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Respiratory calorimeter with bidirectional flow monitor

  • US 5,179,958 A
  • Filed: 07/08/1991
  • Issued: 01/19/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An indirect calorimeter operative to measure the respiratory oxygen consumption per unit time of a subject comprising:

  • a respiratory connector operative to be supported in contact with the subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as the subject breathes;

    means for connecting to a source of respiratory gases;

    a pass-through bidirectional flow meter adapted to generate electrical signals as a function of the volume of gases which pass through it in either direction;

    a pass-through carbon dioxide scrubber operative to absorb carbon dioxide from gases which pass through it;

    conduits interconnecting said respiratory connector, said means for connecting to a source of respiratory gases, said scrubber and said flow meter so that upon inhalation by the patient gases are passed from the source of respiratory gases, through the flow meter, to the subject through the respiratory connector and upon exhalation by the subject the exhaled gases are passed first through the scrubber, then through the flow meter in a direction opposite to the inhaled gases; and

    means for receiving the generated electrical signal from the flow meter and for generating a signal proportional to the integral of the difference between the inhaled and exhaled gas volumes over a period of time.

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