HAND ASSIST BREATHER

• US 3,777,744 A
• Filed: 03/18/1971
• Issued: 12/11/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl C. Garland, James D. Fryfogle
• Original Assignee: Carl C. Garland, James D. Fryfogle
• Inventors: Garland, Carl C., Fryfogle, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trapp, Lawrence W.
• Application Number:
  US05/125,579
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 128/24,25,28,60,96
• US Class Current: 601/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 31/00 Artificial respiration or heart stimulation, e.g. heart massage artificial respiration by treatment with gas or air, e.g. mouth-to-mouth respiration A61M16/00; applying electric currents by contact electrodes for stimulation, e.g. heart pace-makers A61N1/36 ; teaching or training models, demonstration models for medical purposes G09B23/288
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 31/007 Manual driven

Abstract

A medical appliance of a belt-like structure which is hand operable to improve and sustain respiration, and more specifically can be used by a patient for assisting exhalation of breath from the patient afflicted with obstructive lung disease which is operative by compressing the upper abdomen forcing the diaphragm against the distended lungs.

Claims

1. A portable, hand operated, medical appliance for assisting exhalation of breath from a patient by compressing the lower rib cage and upper abdomen to force the diaphragm against the lungs, the appliance comprising:

a pressure plate having an inner surface adapted to contact the upper abdomen and dimensioned to be located in between the frontal lower edges of the rib cage;

a belt member having an end portion detachably connected to said plate and adapted to encircle the lower rib cage; and

means supported by said plate and operative on an opposite end of said belt for selectively constricting said belt from a first condition in which said belt member is relatively untensioned to a second condition in which said belt member is tensioned to compress the lower rib cage while simultAneously forcing said pressure plate compressively against the upper abdomen, said means including an actuating lever lying closely adjacent a confronting outer surface of said pressure plate when in said first condition, to define a low profile whereby said medical appliance can be continuously worn by the patient with no impediment to his mobility.

2. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 1, with said pressure plate having an arcuately contoured inner surface to facilitate conformation to the contour of the upper abdomen.

3. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 1, with said pressure plate having an area, for an average adult, of 25 to 30 square inches.

4. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 1, with said pressure plate having a pair of elongated slots located adjacent to one outer edge, and wherein said one end of said belt member is adjustably connected to said pressure plate by engagement through each of said pair of elongated slots.

5. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 1, wherein said pressure plate includes a pair of edges inclined outwardly from the inner surface whereby the contacting inner surface is substantially smooth.

6. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 1, with said belt member having a width for an average adult of approximately 4 inches.

7. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 1, wherein the width of said belt substantially conforms to the width of said pressure plate.

8. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 1, wherein said pressure plate includes an elongated belt loop connected to an outer surface of said pressure plate, and wherein said opposite end of said belt member is slidably received through said loop.

9. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 8, wherein said opposite end of said belt member is folded-over to define a passage therealong;

and wherein said appliance includes an elongated pin member located in said passage for restraining said opposite end of said belt member from disengagement with said belt loop.

10. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 9, with said means being connected with said pin member whereby movement of said actuating lever results in constriction of said belt member.

11. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a first pulley rotatably connected to said one end of said actuating lever; and

wherein said means includes a flexible connector operatively engaging said first pulley and having one end connected to said opposite end of said belt member.

12. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 11, further including a second pulley rotatably connected to said operating lever, said second pulley being spaced inwardly from said first pulley and operatively engaging said cord.

13. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 1, wherein the pivotal movement of said lever transmits a force normal to said pressure plate which is adapted to compress the upper abdomen.

14. A portable, hand operated medical appliance, for assisting exhalation of breath from a patient afflicted wilh an obstructive lung disease, by compressing the upper abdomen to upwardly urge the diaphragm against the lung, which comprises:

a pressure plate having an inner surface adapted to contact with the upper abdomen and dimensioned to be located in between the frontal lower edges of the rib cage;

a bracket connected to an outer surface of said pressure plate;

an elongated actuating lever having one end pivotably connected to said bracket;

a pulley rotatably supported by said actuating lever and located inwardly along the elongated axis of said actuating lever from the pivotal axis;

a belt having one end adjustably connected to said pressure plate and adapted to encircle the lower rib cage; and

a cord, engaging said pulley, and connecting an opposite end of said belt and said bracket whereby pivotal movement of said actuating lever will simultaneously constrict said belt and urge said pressure pLate inwardly against the upper surface of the abdomen.

15. A portable, hand operated medical appliance, for assisting exhalation of breath from a patient afflicted with an obstructive lung disease, by compressing the upper abdomen to upwardly urge the diaphragm against the lung, which comprises:

a pressure plate having an inner surface adapted to contact with the upper abdomen and dimensioned to be located in between the frontal lower edges of the rib cage;

a bracket connected to an outer surface of said pressure plate;

an elongated actuating lever having one end pivotably connected to said bracket, said actuating lever lying closely adjacent the confronting outer surface of said pressure plate in a first condition to define a low profile whereby said medical appliance can be continuously worn by the patient with no impediment to his mobility;

a pulley rotatably supported by said actuating lever and located inwardly along the elongated axis of said actuating lever from the pivotal axis;

a belt having one end adjustably connected to said pressure plate and adapted to encircle the lower rib cage; and

a cord, engaging said pulley, and connecting an opposite end of said belt and said bracket whereby pivotal movement of said actuating lever from said first condition will simultaneously constrict said belt and urge said pressure plate inwardly against the upper surface of the abdomen.

16. A medical appliance for assisting exhalation of breath comprising:

a pressure plate adapted to be located against the upper abdomen between the lower rib cage;

a belt having a first end detachably secured to said plate and adapted to encircle the rib cage;

an actuating lever pivotably connected to said plate;

means including at least one pulley rotatably supported by said lever and operative with an opposite end of said belt for constricting said belt in response to pivotal movement of said lever, whereby said plate may be selectively urged against the upper abdomen and said belt is compressed around the rib cage to assist exhalation of breath.

17. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 16, wherein said means includes first and second pulleys rotatably supported by said lever, and wherein one of said pulleys is coaxially located with the pivotal connection of said lever with said plate.

18. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 17, wherein the other of said pulleys is spaced from said one pulley along a longitudinal axis of said lever.

19. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 16, wherein one end of said lever is bifurcated, and wherein said at least one pulley is located in a recess formed by said bifurcation.

20. The medical appliance, as recited in claim 16, wherein said lever lies closely adjacent a confronting outer surface of said plate when said belt is unconstricted relative to said rib cage to define a low profile whereby said medical appliance can be continuously worn by a patient with no impediment to his mobility.