Chest compression apparatus

• US 5,056,505 A
• Filed: 01/30/1990
• Issued: 10/15/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Respiratory, Inc. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Inventors: Hansen, Leland G., Warwick, Warren J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahr, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dvorak, L. C. M.
• Application Number:
  US07/472,333
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 128/28, 128/30, 128/30.2, 128/24 R, 137/625.21, 137/625.22
• US Class Current: 601/44
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/08 Trunk
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0006 with means for creating vibrations in patients' airways
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0042 in the expiratory circuit

Abstract

Oscillatory chest compression apparatus to aid in loosening and eliminating mucus from the lungs of a cystic fibrosis patient. The apparatus includes a mechanism for applying pressurized air to a bladder covering the chest of a person and a mechanism for venting pressurized air from the bladder. In addition, the apparatus includes a mechanism for supplying the air to the bladder in a pattern of pulses having high rise times like square waves. The application of the pressurized pulses and the pulse rate is controllable by the patient.

Claims

1. Compression apparatus for thoracic region of a person, comprising:

means for applying a force to the thoracic region of said person, said force applying means including a bladder for receiving pressurized air;

means for supplying pressure pulses of said pressurized air to said bladder, said pulses having a rise time at least twice as fast as the rise time of a sinusoidal pulse of equivalent amplitude and frequency; and

means for venting said pressurized air from said bladder.

2. Compression apparatus for thoracic region of a person, comprising:

means for applying a force to the thoracic cavity of said person, said force applying means including a bladder for receiving pressurized air;

means for creating a stream of pressurized air;

means for communicating said stream from said creating means to said bladder, said communicating means including means for forming a pressure pulse, said pulse forming means including a valve having a port with an opening with a straight rearward-most edge, said valve further having a shutter with a straight trailing edge which is substantially parallel with said straight rearward-most edge of said port opening wherein a pulse approaching a square wave is created as said shutter edge passes said opening edge to expose said bladder to said air pressure creating means; and

means for venting said pressurized air from said bladder.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said pulse forming means includes means for changing frequency.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 including means for interrupting flow of said air stream from said creating means to said pulse forming means.