Temporary patient ventilator

• US 5,222,491 A
• Filed: 05/29/1992
• Issued: 06/29/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samuel D. Thomas
• Original Assignee: Samuel D. Thomas
• Inventors: Thomas, Samuel D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RACITI, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US07/889,985
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.24, 128/204.18, 128/205.13, 128/204.28, 128/205.14, 128/205.16, 128/205.17, 128/206.28, 128/207.14, 128/207.17 , 128/DIG. 12, 417/394, 417/478, 604/131, 604/153
• US Class Current: 128/205.13
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0078 Breathing bags
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0084 self-reinflatable by elasticity, e.g. resuscitation squeeze bags
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/201 Controlled valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/208 Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated

Abstract

A temporary patient ventilator is a modified version of the widely used air-mask-bag-unit (AMBU). The modified AMBU has guy wires attached to the inside resilient walls of the airbag which are pulled to collapse the airbag. A drive is used to alternately pull on the guy wires and then release them automatically. This new automated airbag unit system allows hands free operation of the ventilation device for short periods of time. The drive has rechargeable batteries so that the temporary ventilator is completely mobile.

Claims

1. A ventilating device comprising:

a resilient airbag having means for biasing said airbag to a normally expanded state and said airbag being collapsible about a center axis, said resilient airbag further having a first airbag end and a second airbag end located along said center axis;

a first airbag opening at said first airbag end;

an air outlet connected to said first airbag opening;

a respiratory connector having a first respiratory end connectable to a patient and a second respiratory end having an air passageway in fluid communication with said first respiratory end;

an airtube having a first airtube end connected to said air outlet and a second airtube end connected to said second respiratory end;

a first one-way valve means located within said respiratory connector for allowing air to exit said resilient airbag through said first respiratory end while preventing air from entering said resilient airbag through said first respiratory end;

a second airbag opening into said resilient airbag;

an air inlet connected to said second airbag opening;

a second one-way valve means connected between said second opening and said air inlet for allowing air to enter said resilient airbag through said second airbag opening while preventing air from exiting said resilient airbag through said second airbag opening;

a plurality of mechanical attachments connected to said resilient airbag, said attachments including means for collapsing said airbag when moved in a first direction; and

actuator means for cyclically engaging said means for collapsing such that said plurality of mechanical attachments move a predetermined distance in said first direction for a first predetermined period of time to overcome said means for biasing said airbag and subsequently disengaging said means for collapsing, thereby allowing said means for biasing said airbag to expand said airbag for a second period of time, wherein air enters said resilient airbag through said air inlet and said mechanical attachments move said predetermined distance in a second direction opposite said first direction.

2. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

means for manually adjusting said predetermined distance so as to allow the user control over the volume of air supplied to a patient connected to said first respiratory end during each cycle; and

means for manually adjusting said first predetermined period of time and said second predetermined period of time so as to allow the user control over the length of time between each cycle.

3. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said respiratory connector comprises an air mask.

4. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said respiratory connector comprises an orotracheal tube.

5. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said respiratory connector comprises a nasotracheal tube.

6. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said respiratory connector comprises a endotracheal tube.

7. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said respiratory connector comprises a esophageal obturator airway connection.

8. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a positive end expiratory pressure valve connected to said air outlet; and

means for adjusting said positive end expiratory pressure valve.

9. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a third opening into said resilient airbag;

an attachable reservoir connection connected to said third opening;

an expandable reservoir air bag;

wherein said attachable reservoir connection allows for the connection of an attachable reservoir, such as an oxygen reservoir to increase the oxygen content of the air in said resilient airbag.

10. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a third one-way valve located between said first airtube end of said airtube and said air outlet so as to allow a portion of the air going from said airtube to said air outlet to pass therethrough and exit said airtube and said air outlet while preventing any portion of the air going from said air outlet to said airtube to pass therethrough, wherein any portion of air passing through said one-way valve produces a noise.

11. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means for collapsing said airbag includes one or more guy wires connected to the inside wall of said resilient airbag and wherein said actuator means during each cycle places tension on each of said guy wires during each first predetermined period of time to move each of said guy wires said predetermined distance radially toward said center axis and, during said second predetermined period of time, releases said tension causing said resilient airbag to return to its normally expanded shape, thereby pulling each of said guy wires said second direction the same predetermined distance.

12. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a hollow tube located along said center axis having holes, wherein each of said guy wires pass through one of said holes to enter into said hollow tube; and

are all connected;

said second opening and

a substantially airtight opening on said resilient airbag for allowing guy wires to enter therethrough from said second airbag and exit said airbag,

wherein said actuator means further comprises means for receiving the guy wire portion which exits the interior of said airbag from said substantially airtight opening to move said plurality of guy wires.

13. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said actuator means further comprises:

a timing box having a first wall and a second wall connected to said airbag for receiving said guy wire portions;

a drive connection a drive means for imparting motion to said drive connection

a drive connector attached to said timing box for receiving said motion from said drive connection, thereby imparting said motion to said drive connector,

wherein said timing box contains translation means for converting said motion received by said drive connector to a rectilinear motion of the guy wire portion within said hollow tube.

14. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said drive is an integral drive unit with an outer casing comprising therein:

rechargeable batteries;

recharging connectors for connecting to an external power source, said recharging connectors being accessible from outside said outer casing;

recharging circuitry having an input connected to said recharging connectors and an output connected to said rechargeable batteries for recharging said batteries when said external power source is connected to said recharging connectors;

a rotary electric motor having a rotatable shaft, wherein said drive connection is attached to an end of said shaft;

control circuitry connected to said rechargeable batteries and said rotary electric motor; and

one or more manually operated switches connected to said control circuitry, said one or more manually operated switches being accessible from outside said outer casing.

15. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 14,

wherein said drive connector comprises a first rotary head having one or more first extended portions thereon,

wherein said drive connection comprises a second rotary head comprising one or more first indentations thereon for mating with said one or more first extended portions, and

wherein said ventilating device further comprises means for locking said drive connection to said drive connector once said one or more first extended portions are inserted into said one or more first indentations.

16. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a flexible tubing having first and second end portions;

a flexible wire within said flexible tubing;

a first rotary head connected to one end of said flexible wire located at said first end portion of said flexible tubing, said first rotary head having one or more second extended portions thereon; and

a second rotary head connected to the other end of said flexible wire located at said second end portion of said flexible tubing, said second rotary head having a second one or more indentations thereon,

wherein a rotation of said first rotary head causes an equal amount of rotation in said second rotary head and visa versa;

wherein said ventilating device further comprises means for locking said first end portions of said flexible tubing to said drive connection once said one or more second extended portions are inserted into said one or more first indentations; and

means for locking said second end portion second end of said flexible tubing to said drive connector once said one or more first extended portions are inserted into said one or more second indentations.

17. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

a belt attachable to the patient connected to said first respiratory end; and

means for attaching said integral drive unit to said belt.

18. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said translation means further comprises:

a first bearing attached to said first wall of said timing box;

a drive connector shaft attached to said drive connector and passing through said first bearing;

a first shaft having a first end and a second end;

means for attaching said drive connector shaft to one end of one shaft;

a second bearing attached to said second wall of said timing box opposite said first wall, where said second bearing is attached to said second end of said first shaft;

a main gear slide ably attached to said first shaft, wherein a rotation of said first shaft causes an equal amount of angular rotation of said main gear;

a toothed region of said main gear starting at a first tooth of said gear and ending with a last tooth of said main gear;

a smooth region of said main gear starting just after said last tooth of said main gear and ending just before said first tooth of said main gear;

a third bearing attached to said first wall of said timing box adjacent to said first bearing;

a fourth bearing attached to said second wall adjacent to said second bearing;

a second shaft having a first end attached to said third bearing and a second end attached to said fourth bearing;

a plurality of air volume control gears rigidly attached to said second shaft for controlling the volume of air supplied to a patient connected to said first respiratory end during each cycle;

a manually operated slide attached to said main gear and adjustable to a plurality of discrete positions, each position placing the main gear in contact with one of said plurality of air volume control gears;

a fifth bearing attached to said first wall adjacent to said third bearing;

a sixth bearing attached to said second wall adjacent to said fourth bearing;

a third shaft having a first end attached to said fifth bearing and a second end attached to said sixth bearing;

a cam rigidly attached to said third shaft having a cam surface;

means for attaching said guy wire portion which exits said airbag from said substantially airtight opening to said cam;

a first transfer gear attached to said second shaft;

a second transfer gear attached to said third shaft and in contact with said first transfer gear;

a spring attached to said first wall and said third shaft for applying an angular force on said third shaft proportional to the displacement of said second shaft from a predetermined angular position,

wherein each of said plurality of air volume control gears have a toothed region between respective first teeth and last teeth thereof, and a smooth region between just after the last tooth and just before the first tooth,

wherein said predetermined angular position places each of said plurality of air volume control gears in a position such that said main gear is in contact with a first tooth of one of said volume control gears for each discrete position of said manually operated slide at the beginning of each first predetermined period of time of each cycle,

wherein, during said first predetermined time period, said motion imparted to said drive connector by said drive connection causes a rotation of said drive connector and said drive connector shaft.

19. A ventilating device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said translation means further comprises:

a first bearing attached to said first wall of said timing box;

a second bearing attached to said second wall of said timing box opposite said first wall;

a drive connector shaft attached to said drive connector and passing through said first bearing;

a cam shaft with a cam rigidly connected thereto, wherein one end of said cam shaft is attached to said drive connector shaft and the other end of said cam shaft is connect to said second bearing;

means for attaching said guy wire portions which exit said airbag from said substantially airtight opening to said cam,

wherein said drive comprises means for manually adjusting said predetermined distance to allow a user to control the volume of air supplied to a patient connected to said first respiratory end during each cycle, and

wherein said drive further comprises means for adjusting said first predetermined period of time and said second predetermined period of time so as to allow a user to control the length of time between each cycle.

20. A ventilating device comprising:

a resilient airbag having means for biasing said airbag to a normally expanded state and said airbag being collapsible about a center axis, said resilient airbag further having a first airbag end and a second airbag end located along said center axis;

a first airbag opening at said first airbag end;

a first tube having a first end and a second end;

means for sealingly attaching the first end of said first tube to said airbag opening;

a circular partition located within said first tube adjacent said first end of said first tube;

a circular cutout located in the center of said circular partition;

a second tube having a first end and a second end;

means for attaching the first end of said second tube over said circular cutout and within said first tube;

a flexible extension tube having a first end and a second end;

a respiratory connector having a first respiratory end connectable to a patient and a second respiratory end having an air passageway in fluid communication with said first respiratory end;

means for attaching said second end of said respiratory connector to said first end of said flexible extension tube;

means for attaching said second end of said second tube to said second end of said flexible extension tube;

a reservoir volume bag having a first reservoir opening and a second reservoir opening;

means for attaching said first reservoir opening to said second end of said respiratory connector;

means for attaching said second reservoir opening to said second end of said first tube;

a plurality of airbag inlet openings located on said circular partition;

a plurality of first tube openings located on said first tube;

an oxygen inlet attached to said first tube and connectable to an external oxygen source;

an inlet one-way valve means attached over said plurality of first tube openings for allowing air to enter said resilient airbag through said plurality of airbag inlet openings while preventing air from exiting said resilient airbag through said plurality of airbag inlet openings;

an outlet one-way valve means attached to said respiratory connector adjacent said first respiratory end for allowing air to exit said resilient airbag through said first respiratory end while preventing air from entering said resilient airbag through said first respiratory end;

a plurality of mechanical attachments connected to said resilient airbag, said attachments including means for collapsing said airbag when moved in a first direction; and

actuator means for cyclically engaging said means for collapsing such that said plurality of mechanical attachments move a predetermined distance in said first direction for a first predetermined period of time to overcome said means for biasing said airbag and subsequently disengaging said means for collapsing, thereby allowing said means for biasing said airbag to expand said airbag for a second period of time, wherein air enters said resilient airbag through said air inlet and said mechanical attachments move said predetermined distance in a second direction opposite said first direction.