability of the same, is the presence of means for constraining at least one counterweight  22  to counteract the upward thrust of the helmet. 
     Due to the counterweights  22 , of suitably calibrated weight, the fastening elements  21  or the traction on the same may be considerably reduced entailing a noticeable advantage. 
     The constraint means and the related counterweights can be conceived for any type of the helmets described. Shown in  FIG. 1  for exemplification purposes is a constraint means made up of a ring  20 , on which a counterweight  22  is hung. 
     Shown in  FIG. 6 , instead, are constraint means comprising a hook  23  projecting outwards the helmet  10  and arranged on the structurally rigid ring  11  arranged between the container body  12  and the neck sealing collar  13 . In the shown example, each hook  23  comprises a pair of parallel arms, per for a firm positioning of a counterweight  22 . According to further embodiments, not shown, the hooks may comprise more than two arms. Shown in  FIG. 5  are four counterweights  22  fixed onto the hooks  23 . The counterweights  22  may be made up of substantially parallelepiped plates provided with two through holes parallel and complementary to the parallel arms of the hooks  23 . 
     The helmet for artificial respiration without the aid of face masks or tracheal tubes, with improved wearability subject of the present invention has the advantage of being comfortable for the patient even in presence of critical conditions. This makes it advantageously possible to use the helmet even for patients in determined critical conditions, in which the helmets are generally not useable. 
     Furthermore, the helmet for artificial respiration without the aid of face masks or tracheal tubes, with improved wearability may be conceived and supplied to the users in only one size, enhancing the warehouse management, and it can advantageously be fitted onto the head of the patient in an easy manner even by only one operator creating least discomfort to the patient. 
     The helmet for artificial respiration without the aid of face masks or tracheal tubes, with improved wearability thus conceived is susceptible to various modifications and variants, all falling within the invention; furthermore all details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may vary depending on the technical requirements.