Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for detecting an empty breathing gas compartment in a patient ventilator

US6152131A · kind A · utility

9Cited by
4References
32Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 26, 1998
Grant dateNov 28, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 26, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61M2205/15
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus/method for detecting an empty breathing gas compartment condition in a bellows ventilator for a patient. The apparatus includes a first sensor for measuring, during inspiration, the incoming flow of gas into a driving gas compartment located in the bellows container. The second sensor measures the pressure in the driving gas compartment. During the inspiration cycle, measurements taken by the first and second sensors are signaled to a control unit and used to determine a .DELTA.V/.DELTA.p compliance value. The compliance value will be large if the bellows is movable, i.e. not in the empty breathing compartment gas condition. The compliance value is small if the empty breathing gas compartment condition exists. The compliance value, so determined, is compared with a reference compliance value in the control unit to detect the empty breathing gas compartment condition.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.