Volume calculator for incentive spirometer
First Claim
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1. A device for use in conjunction with a flow meter having an indicator which moves to a position corresponding to the flow rate through said flow meter, said device comprising:
- a housing containing a detector means, a timing means, a processing means, a first and a second storage means and an alphanumeric display means;
said first storage means for receiving and storing information representative of the minimum flow rate required through said flow meter to move said indicator to said position;
said detector means for detecting and indicating the presence of said indicator at said position;
said timing means coupled to said detector means for measuring the time during which said detector means indicates the presence of said indicator at said position;
said second storage means for receiving and storing information representative of a desired minimum volume;
said processing means coupled to said timing means and to said first storage means for generating information representative of the cumulative volume flow through said flow meter, said processing means further performing a comparison of said generated information and the information stored in said second storage means; and
said alphanumeric display means coupled to said processing means for displaying an indication in the event said generated information is representative of a volume equal to or greater than the volume represented by the information stored in said second storage means.
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Abstract
An electronic device for use in conjunction with a spirometer for measuring the time interval during which a minimum predetermined air flow is maintained through the spirometer and for calculating the minimum total volume of air flowing through the spirometer during that interval of time and for automatically providing other related information to the patient and therapist using the spirometer.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A device for use in conjunction with a flow meter having an indicator which moves to a position corresponding to the flow rate through said flow meter, said device comprising:
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a housing containing a detector means, a timing means, a processing means, a first and a second storage means and an alphanumeric display means; said first storage means for receiving and storing information representative of the minimum flow rate required through said flow meter to move said indicator to said position; said detector means for detecting and indicating the presence of said indicator at said position; said timing means coupled to said detector means for measuring the time during which said detector means indicates the presence of said indicator at said position; said second storage means for receiving and storing information representative of a desired minimum volume; said processing means coupled to said timing means and to said first storage means for generating information representative of the cumulative volume flow through said flow meter, said processing means further performing a comparison of said generated information and the information stored in said second storage means; and said alphanumeric display means coupled to said processing means for displaying an indication in the event said generated information is representative of a volume equal to or greater than the volume represented by the information stored in said second storage means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A device for use in conjunction with a flow meter having an indicator which moves to a position corresponding to the flow rate through said flow meter, said device comprising:
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a housing containing at least one detector means, a timing means, a plurality of data storage registers, a multiplier means, a comparator means and display means; said detector means for detecting the presence of said indicator at said position; said timing means coupled to said detector means for measuring the time during which said indicator remains at said position; said plurality of data storage registers for storing data; said multiplier means coupled to said timing means and one of said plurality of data storage registers for multiplying the output of said timing means by the contents of said data storage register; said comparator means coupled to said data storage registers and said multiplier means for comparing the output of said multiplier means with the contents of said data storage registers and for storing the results of said comparisons in some of said data storage registers; and said display means coupled to said multiplier means, said comparator means and said data storage registers for displaying the output of the multiplier means, the results of comparisons performed by said comparator means and the contents of said data storage registers. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A volume calculator and incentive display device for use with a spirometer of the type in which a movable indicator contained in a chamber moves to a certain position in said chamber only when the patient'"'"'s breathing flow rate through said spirometer equals or exceeds a value set by a flow regulator control on said spirometer, said device comprising:
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a case removably placeable onto said spirometer, said case including a detector housing which is situated adjacent said chamber certain position when said case is placed on said spirometer. detection means, situated in said detector housing, for detecting the presence of said indicator at said certain position and for providing an electrical detection signal in response thereto, presettable volume register means, situated in said case, for storing data representing the desired minimum volume of air to be breathed by the patient in a single breath, volume determination means, situated in said case and cooperating with said detection means, for electrically ascertaining from said detection signal the actual minimum volume of air breathed by said patient in a breath, an alphanumeric display situated on said case, and, incentive indication means, situated in said case and cooperating with said volume register means and said volume determination means, for providing on said display an incentive indication when said ascertained actual minimum volume equals or exceeds said desired minimum volume represented by said stored data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25)
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19. "hold" display means, cooperating with said detection means, for causing said alphanumeric display to provide an indication that the patient should hold his breath, said indication being provided for a duration of time corresponding to that stored in said "hold" register means, said provided indication being initiated as soon as said detection means detects that said indicator is no longer present in said certain position,
a set of switches mounted on said case, and data entry means, electrically connected to said switches and cooperating with said volume register means, said flow rate register means, said "required efforts" register means and said "hold" register means, for facilitating entry from said switches into the respective means of said data representing said desired minimum volume of air, said set flow rate value, said desired number of breaths and said desired duration of time.
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23. A volume calculator for use with an incentive spirometer of the type in which an indicator ball contained in a transparent column moves to the top of said column when the patient'"'"'s inhalation flow rate through said spirometer equals or exceeds a value set by a flow regulator control on said spirometer, comprising:
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a housing conforming in shape to said spirometer for slidingly removable mating engagement therewith, all of the following volume calculator components being contained in said housing, an alphanumeric display visible exteriorly of said housing, a set of registers, switches accessible on the exterior of said housing, and electrical means interconnected with said switches for entering into said registers data representing (a) the flow rate corresponding to that set by said flow regulator control, (b) a required minimum inhalation volume per breath, and (c) the duration of time the patient is to hold his breath upon completion of inhalation, a light source and a photodetector illuminated thereby, contained within said housing and straddling the top of said transparent column when said housing is in place on said spirometer, the presence of the indicator ball at the top of said column interrupting the illumination of said photodetector by said source, computation means, cooperating with said photodetector, for computing from the duration of time that said indicator ball is at the top of said column the actual minimum volume of air inhaled by the patient per breath and for displaying on said alphanumeric display an incentive indication when said actual volume exceeds the required minimum inhalation volume entered in said registers, hold duration means, actuated when the indicator ball falls so that said photodetector again is illuminated by said light source, for displaying on said alphanumeric display an indication that the patient should hold his breath, the duration of time of such display corresponding to said hold duration entered in said registers, maximum volume storage means, cooperating with said computation means, for storing data representing the maximum volume of air inhaled by said patient in any of a series of breaths, as determined by said computation means, counter means, cooperating with said computation means, for counting the number of times during a series of breaths that the required minimum inhalation volume has been exceeded, and readout means for displaying on said alphanumeric display said number of times counted by said counter means, and for displaying said maximum volume stored by said maximum volume storage means.
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Specification