Abstract:
A nasal cannula headband apparatus is disclosed having a headband portion and a nasal cannula system connected thereto. The headband portion has a soft, lightweight, non-elastic, water-resistant headband that wraps around a user&#39;s head. The headband is held in place using a headband connecting portion. The headband has an inner side that helps hold the headband apparatus to the user&#39;s head by friction and an outer side that is smoother than the inner side and allows the headband to slide against pillows, sheets, bedding, and other materials without becoming dislodged from the patient&#39;s head. The cannula system connects to a supply of breathable gas and delivers the gas to the patient&#39;s nostrils and has a pair of cannula tubes fixedly attached to the outer side of the headband by fasteners that keep the cannula tubes in place relative to the headband and direct the cannula tubes behind the patient&#39;s ears.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to a nasal cannula apparatus for the delivery of a gas, such as air, to a person&#39;s nostrils. More particularly, it relates to a headband cannula apparatus that secures a cannula tube to an individual&#39;s head. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the field of oxygen delivery systems, various systems are known for delivering gas, such as air or oxygen, from a supply tank to a patient via a cannula tube system. Such systems include nasal cannula apparatuses comprising one or more tubes that attach to a tank and provide oxygen to a patient via the patient&#39;s nostrils. A typical system might include a cannula trunk tube that connects to an oxygen tank and splits into two nasal cannula tubes. In a typical system, the cannula tubes may drape over the ears of the patient and lead to nostril tubes that direct air into the nostrils of the patient. In other existing systems, the tubes may go in front of the patient rather than passing behind the patient&#39;s ears. Near the patient&#39;s nose, the pair of cannula tubes may come together in a physical apparatus, such as a cannula junction, that directs the air into the nostril tubes. For example, a cannula junction may be used as a bridge to hold the cannula tubes in place and to direct the tubes into separate nostril tubes referred to as nasal extensions. In another example, the tubes may be directed into a mask that covers the patient&#39;s nose or the patient&#39;s nose and mouth. 
     It is desirable to keep the cannula tubes away from the patient&#39;s face so that the system is less cumbersome. It is also desirable to hold the cannula tubes in place relative to the patient&#39;s nose so that air to the patient is not cut off. In particular, it is desirable to hold the tubes in place and to keep the tubes out of the patient&#39;s way while the patient is sleeping, bathing, eating, or simply moving about in public. 
     Various methods are known for securing a cannula tube system to a patient&#39;s head to make use of the cannula tube system more convenient. Such systems include systems using a hat or cap support structure or an eyeglass-type frame structure. Such structures may be inconvenient for some users who do not like to wear caps or glasses, and may be inconvenient while sleeping, bathing, etc. 
     Other systems include Velcro headband systems in which the cannula tubes are releasably connected to a headband by one or more strips of a hook-and-loop type fastener, such as a Velcro product. Still other systems use headbands that either go around the user&#39;s head or over the top or crown portion of the head. Existing headband systems leave many of the users&#39; needs unmet. Systems that go over the top of the head or crown portion of the head may be cumbersome to some users by rearranging the user&#39;s hair or by interfering with other devices such as hats, for example. This is particularly true of systems in which the top strap going over the top at the head is fixed or tight in position. Other headband systems still have deficiencies such as the inability to slide against sheets, pillows, or other bedding, for example while the user is sleeping, without becoming dislodged from the user&#39;s head. Some headband systems absorb water or otherwise deform or stretch when the headband becomes wet, for example while bathing. Some headbands are made from a heavy material, such as leather, which can be cumbersome for some patients. Some headband systems have complicated schemes that require the user to thread the cannula tubes through the headband portion or to attach the cannula tubes to the headband portion if the cannula tube is a separate, removable item from the headband. This may be particularly difficult for older patients who may have arthritis or other medical conditions that make it difficult to fasten the cannula tubes to the headband or to thread it through the headband. This also presents a problem with hook-and-loop systems that require the patient to connect portions of the headband system. 
     What is needed is a more convenient headband cannula system for distributing a breathable gas to the patient. In particular, what is needed is a disposable headband system that is convenient and that allows the user to use the headband while sleeping, bathing, and going out in public. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     A nasal cannula headband apparatus is disclosed having a headband portion and a nasal cannula system connected thereto. The headband portion has a soft, lightweight, non-elastic, water-resistant headband that wraps around a patient&#39;s head. The headband is held in place using a headband connecting portion. The headband has an inner side that helps hold the headband apparatus to the patient&#39;s head by friction and an outer side that is smoother than the inner side and allows the headband to slide against pillows, sheets, bedding, and other materials without becoming dislodged from the patient&#39;s head. The cannula system connects to a supply of breathable gas and delivers the gas to the patient&#39;s nostrils. The cannula system has a pair of cannula tubes that are fixedly attached to the outer side of the headband by fasteners and lead to a cannula junction above the patient&#39;s nose. From the cannula junction, the gas is directed downwardly toward the patient&#39;s nostrils. The fasteners keep the cannula tubes in place relative to the headband and direct the cannula tubes behind the patient&#39;s ears. 
     In one embodiment, the cannula tubes are attached to the outside of the headband portion in such a manner to allow the tubes to run longitudinally with respect to the headband, along the sides of the user&#39;s head. In another embodiment, one or more cannula tubes fixedly attach only to the front portion of the headband and to the back portion of the headband, and pass over the top of the user&#39;s head. 
    
    
     SUMMARY OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows the nasal cannula headband attached to an air supply. 
     FIG. 2 shows the front portion of the apparatus in use on a person. 
     FIG. 3 shows a side view of the apparatus in use on a person. 
     FIG. 4 shows a top view of the headband portion. 
     FIG. 5 shows one means of connecting the headband portion around a user&#39;s head. 
     FIG. 6 shows a connection between the cannula tube and the headband portion. 
     FIG.  7 . shows an alternative embodiment of the apparatus in use on a person. 
     FIG.  8 . shows the connection of a front portion of the embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG.  9 . shows the connection of a back portion of the embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG.  10 . shows another embodiment of the back portion of the embodiment shown in FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a nasal cannula headband apparatus  10  connected to a supply of a breathable gas  100 , such as an oxygen tank  100 . The headband apparatus  10  comprises a headband  12  having first and second ends  15 ,  17 , which are connected to a headband connecting portion  50 . The gas supply  100  may have a gauge  102  and a nozzle  104  for regulating the dispensation of the gas. The headband apparatus  10  is connected to a nasal cannula system  20  that delivers a gas to the user&#39;s nose. In the example of FIG. 1, the nasal cannula system comprises a cannula trunk  22 , a trunk junction  24 , a pair of cannula tubes  26 , a cannula junction  28 , and a pair of nasal extensions  30 . In one embodiment, the cannula trunk  22 , the cannula tubes  26 , and the nasal extensions  30  may each be made from flexible plastic tubing having an inside diameter of approximately 0.25 inches, the cannula tubes  26  may be a flexible tubing, having respective inside diameters of 0.25 inches, 0.125 inches, and 0.0625 inches. The cannula tubes  26 , cannula junction  28 , trunk junction  24 , cannula trunk  22 , and nasal extensions  30  may be formed from a single piece of contiguous material or they may each be separate pieces, which may be removeably or permanently connected to each other as shown. 
     The headband apparatus  10  has a cannula trunk  22  and a pair of cannula tubes  26 . The cannula trunk  22  has an inlet end  23  connected to a nozzle  104  on the air supply  100 . The cannula trunk  22  also has a second end comprising a trunk junction  24 , which connects the trunk  22  to cannula tubes  26 . The cannula tubes  26  are securely fastened to a headband  12  by one or more fasteners  40 . The fasteners  40  may be, for example, stitching around the outside of the cannula tube  26 . The fasteners  40  are positioned such that the cannula tube  26  is securely held behind a user&#39;s ear. The cannula tubes  26  drop behind the ear where they are kept out of the user&#39;s way. The cannula tubes  26  enter a cannula junction  28 . The cannula junction  28  directs the gas toward the user&#39;s nose. The cannula junction  28  may have a pair of nasal extensions  30  which receive air from the cannula junction  28  and direct the air into the patient&#39;s nostrils. 
     The headband  12  may be made of a breathable fabric that permits air to pass through it to the user&#39;s head. The headband  12  may be made of a waterproof material in that allows the headband  12  to become wet without changing shape substantially—for example, when a patient is bathing. The headband  12  may be made from a soft or cushiony material for a comfortable fit around a user&#39;s head. The inner side may be of a greater friction than the outer side so that friction causes the headband  12  to stay securely about the user&#39;s head. The outer side of the headband  12  may be of a smoother surface. Such outer side may be slidable relative to other fabrics; for example, bedding. The headband  12  is designed such that it stays substantially in place around a patient&#39;s head while the user is sleeping, even as the user moves around during sleep. In one embodiment, the headband  12  is a non-elastic material and is held securely about the user&#39;s head by a headband connecting portion  50 . The headband connecting portion  50  may be an elastic portion, a hook-and-loop fastener, or any other suitable connector that holds the headband apparatus  10  around the circumference of a patient&#39;s head. The headband connecting portion  50  may be positioned near the back of a user&#39;s head. In one embodiment, the headband connecting portion  50  is off-center with respect to the back of the user&#39;s head for greater comfort. In one embodiment, the headband is approximately 1.5 to 2.0 inches wide, and is constructed using a product manufactured by Velcro USA, Inc. under the models numbers 672, 3610, 3984, or 3900. 
     FIG. 2 shows the headband apparatus  10  in use about a patient&#39;s head. In the embodiment shown, the headband apparatus  10  passes around a circumference of the patient&#39;s head. FIG. 2 shows a front view of the headband  12  and the pair of cannula tubes  26  securely fastened by fasteners  40  to the headband  12 . The cannula tubes  26  run generally parallel to the headband  12  along the front portion of the headband  12 , where the fasteners  40  connect it. The cannula tubes  26  connect to a cannula unction  28  above the bridge of the patient&#39;s nose. The cannula junction  28  directs the breathable gas into the patient&#39;s nostrils via nasal extensions  30 . As shown in FIG. 2, the cannula tubes  26  are fastened to the headband  12  such that the tubes  26  pass behind the patient&#39;s ears for greater comfort. The headband  12  may be made from a substantially non-elastic material to enable cannula tubes  26  to be fixedly connected to the headband  12  so that the cannula tubes  26  do not slide relative to the headband. 
     FIG. 3 shows a side view of the cannula headband apparatus  10 , again showing the headband  12  wrapped around a patient&#39;s head in a generally horizontal fashion. The cannula tube  26  is securely fastened to the headband  12  by at least one of the fasteners  40  and is positioned on the headband  12  such that the cannula tube  26  is held behind the patient&#39;s ear. The fasteners  40  direct the cannula tube  26  toward the cannula junction  28  such that the breathable gas is directed toward the patient&#39;s nose and into the patient&#39;s nostrils via nasal extensions  30 . As also shown in FIG. 3, in one embodiment the headband  12  may be held around the patient&#39;s head by an elastic portion  50 . As shown in FIG. 3, the headband connecting portion  50  may be positioned such that it is not directly behind the patient&#39;s head but instead is slightly to one side or the other. 
     FIG. 4 shows a top view of the headband portion  12 . The dash lines are shown to generally align the headband  12  with the patient&#39;s head. The patient&#39;s nose may be positioned below the cannula junction  28 . As shown in FIG. 4, the headband  12  has an inner side  13  and an outer side  11 . In one embodiment, the inner side  13  is made from a material that has a greater coefficient of friction than a material that is used on an outer side  11  of the headband  12 . The material on the inner side  13  of the headband  12  may be able to facilitate the holding of the headband  12  about the patient&#39;s head. The outer side  11  may be made from a material having a smoother surface such that the outer side  11  slides more easily about a pillow, sheet, or other bedding material brushed up against it. The headband  12  material is designed such that as the user sleeps, the material on the outer side  11  allows the headband to slide about the bedding, and the material on the inner side  13  helps secure the headband  12  to the user&#39;s head such that the headband stays in place while the user sleeps. As also seen in FIG. 4, the cannula tubes  26  are connected to the outer side  11  of the headband  12  by fasteners  40 . In the example of FIG. 4, the headband  12  is also held in place on a user&#39;s head by a headband connecting portion  50 , which is positioned on a rear side of a user&#39;s head. 
     FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the headband-connecting portion  50  that uses a hook-and-loop connector  52 , such as a Velcro strap. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the headband  12  may be made from a non-elastic material, and the fastening portion  52  may hold the headband  12  securely about the patient&#39;s head. 
     FIG. 6 shows a more detailed diagram of the connection between the cannula tube  26  and the headband  12 . As shown in FIG. 6, the fasteners  40  securely hold the cannula tube  26  to the outer side  11  of the headband  12 . The inner side  13  of the headband  12  faces the patient&#39;s head. The fasteners  40  hold the cannula tube  26  in such a manner that the tube is allowed to drape down behind the user&#39;s ear, where it is out of the patient&#39;s way. 
     FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the cannula apparatus  10  in which one or more cannula tubes  26  pass over the top or crown portion of a user&#39;s head. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, a single cannula tube  26  is connected to a cannula junction  28  positioned above a user&#39;s nose and fixedly attached to the headband  12 , which is held in place along the circumference of a user&#39;s head above the ears. The cannula junction  28  is connected to nasal extensions  30  that deliver the gas to a user&#39;s nostrils. The cannula tube  26  is fixedly attached to the cannula junction  28 , or directly to the headband  12  by a fastener (not shown). In the embodiment shown, the cannula tube  26  runs substantially over the top of a user&#39;s head and connects to the rear portion of the headband  12 . The cannula tube  26  may be connected to the rear portion of the headband  12  near the center of the back of a user&#39;s head. The cannula tube  26  is connected by a fastener  40  that holds the tube  26  in place by a friction fit, but allows the user to move the cannula tube  26  relative to the headband  12  to adjust for a wearer&#39;s head. For example, the user may slideably adjust the cannula tube(s)  26  relative to the fastener to achieve a desired fit. 
     FIG. 8 shows a more detailed view of the front portion of the headband  12  in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, in which the cannula tube  26  is attached to the front and rear of the headband and passes over the user&#39;s head. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the apparatus uses two cannula tubes  26 , which connect to a cannula junction  28  that is secured to the front of the headband  12 . The cannula junction  28  receives a gas such as air from the cannula tubes  26  and communicates that gas to the user&#39;s nose via nasal extensions  30 . 
     FIG. 9 shows the rear portion of the embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG.  7 . In the example of FIG. 9, two cannula tubes  26  pass over the top of a wearer&#39;s head and connect to the back portion of the headband  12  by separate fasteners  40 . The connection to the rear of the headband holds the tubes  26  in place, but allows them to move relative to the headband  12 , as indicated by the arrows, upon exertion of a force by the user. This allows adjustment of the cannula tube  26  length between the front of the headband  12  and the rear—that is, the length passing over the top of a wearer&#39;s head. This allows the tubes  26  to be adjusted to different head sizes and to make a connection more or less snug. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the cannula tubes  26  connect to the rear of the headband  12  at substantially the center of the back of the wearer&#39;s head. As shown in FIG. 9, the connecting portion  50  of the headband  12  is offset from the connection of the cannula tubes  26  to the headband  12  in one embodiment. 
     FIG. 10 shows the rear portion of the cannula headband  12  in an alternative embodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 10, a single cannula tube  26  passes over the top of a user&#39;s head and connects to the rear of the headband  12  using two fasteners  40 . The fasteners  40  slidably connect the cannula tube  26  to the headband  12  in such a manner that the cannula tube  26  stays in place while the user is wearing the apparatus but may be adjusted. In another embodiment, the fasteners  40  hold the cannula tube(s)  26  loosely to permit the cannula tube(s)  26  to move relative to the headband  12  as the user moves. 
     Although the present invention has been described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, variations are possible. The present invention may be embodied in specific forms without departing from the essential spirit or attributes thereof. It is desired that the embodiments described herein be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive and that reference be made to the appended claims and their equivalents for determining the scope of the invention.