Nasal cannula headband apparatus

[0002] The invention relates generally to a nasal cannula apparatus for the delivery of a gas, such as air, to a person's nostrils. More particularly, it relates to a headband cannula apparatus that secures a cannula tube to an individual's head.

[0003] 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'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's ears. Near the patient'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's nose or the patient's nose and mouth.

[0004] It is desirable to keep the cannula tubes away from the patient's face so that the system is less cumbersome. It is also desirable to hold the cannula tubes in place relative to the patient'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's way while the patient is sleeping, bathing, eating, or simply moving about in public.

[0005] Various methods are known for securing a cannula tube system to a patient'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.

[0006] 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's head or over the top or crown portion of the head. Existing headband systems leave many of the users' 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'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'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.

[0007] 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.

[0008] 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'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'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's head. The cannula system connects to a supply of breathable gas and delivers the gas to the patient'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's nose. From the cannula junction, the gas is directed downwardly toward the patient's nostrils. The fasteners keep the cannula tubes in place relative to the headband and direct the cannula tubes behind the patient's ears.

[0009] 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'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's head.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows the nasal cannula headband attached to an air supply.

[0011] FIG. 2 shows the front portion of the apparatus in use on a person.

[0012] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the apparatus in use on a person.

[0013] FIG. 4 shows a top view of the headband portion.

[0014] FIG. 5 shows one means of connecting the headband portion around a user's head.

[0015] FIG. 6 shows a connection between the cannula tube and the headband portion.

[0016] FIG. 7. shows an alternative embodiment of the apparatus in use on a person.

[0017] FIG. 8. shows the connection of a front portion of the embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7.

[0018] FIG. 9. shows the connection of a back portion of the embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7.

[0019] FIG. 10. shows another embodiment of the back portion of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

[0020] 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'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.

[0021] 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's ear. The cannula tubes 26 drop behind the ear where they are kept out of the user's way. The cannula tubes 26 enter a cannula junction 28. The cannula junction 28 directs the gas toward the user'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's nostrils.

[0022] The headband 12 may be made of a breathable fabric that permits air to pass through it to the user'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'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'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'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'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's head. The headband connecting portion 50 may be positioned near the back of a user's head. In one embodiment, the headband connecting portion 50 is off-center with respect to the back of the user'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.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows the headband apparatus 10 in use about a patient's head. In the embodiment shown, the headband apparatus 10 passes around a circumference of the patient'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's nose. The cannula junction 28 directs the breathable gas into the patient'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'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.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the cannula headband apparatus 10, again showing the headband 12 wrapped around a patient'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'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's nose and into the patient's nostrils via nasal extensions 30. As also shown in FIG. 3, in one embodiment the headband 12 may be held around the patient'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's head but instead is slightly to one side or the other.

[0025] 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's head. The patient'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'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'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's head by a headband connecting portion 50, which is positioned on a rear side of a user's head.

[0026] 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's head.

[0027] 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'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's ear, where it is out of the patient's way.

[0028] 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'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's nose and fixedly attached to the headband 12, which is held in place along the circumference of a user's head above the ears. The cannula junction 28 is connected to nasal extensions 30 that deliver the gas to a user'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'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'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's head. For example, the user may slideably adjust the cannula tube(s) 26 relative to the fastener to achieve a desired fit.

[0029] 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'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's nose via nasal extensions 30.

[0030] 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'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'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'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.

[0031] 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'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.

[0032] 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.