Controlled positive end pressure expiratory device

• US 3,908,987 A
• Filed: 09/27/1973
• Issued: 09/30/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John R. Boehringer
• Original Assignee: John R. Boehringer
• Inventors: Boehringer, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Joseph R.
• Application Number:
  US05/401,130
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 128/145R,145A,2.08 137/533.11,533.13,133.15 272/57F 73/209 131/205,214,222,224
• US Class Current: 482/13
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/18 for improving respiratory function

Abstract

A controlled positive end expiratory pressure device comprises a vertically disposed passageway having a frustoconical segment at its lower end in which is supported a ball. The bottom of the passageway is adapted to communicate with a source of expiratory air such that the expiratory air tends to raise the ball off its support at the bottom of the passageway in order to provide a path for flow of the expiratory air around the ball. In this manner, the device acts as a calibrated end pressure means for providing a positive end expiratory pressure for the test subject or patient, thereby providing for enhanced pulmonary function. The device is designed to be universal in that it can be used intraoperatively on common anesthesia machines or post operatively on common ventilator machines. In one form, it is a hand held, self-controlled, lung exerciser.

Claims

1. A controlled positive end pressure expiratory device comprising a vertically disposed passageway terminated at the lower end by a frustoconical segment adapted to communicate at the bottom thereof with a source of expiratory air, and a spherical ball having a calibrated size and effective weight, said passageway being adapted to receive said spherical ball, said ball being freely movable vertically within said passageway above said segment and supportable by said segment between the top and bottom thereof, said ball defining means for exerting a substantial predetermined back pressure function to said source of expiratory air, in order to provide sIgnificant resistance to the expiration of air by a user.

2. A device, as recited in claim 1, wherein the angular displacement, from vertical, of the sidewalls of said frusto-conical segment is 10*.

3. A device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said passageway includes a top cover having an opening therein, said cover and opening being adapted to retain said ball in said passageway and to assure an escape of air from said passageway.

4. A device, as recited in claim 1, further including means for directing air entering said lower segment from the bottom thereof in a stream aimed generally outwardly and tangentially with respect to said frusto-conical segment and entering said segment off-center with respect thereto.

5. A device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said passageway communicates through the bottom thereof with a horizontally disposed member adapted to be held in the mouth of a test subject, the overall configuration of said device being substantially similar to that of a hand held smoke pipe.

6. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein said segment comprises a first portion having sidewalls disposed at 5*-20* from vertical, and a second section having substantially greater disposition to vertical to support said ball in nonjamming fashion.

7. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said passageway defines a plurality of cavities, each including a spherical ball defining means for exerting a predetermined back pressure function to expiratory air in said passageway.

8. A device as described in claim 7 wherein said housing means comprises a plurality of separate interlocking portions, each such portion defining one of said cavities and input and exhaust ports therefor, whereby a plurality of portions may be stacked upon one another to produce aggregate devices having variable back pressure devices.

9. A device, as recited in claim 7 wherein each of said cavities includes a frustoconical segment above and vertically adjacent the next successive cavity, said segments each having a first circumference at its upper end and a second circumference at its lower end, said second circumference being smaller than said first circumference and communicating with and being smaller than the top circumference of the next lower cavity.

10. A device, as recited in claim 9, wherein the angular inclination, from vertical, of said second frusto-conical segment is the same as that of said first or lower segment.

11. A device, as recited in claim 9, wherein the angular inclination, from vertical, of said second frusto-conical segment is less than that of said first or lower segment.

12. A device, as recited in claim 9, wherein the angular inclination, from vertical, of said first segment is 37*-41* and that of said second segment is 8*-12*.

13. A controlled positive end pressure expiratory device comprising a vertically disposed passageway with a circular opening at its lower end adapted to communicate with a source of expiratory air, and a spherical ball having a calibrated size and effective weight, said passageway being adapted to receive said spherical ball having a diameter greater than that of said opening and being freely movable vertically within said passageway and above said opening, said ball defining means for exerting a substantial predetermined back pressure function to said source of expiratory air, in order to provide significant resistance to the expiration of air by a user.

14. A device as described in claim 13 wherein said means for exerting operates responsively to the specific gravity of said ball, the diameter of said ball, and the size of said opening.

15. A device as described in claim 14, and further including means for varying force exerted by said ball against flow of expiratory air from said opening.

16. A device as described in claim 14, wherein said device is provided with means for sampling the expiratory air flowing in said passageway.