Respirator

• US 4,644,947 A
• Filed: 08/05/1985
• Issued: 02/24/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James G. Whitwam, Mihir K. Chakrabarti
• Original Assignee: James G. Whitwam, Mihir K. Chakrabarti
• Inventors: Whitwam, James G., Chakrabarti, Mihir K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Application Number:
  US06/762,294
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.18, 128/204.24, 128/204.25, 128/205.13, 128/205.24, 128/205.14, 128/205.15, 128/205.16, 128/911, 128/204.23, 128/207.14 , 128/207.15, 128/207.16
• US Class Current: 128/204.25
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/00 Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. mouth-to-mouth respiration; Tracheal tubes stimulating the respiratory movement by mechanical, pneumatic or electrical means, iron lungs combined with gas breathing means A61H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0012 by Venturi means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0096 High frequency jet ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/127 by Venturi effect, i.e. entrainment mixers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/22 Carbon dioxide-absorbing devices ; Other means for removing carbon dioxidecartridges with absorbing substances for respiratory apparatus A62B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/42 Reducing noise

Abstract

A respirator for use in replacing or assisting the respiratory function in patients in whom spontaneous respiration is either absent or insufficient is described. The respirator includes a respirator conduit having a down-stream end which is attachable to a proximal end of a patient tube 3. A respiratory gas line 6 is connected to a downstream section of the conduit and opens into the conduit at a first location adjacent but upstream of the downstream end 4. An axially extending driving gas jet nozzle 11 is provided at a location which is at least one tidal volume upstream from the patient attachment 4, where the respiratory fresh gas is supplied. The driving gas from the driving jet 11 simply controls the tidal volume like a pneumatic piston and drives the respiratory gas accumulated in the conduit 5 from the supply of the continuous flow of the respiratory gas. The driving gas from jet 11 does not take part in the pulmonary gas exchange. Ventilation of any patient at any frequency and tidal volume is possible with this new respirator, safely, with any chosen low pressure conditioned and humidified respiratory gas including volatile anaesthetic vapors.

In its simplest form the respirator can be described as a slave driving jet placed in the wide tube of a T piece, one tidal volume distal to the patient attachment where the respiratory gas is supplied through the narrow limb of the T-piece.

Claims

1. A respirator including a respirator conduit having a downstream end for connection to a patient duct;

supplying means for supplying relatively low pressure respiratory gas to a patient through and out of the patient duct;

the respiratory gas supplying means comprising a respiratory gas line having a first end for connection to a respiratory gas supply, the respiratory gas line being divided at a point remote from the first end thereof to form two subsidiary respiratory gas lines each having a respective end, the end of each subsidiary respiratory gas line extending beyond the patient duct for location in a respective one of the main bronchi of the patient;

means for introducing and directing pulses of driving gas axially of and in the respirator conduit towards the downstream end of the respirator conduit from upstream of the respiratory gas supplied by the supplying means to drive the respiratory gas into a patient'"'"'s lungs; and

means for supplying a constant stream of driving gas to the respirator conduit for operation with a desired end expiratory pressure.

2. A method of ventilating a patient, comprising:

inserting one end of a patient duct into the mouth of the patient;

attaching a respirator conduit to the patient duct;

continuously supplying relatively low pressure respiratory gas to the patient downstream of the patient duct;

introducing pulses of driving gas into a respirator conduit directed toward the downstream end of the respirator conduit connected to the patient duct to drive the respiratory gas directly into the patients bronchi.