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Apparatus for measuring a pulmonary function

  • US 4,269,195 A
  • Filed: 05/23/1979
  • Issued: 05/26/1981
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1978
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for measuring a pulmonary function, comprising:

  • a plurality of paired electrodes adapted for attachment to locations on a human thorax corresponding to the lungs of a human being, each of said paired electrodes including a current supply electrode element and voltage detection electrode element;

    means for measuring impedances at the respective locations of the lungs, said means including a constant current source for supplying a constant current to the current supply electrode of each electrode pair;

    detecting means coupled to said voltage detection electrode of each of said paired electrodes for detecting impedance variations indicative of respiratory movement from the impedances at the respective locations of the lungs;

    sum calculating means for calculating a sum of the impedance variations detected by said detecting means;

    ratio calculating means for calculating a ratio of each of the impedance variations to the sum of the impedance variations which is obtained by said sum calculating means; and

    means for determining the pulmonary function using the ratio data obtained by said ratio calculating means.

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