Portable defibrillators

• US 20050085861A1
• Filed: 11/28/2002
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Desmond Bryan Mills, Malcolm Bradley Mills, Stephen Colin Brown
• Original Assignee: Desmond Bryan Mills, Malcolm Bradley Mills, Stephen Colin Brown
• Inventors: Herbert, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,236,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3937 Monitoring output parameters

Abstract

A portable defibrillator which includes a self-test circuit (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 & 9) in which during the self-test electrical energy is discharged from one or a bank of capacitors (4) to a change receiving circuit (5, 8) which recycles the energy to a rechargeable battery (1) to thereby prolong the original charge within the battery. An alternative embodiment of the invention includes a charge receiving circuit (I1-I4, S1-S3, 21) containing a relatively high Ohmic value/low Wattage resister means (21) such that the discharge occurs over a relatively long period of time, therefore dispensing with the requirement for a heat sink. The resistor means may be a single high value resistor or comprise a network (21a) of two or more smaller value resistors. The invention also provides optional switching (5, I1-I4, S1-S3, 21) of the discharge electrical energy during a self-test to either recycle it to the rechargeable battery or discharge it through the resitor. In a further refinement the self-test is carried out on a bank of capacitors (4) in rotation, which may also include the energy discharged from one capacitor being discharged into the next capacitor in the bank such that all capacitors are charged and discharged from substantially a single power input.

Claims

1. A portable defibrillator including a processor and associated self-test circuit (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 &

9) in which during the self-test electrical energy is discharged from one or a bank of capacitors (4) to a charge receiving circuit (5, 8 &

2) which recycles the energy back to a rechargeable battery supply (1) to thereby prolong the original charge within the battery.

5. A portable defibrillator incorporating in combination the charge receiving and recycling circuit of claim 1 and a relatively high Ohmic value/low Wattage discharge resistor means such that the discharge occurs over a relatively long period of time, wherein provision is made in the circuitry of the defibrillator permitting optional switching (5, I1-I4, S1-S3, 21) of the discharged electrical energy during a self-test to either recycle it directly back to a rechargeable battery supply (1) or across the high value discharge resistor means (21, 21a).

6. A portable defibrillator according to claim 1 further characterised in that the self-test is carried out on a bank of capacitors (4) in rotation such that for one self-test one capacitor is fully charged until a predetermined energy level is reached whilst the remaining capacitors in the bank are not, or may be only partially charged, and then following discharge during a self-test, the next capacitor in the bank is fully charged for discharge during the next self-test, the cycle repeating in sequence.

7. A portable defibrillator according to claim 1, further characterised in that a single capacitor from a bank of capacitors (4) is fully charged as part of a self-test applied to a bank of capacitors (4) in rotation such that for one self-test one capacitor is fully charged until a predetermined energy level is reached whilst the remaining capacitors in the bank are not, or may be only partially charged, and then following discharge during a self-test, the next capacitor in the bank is fully charged for discharge during the next self-test, the cycle repeating in sequence;

but wherein during the self-test the single capacitor is discharged into the next capacitor, and so on, until all of the capacitors in the capacitor bank have been charged and discharged from substantially a single power input.

8. A portable defibrillator according to claim 1 further characterised in that measurement of the characteristics of a discharged pulse during a self-test occurs by the use of a measuring circuit (M3, M4, M5, M6) within the capacitor circuit.

9. A portable defibrillator according to claim 1 further characterised in that measurement of the characteristics of a discharged pulse during a self-test occurs by the use of a measuring circuit within the receiving circuit (M1, M2).

2. A portable defibrillator including a processor and associated self-test circuit (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 21 &

21a) in which during the self-test electrical energy is discharged from one or a bank of capacitors (4) to a charge receiving circuit (I1-I4, S1-S3, 21, 21a) containing a relatively high Ohmic value/low Wattage discharge resistor means (as defined) (21, 21a) such that the discharge occurs over a relatively long period of time.

3. A portable defibrillator according to claim 2 further characterised in that the high value resistor means comprises a single high value resistor (21).

4. A portable defibrillator according to claim 2 further characterised in that the high value resistor means comprises a network (21a) of two or more smaller value resistors.

10. Circuitry for a portable defibrillator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of FIGS. 1 to 5.