Method and apparatus for the control and independent monitoring of an extremely small gas flow
US5471977A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 21, 1993 |
| Grant date | Dec 5, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 21, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61M2205/502
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for independent monitoring of a flow-through quantity and, potentially, of a concentration of a gas flow that is extremely small in comparison to a respiratory gas flow is provided. The valve for the control of this small gas flow can not be controlled via the overall gas flow. In order to be able to simply and reliably monitor the flow-through quantity and the concentration of this small gas flow without a gas analyzer and independently of gas flow regulators that are usually present, it is provided that the small gas flow be separately measured and compared to a value derived from the respiratory gas flow. Given the presence of prescribable criteria, an alarm is triggered and the flow-through quantity of the small gas flow is, for example, interrupted.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.