Ventilator with variable flow pattern

• US 4,776,333 A
• Filed: 11/09/1987
• Issued: 10/11/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Miyamae, Ruichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LACYK, JOHN P
• Application Number:
  US07/119,264
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.12, 128/203.25, 128/204.21, 128/205.12, 128/204.22, 128/204.23, 128/203.14, 128/205.24, 137/624.11, 137/624.13
• US Class Current: 128/204.21
• 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 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/204 used for inhalation control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/209 Relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit

Abstract

An improved artificial ventilator is capable of selection or setting of any arbitrary pattern or waveform of the flow rate of inspiration gas. The flow rate of inspiration gas is controlled through an inspiration valve according to an input representative of a flow rate pattern of an inspiration gas with the aid of a micro-computer, whereby a desired flow pattern of inspiration gas is optionally set.

Claims

1. A control system for an artificial ventilator having a variable gas flow rate during a patient'"'"'s inspiration comprising:

input means for introducing flow rate information; and

means, responsive to said flow rate information developed by said input means, for controlling the rate of said gas flow to match the flow rates introduced by said flow rate information;

said input means introducing said flow rate information as a plurality of volumes distributed over the time of a single inspiration to allow introduction of time related flow rate information, said input means includes a plurality of sliding flow rate selection means, disposed so as to slide in parallel patterns, for introducing said flow rate information, each said flow rate selection means introducing a volume for a particular time period of a said inspiration, each said flow selection means having an indicator, the position of which indicates the relative flow rate for its associated time period of said inspiration, the indicators of said flow rate selection means collectively forming points above a reference line defining a curve which represents the flow rate with respect to time of said flow rate information for said inspiration.

2. The ventilator of claim 1 wherein said indicators are levers of said flow rate selection means.

3. A method of controlling an artificial ventilator having a variable gas flow rate during a patient'"'"'s inspiration comprising:

introducing flow rate information as a plurality of volumes distributed over the time of a single inspiration; and

controlling the gas flow of said ventilator so as to match the flow rate of said ventilator with the flow rate of said flow rate information at a corresponding time during said inspiration; and

monitoring the flow rate of a patient'"'"'s inspiration while the patient breathes unaided;

wherein said flow rate information introduced is indicative of the patient'"'"'s unaided flow rate at a plurality of points in time distributed during the patient'"'"'s inspiration.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of introducing utilizes a plurality of sliding volume selection means, each corresponding to the volume at an instant of time during said inspiration, said step of introducing including positioning each said sliding volume selection means to indicate the rate of said gas flow for its corresponding instant in time during said inspiration.

5. An artificial ventilator comprising:

an inspiration gas circuit;

means for introducing an input representative of a flow rate pattern of an inspiration gas wherein said input corresponds to a plurality of volumes to be distributed over the time of a single inspiration, said volumes over time constituting said flow rate pattern;

computer means for providing a control cycle of operation in response to said input from said means for introducing, said control cycle of operation comprising a flow increasing step, a flow decreasing step and a flow constant step;

valve means for controlling the flow rate of the inspiration gas in response to said control cycle of operation from said computer means.

6. An artificial ventilator having a variable gas flow rate during a patient'"'"'s inspiration or expiration comprising:

input means for introducing flow rate information; and

means, responsive to said flow rate information developed by said input means, for controlling the rate of said gas flow to match the flow rates introduced by said flow rate information;

said input means introducing said flow rate information as a plurality of volumes distributed over the time of a single inspiration to allow introduction of time related flow rate information;

said input means including a plurality of sliding volume selection means, disposed so as to slide in parallel patterns, for introducing said flow rate information, each said volume selection means introducing a volume for a particular time period of a said inspiration;

each said volume selection means having an indicator, the position of which indicates the relative flow rate for its associated time period of said inspiration, the indicators of said volume selection means collectively forming points above a reference line defining a curve which represents the flow rate with respect to time of said flow rate information for said inspiration.

7. The ventilator of claim 6 wherein said indicators are levers of said flow rate selection means.

8. The ventilator of claim 6 further comprising:

an inspiration gas circuit, said means for controlling varying the rate of gas flow within said inspiration gas circuit.

9. An artificial ventilator having a variable gas flow rate during a patient'"'"'s inspiration or expiration comprising:

input means for introducing flow rate information; and

means, responsive to said flow rate information developed by said input means, for controlling the rate of said gas flow to match the flow rates introduced by said flow rate information;

said input means introducing said flow rate information as a plurality of volumes distributed over the time of a single inspiration to allow introduction of time related flow rate information; and

flow sensor means for monitoring the flow rate of an inspiration of a patient while the patient breathes unaided and

wherein said flow rate information introduced by said input means is adjustable in accordance with the flow rate monitored by said flow sensor means.