Respiration-signalling device
First Claim
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1. A respiration-signalling device, comprising:
- a housing;
whereinsaid housing comprises a face mask;
said face mask comprises (a) means for enclosing therewithin both the nasal and oral breathing passages of a patient, and (b) an electrical -circuitry enclosure;
said enclosure confines therewithin a pair of thermistors which are disposed to accommodate a conduct of a patient'"'"'s breathing thereacross;
said enclosure further confines therewithin (a) a battery, and (b) means coupling said thermistors to said battery for heating of said thermistors to a stable temperature which is higher than the temperature of such patient'"'"'s inhaled and exhaled breath;
one thermistor of said pair thereof comprises means responsive to a conduct of such patient'"'"'s exhaled breath thereacross to cause (a) a cooling of said one thermistor, and (b) an increase in electrical resistance of said one thermistor;
the other thermistor of said pair thereof comprises means responsive to a conduct of such patient'"'"'s inhaled breath thereacross to cause (a) a cooling of said other thermistor, and (b) an increase in electrical resistance of said other thermistor; and
further includingsensory indicator means also confined within said enclosure, and coupled to said thermistors, responsive to an increase in electrical resistance of said thermistors for providing a sensory indication of such patient'"'"'s breathing performance.
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Abstract
In a first embodiment, the device is in the form of a face mask for affixing to the face of a patient to monitor the patient'"'"'s respiration. It is self-powered and self-contained so that such respiration can be monitored all the while the patient is being transported. It incorporates light-emitting diodes which are illuminated, sequentially, to evidence regular breathing. When the patient stops breathing, the diodes do not illuminate, and an audible alarm is sounded to make medical personnel immediately aware of the breathing cessation.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A respiration-signalling device, comprising:
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a housing;
whereinsaid housing comprises a face mask; said face mask comprises (a) means for enclosing therewithin both the nasal and oral breathing passages of a patient, and (b) an electrical -circuitry enclosure; said enclosure confines therewithin a pair of thermistors which are disposed to accommodate a conduct of a patient'"'"'s breathing thereacross; said enclosure further confines therewithin (a) a battery, and (b) means coupling said thermistors to said battery for heating of said thermistors to a stable temperature which is higher than the temperature of such patient'"'"'s inhaled and exhaled breath; one thermistor of said pair thereof comprises means responsive to a conduct of such patient'"'"'s exhaled breath thereacross to cause (a) a cooling of said one thermistor, and (b) an increase in electrical resistance of said one thermistor; the other thermistor of said pair thereof comprises means responsive to a conduct of such patient'"'"'s inhaled breath thereacross to cause (a) a cooling of said other thermistor, and (b) an increase in electrical resistance of said other thermistor; and
further includingsensory indicator means also confined within said enclosure, and coupled to said thermistors, responsive to an increase in electrical resistance of said thermistors for providing a sensory indication of such patient'"'"'s breathing performance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A respiration-signalling device, comprising:
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a housing having (a) a handle, and (b) an elongate probe;
whereinsaid elongate probe confining therewithin a thermistor, and further comprises means for conducting a patient'"'"'s breathing across said thermistor; said housing further confines therewithin (a) a battery, and (b) means coupling said thermistor to said battery for causing said battery to heat said thermistor to a stable temperature which is higher than the temperature of such patient'"'"'s inhaled and exhaled breath; and said thermistor comprises means responsive to a conduct of such patient'"'"'s breathing thereacross to cause (a) cooling of said thermistor, and (b) an increase in electrical resistance of said thermistor; and
further includingsensory-indication means also confined within said housing, and coupled to said thermistor, responsive to an increase in electrical resistance of said thermistor for providing a sensory indication of such patient'"'"'s breathing performance; and a voltage controlled oscillator interposed between said thermistor and said sensory-indication means. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification