Metabolic calorimeter employing respiratory gas analysis
First Claim
1. An indirect calorimeter for measuring the metabolic rate of a subject, said calorimeter comprising:
- a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with the subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as the subject breathes;
a hygiene barrier module operatively connected to said respiratory connector, such that the inhaled and exhaled gases pass therethrough said hygiene barrier module for blocking a predetermined pathogen from the exhaled gases;
a flow pathway operatively connected to said hygiene barrier module for receiving and passing inhaled and exhaled gases, said flow pathway having a first end in fluid communication with said respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases, said flow pathway comprising a flow tube through which the inhaled and exhaled gases pass, and an outer housing surrounding said flow tube, and a chamber disposed between said flow tube and said first end, said chamber being a concentric chamber surrounding one end of said flow tube and being defined between said flow tube and said outer housing;
a flow meter configured to generate electrical signals as a function of the instantaneous flow volume of inhaled and exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway;
a component gas concentration sensor operable to generate electrical signals as a function of the instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in the exhaled gases as the gases pass through said flow pathway; and
a computation unit operable to receive said electrical signals from said flow meter and said concentration sensor and operative to calculate at least one respiratory parameter for the subject as the subject breathes through the calorimeter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An indirect calorimeter for measuring the metabolic rate of a subject includes a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with the subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as the subject breathes, a flow pathway, and a hygiene barrier positioned to block a predetermined pathogen from the exhaled gases. The indirect calorimeter also includes a flow pathway having a first end in fluid communication with the respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases. The flow pathway includes a flow tube through which the inhaled and exhaled gases pass, an outer housing surrounding the flow tube, and a chamber disposed between the flow tube and the first end. The indirect calorimeter also includes a flow meter configured to generate electrical signals as a function of the instantaneous flow volume of inhaled and exhaled gases passing through the flow pathway, and a component gas concentration sensor operable to generate electrical signals as a function of the instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in the exhaled gases as the gases pass through the flow pathway. The indirect calorimeter further includes a computation unit operable to receive the electrical signals from the flow meter and the concentration sensor and operative to calculate at least one respiratory parameter for the subject as the subject breathes through the calorimeter.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. An indirect calorimeter for measuring the metabolic rate of a subject, said calorimeter comprising:
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a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with the subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as the subject breathes;
a hygiene barrier module operatively connected to said respiratory connector, such that the inhaled and exhaled gases pass therethrough said hygiene barrier module for blocking a predetermined pathogen from the exhaled gases;
a flow pathway operatively connected to said hygiene barrier module for receiving and passing inhaled and exhaled gases, said flow pathway having a first end in fluid communication with said respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases, said flow pathway comprising a flow tube through which the inhaled and exhaled gases pass, and an outer housing surrounding said flow tube, and a chamber disposed between said flow tube and said first end, said chamber being a concentric chamber surrounding one end of said flow tube and being defined between said flow tube and said outer housing;
a flow meter configured to generate electrical signals as a function of the instantaneous flow volume of inhaled and exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway;
a component gas concentration sensor operable to generate electrical signals as a function of the instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in the exhaled gases as the gases pass through said flow pathway; and
a computation unit operable to receive said electrical signals from said flow meter and said concentration sensor and operative to calculate at least one respiratory parameter for the subject as the subject breathes through the calorimeter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An indirect calorimeter for measuring the metabolic rate of a subject, said calorimeter comprising:
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a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with the subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as the subject breathes;
a flow pathway operatively connected to said respiratory connector for receiving and passing inhaled and exhaled gases, said flow pathway having a first end in fluid communication with said respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases, said flow pathway comprising a flow tube through which the inhaled and exhaled gases pass, and an outer housing surrounding said flow tube, and a chamber disposed between said flow tube and said first end, said chamber being a concentric chamber surrounding one end of said flow tube and being defined between said flow tube and said outer housing;
a hygiene barrier positioned such that the inhaled and exhaled gases pass therethrough said hygiene barrier for blocking a predetermined pathogen from the exhaled gases;
a flow meter configured to generate electrical signals as a function of the instantaneous flow volume of inhaled and exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway;
a component gas concentration sensor operable to generate electrical signals as a function of the instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in the exhaled gases as the gases pass through said flow pathway; and
a computation unit operable to receive said electrical signals from said flow meter and said concentration sensor and operative to calculate at least one respiratory parameter for the subject as the subject breathes through the calorimeter. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An indirect calorimeter for measuring the metabolic rate of a subject, said calorimeter comprising:
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a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with the subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as the subject breathes;
a hygiene barrier disposed within said respiratory connector, such that substantially all inhaled and exhaled gases pass through said hygiene barrier, and said hygiene barrier operatively passes said inhaled and exhaled gases therethrough while blocking a predetermined pathogen in the exhaled gas;
a flow pathway operable to receive and pass inhaled and exhaled gases, said flow pathway having a first end in fluid communication with said respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases, said flow pathway comprising a flow tube through which the inhaled and exhaled gases pass, and an outer housing surrounding said flow tube, and a chamber disposed between said flow tube and said first end, said chamber being a concentric chamber surrounding one end of said flow tube and being defined between said flow tube and said outer housing;
a flow meter configured to generate electrical signals as a function of the instantaneous flow volume of inhaled and exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway;
a component gas concentration sensor operable to generate electrical signals as a function of the instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in the exhaled gases as the gases pass through said flow pathway; and
a computation unit operable to receive said electrical signals from said flow meter and said concentration sensor and operative to calculate at least one respiratory parameter for the subject as the subject breathes through the calorimeter. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An indirect calorimeter for measuring the metabolic rate of a subject for respiratory analysis comprising:
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a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with the subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as the subject breathes, wherein said respiratory connector is a mask having an outer shell and a shell liner inserted in the outer shell and said shell liner includes a hygiene barrier for operatively passing the inhaled and exhaled gases therethrough while blocking a predetermined pathogen in the exhaled gas;
an inlet conduit operatively connected at one end to said outer shell, and at an other end to a flow pathway operable to receive and pass the inhaled and exhaled gases, said flow pathway having a first end in fluid communication with said respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases, said flow pathway comprising a flow tube through which the inhaled and exhaled gases pass, and an outer housing surrounding said flow tube, and a chamber disposed between said flow tube and said first end, said chamber being a concentric chamber surrounding one end of said flow tube and being defined between said flow tube and said outer housing;
a flow meter configured to generate electrical signals as a function of the instantaneous flow volume of inhaled and exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway;
a component gas concentration sensor operable to generate electrical signals as a function of the instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in the exhaled gases as the gases pass through said flow pathway; and
a computation unit operable to receive said electrical signals from said flow meter and said concentration sensor and operative to calculate at least one respiratory parameter for the subject as the subject breathes through the calorimeter. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An respiratory connector for passing inhaled and exhaled gases as a subject breathes into a respiratory analyzer, said respiratory connector comprising:
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an outer shell having a generally hemispherical shape, with an opening in the outer shell in fluid communication with a flow path for the respiratory connector;
a removable shell liner inserted in said outer shell, wherein said shell liner includes a hygiene barrier positioned over the opening in said outer shell for operatively passing the inhaled and exhaled gases therethrough while blocking a predetermined pathogen in the exhaled gas. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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40. A respiratory connector for passing inhaled and exhaled gases as a subject breathes into a respiratory analyzer, said respiratory connector comprising:
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an outer shell having a generally hemispherical shape, with an opening in the outer shell in fluid communication with a flow pathway for the respiratory analyzer;
a shell liner inserted in said outer shell, wherein said shell liner includes a generally planar face seal having an opening for the mouth and nose of the user, for sealing the mask to the face of the user, a liner wall extending from an outer edge of the face seal and generally perpendicular to the face seal, and a hygiene barrier extending therebetween a free edge of the liner wall and positioned over the opening in said shell liner for blocking a predetermined pathogen in the exhaled gas. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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43. A respiratory connector for passing inhaled and exhaled gases as a subject breathes into a respiratory analyzer, said respiratory connector comprising:
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a housing having an inlet port and a connecting port in fluid communication with a flow pathway for the respiratory connector;
a mouthpiece integral with said inlet port; and
a hygiene barrier disposed between said mouthpiece and said connecting port for operatively passing the inhaled and exhaled gases therethrough while blocking a predetermined pathogen in the exhaled gases. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A respiratory connector for passing inhaled and exhaled gases as a subject breathes into a respiratory analyzer, said respiratory connector comprising:
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a mouthpiece; and
a hygiene barrier module having an inlet port for operatively connecting said hygiene barrier module to said mouthpiece, such that the inhaled and exhaled gases pass therethrough said hygiene barrier module for blocking a predetermined pathogen from the exhaled gases and a connecting port for operatively connecting the respiratory connector to a corresponding inlet conduit for the respiratory analyzer. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification