Positive exhalation pressure device
A positive exhalation pressure device ( 1 ) is described. The device ( 1 ) comprises a housing ( 2 ) having an annular chamber ( 5 ), a chamber inlet ( 6 ) configured to permit air into the chamber, a chamber outlet ( 7 ) configured to permit air out of the chamber, and a mouthpiece ( 8 ) in fluid communication with the chamber inlet. A movable body such as a ball ( 3 ) is disposed in the housing within the annular chamber and configured to revolve around the annular chamber in response to flow of air through the chamber from the chamber inlet to the chamber outlet. The movable body is configured to at least partially block the chamber outlet as it revolves around the annular chamber causing cyclical fluctuations in airflow resistance.
1 . A device, comprising:
a housing including a chamber defining an annular track having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, an inlet disposed on an outer circumferential aspect of the annular track and configured to permit air into the chamber, an outlet configured to permit air out of the chamber, and a mouthpiece in fluid communication with the inlet, wherein the housing defines a flow path including, in order from an upstream end of the flow path to a downstream end of the flow path, the mouthpiece, the inlet, the annular track, and the outlet; and
a body disposed within the chamber such that the body is configured to revolve around the annular track defined by the chamber, wherein the body is configured to cause cyclical fluctuations of airflow resistance through the device by at least partially interfering with the inlet or the outlet during revolutions around the annular track.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to fit within the chamber in a substantially airtight manner.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the body is a weighted ball.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece tapers inwardly toward an orifice formed at a distal end of the mouthpiece proximal of the inlet.
5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the orifice is a fixed resistance orifice.
6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the outlet is disposed on an inner circumferential aspect of the annular track defined by the chamber.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is comprised essentially of two parts that fit together to form the chamber.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to revolve around the annular track defined by the chamber in response to flow of air through the chamber.
9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the inlet and the outlet are circumferentially spaced apart by at least 90° around the annular track.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to block at least 75% of an area of the inlet or the outlet as it passes.
11 . A device, comprising:
a housing including a chamber defining annular track having an inner diameter and an outer diameter sharing a first central axis, an inlet disposed on an outer circumferential aspect of the annular track and configured to permit air into the chamber, an outlet disposed on a top, bottom, or inner circumferential aspect of the annular track defined by the chamber and configured to permit air out of the chamber, and a mouthpiece in fluid communication with the inlet, wherein the housing defines a flow path including, in order from an upstream end of the flow path to a downstream end of the flow path, the mouthpiece, the inlet, the annular track, and the outlet; and
a body including a second central axis and disposed within the chamber such that the body is free to revolve around the first central axis of the annular track and rotate about the second central axis of the body, wherein the body is configured to cause cyclical fluctuations of airflow resistance through the device by at least partially interfering with the inlet or the outlet during revolutions around the annular track.
12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein a clearance between the body and a wall of the annular track is between 0.1 mm and 1 mm.
13 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the mouthpiece is shaped in the form of a substantially flat funnel.
14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the mouthpiece tapers inwardly toward the inlet.
15 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the housing is comprised essentially of two parts that fit together to form the chamber.
16 . A device, comprising:
a housing including a chamber defining an annular track, an inlet disposed on an outer circumferential aspect of the annular track and configured to permit air into the chamber, an outlet configured to permit air out of the chamber, and a mouthpiece in fluid communication with the inlet, wherein the housing defines a flow path including, in order from an upstream end of the flow path to a downstream end of the flow path, the mouthpiece, the inlet, the annular track, and the outlet; and
a ball disposed within the chamber and configured to cause cyclical fluctuations of airflow resistance by at least partially interfering with the inlet or the outlet during revolutions around the annular track.
17 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the ball is a metal ball.
18 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the ball has a diameter between 5 cm and 10 cm.
19 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the ball is configured to block at least 75% of an area of the inlet as the ball passes the inlet.
20 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the ball is configured to block at least 75% of an area of the outlet as the ball passes the outlet.