Surgery – Respiratory method or device – Means for supplying respiratory gas under positive pressure
Patent
1993-12-10
1996-07-23
Burr, Edgar S.
Surgery
Respiratory method or device
Means for supplying respiratory gas under positive pressure
12820418, 12820513, 12820514, 12820524, A61M 3922
Patent
active
055379990
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to breathing apparatus for supplying breathable gas to a patient. Such apparatus can be used for emergency resuscitation and also as a lung ventilator for persons under anaesthesia.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Breathing apparatus of the above-described type is known, for example, from U.K. Patent Specification No. 2170409A. This known apparatus includes a gas circuit means incorporating various valves and throttles whereby pulses of air or oxygen can be supplied to the patient on a cyclic basis. It also includes a switch whereby, instead, gas can be supplied to the patient on a continuous basis, the gas circuit means being by-passed.
In known breathing apparatus of the type in question, the gas control circuitry is usually embodied as a control module and a hand piece connected to the control module by a length of flexible tubing. All adjustments are effected at the control module, requiring the user to free at least one hand from the hand piece, which during use has connected to it a face mask which has to be hand held to seal around the patient's mouth and nose.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved breathing apparatus for supplying breathable gas to a patient.
THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided breathing apparatus for supplying air or oxygen to a patient, comprising a housing adapted to be hand held, a gas inlet on the housing, a gas outlet on the housing, gas circuit means within the housing, a switch on the housing whereby gas is either automatically supplied by the circuit means to the gas outlet on a cyclic basis or is supplied continuously to a manually operable valve in the housing, and a manually operable member, preferably a trigger, on the housing for controlling the supply of gas to the outlet through the manually operable valve.
This apparatus has the advantage that, in use, with the face mask attached to the gas outlet on the housing, all adjustments and operations of the apparatus can be carried out with the fingers substantially without relaxing the hands holding the face mask in position. In particular, the trigger can be operated to cause cycling of the gas supply under manual control, for example in sympathy with manual cardiac massage.
The hand held instrument in accordance with the invention can be made relatively small and light, for example having dimensions of about 110 mm by 65 mm by 51 mm and weighing about 250 gms, and this is in part made possible by improvements in the gas control circuitry, as compared, for example, with that described in U.K. Patent Specification No. 2170409A.
Preferably the gas flow rate to the patient is controlled by a first adjustable throttle and the periodicity of the cycle is controlled by a second adjustable throttle, the two throttles being combined into a coaxial assembly of inner and outer throttle elements of which the inner throttle element is carried by the outer throttle element.
The throttle elements preferably comprise inner and outer throttle needles adjustable within a fixed sleeve. The outer throttle needle, which is hollow, and preferably controls the gas flow to the patient, is adjustable within the fixed sleeve by means of cooperating screwthreads, whilst the inner throttle needle is in screwthreaded engagement with the outer needle to control the cycle periodicity. Thus, while the cycle periodicity is independently adjustable, adjustment of the gas flow rate to the patient also automatically adjusts cycle timing. This is convenient to enable the provision of an adult/child control on the instrument. Adjustment of the control towards the child setting reduces the gas flow rate to the patient and simultaneously increases the cycle periodicity.
The gas circuit means preferably includes a main valve which produces the gas cycling effect. This main valve has a main gas inlet and a gas outlet from which gas passes to the flow rate/timing throttle means, a secondary gas inlet receiving from the throttle means a proportion of the gas flowing t
REFERENCES:
patent: 1848234 (1928-08-01), Swope et al.
patent: 2920623 (1957-08-01), Holt
patent: 3874378 (1975-04-01), Isaacson et al.
patent: 4898174 (1990-02-01), Fangrow, Jr.
patent: 5067487 (1991-11-01), Bauman
Bowden Kevin
Buckenham Howard A.
Cookman Damon A.
Dearman Peter T.
Sharpe Andrew
BNOS Electronics Limited
Burr Edgar S.
Deane, Jr. William J.
LandOfFree
Breathing apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Breathing apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Breathing apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-706713