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Portable drag compressor powered mechanical ventilator

  • US 5,881,722 A
  • Filed: 09/25/1995
  • Issued: 03/16/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An exhalation valve for controlling the expiratory gas flow from a mammalian patient, said exhalation valve comprising:

  • a housing defining an expiratory gas flow passageway therethrough;

    an annular valve seat formed within said expiratory gas flow passageway;

    an annular diaphragm movably disposed within said gas flow passageway, in juxtaposition to said annular valve seat, said diaphragm being variably movable back and forth to various positions between and including;

    i) a fully closed position wherein said diaphragm is firmly seated against said annular valve seat to prevent gas from flowing through said passageway; and

    ii) a fully open position wherein said diaphragm is retracted away from said annular valve seat so as to permit substantially unrestricted flow of expiratory gas through said pathway;

    an elongate actuation shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of said actuation shaft being contactable with said diaphragm, and said actuation shaft being axially moveable back and forth to control the positioning of said diaphragm between said fully closed and said fully open positions;

    an electrical induction coil linked to said actuation shaft such that a decrease in the current passing into said induction coil will cause said shaft to advance in the distal direction and an increase in the current passing into said induction coil will cause said shaft to retract in the proximal direction;

    means for determining the flow rate of expiratory gas passing out of said exhalation valve;

    means for determining airway pressure;

    a microprocessor controller connected to said means for determining airway pressure, said controller being provided with a positive expiratory pressure setting, and said controller being connected to said induction coil and adapted to emit control signals to said induction coil to control the movement of said actuation shaft in response to the current airway pressure, thereby maintaining the present amount of positive expiratory pressure;

    a radio frequency transponder containing flow characterization data specific for said exhalation valve for the means for determining the flow rate of expiratory gas passing out of said exhalation valve;

    said controller being further connected to said means for determining the flow rate of expiratory gas passing out of said exhalation valve and being equipped to receive radio frequency input of the characterization data contained in the radio frequency transponder, and to utilize such data to determine the instant flow rate of expiratory gas passing out of said exhalation valve.

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