Metabolic calorimeter employing respiratory gas analysis
First Claim
1. An indirect calorimeter, comprising:
- a disposable portion having a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with a subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as said subject breathes;
a flow pathway within said disposable portion operable to receive and pass said inhaled and exhaled gases, said flow pathway having a first end in fluid communication with said respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases;
a reusable portion having a housing with a recess defined therein for receiving said disposable portion;
a flow meter within said housing configured to generate electrical signals as a function of an instantaneous flow volume of said inhaled and exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway;
a component gas concentration sensor within said housing operable to generate electrical signals as a function of an instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in said exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway; and
a computation unit operable within said housing to receive said electrical signals from said flow meter and said concentration sensor and to calculate at least one respiratory parameter for said subject as said subject breathes through said calorimeter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An indirect calorimeter for measuring the metabolic rate of a subject includes a disposable portion and a reusable portion. The disposable portion includes a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with the subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as the subject breathes. The disposable portion also includes a flow pathway operable to receive and pass inhaled and exhaled gases, having a first end in fluid communication with the respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases. The disposable portion is disposed within the reusable portion, which includes a flow meter, a component gas concentration sensor, and a computation unit. The flow meter generates a signal as a function of the instantaneous flow volume of respiratory gases passing through the flow pathway and the component gas concentration sensor generates a signal as a function of the instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in the exhaled gases. The computation unit receives the electrical signals from the flow meter and the concentration sensor and calculates at least one respiratory parameter for the subject as the subject breathes through the calorimeter.
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Citations
77 Claims
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1. An indirect calorimeter, comprising:
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a disposable portion having a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with a subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as said subject breathes;
a flow pathway within said disposable portion operable to receive and pass said inhaled and exhaled gases, said flow pathway having a first end in fluid communication with said respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases;
a reusable portion having a housing with a recess defined therein for receiving said disposable portion;
a flow meter within said housing configured to generate electrical signals as a function of an instantaneous flow volume of said inhaled and exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway;
a component gas concentration sensor within said housing operable to generate electrical signals as a function of an instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in said exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway; and
a computation unit operable within said housing to receive said electrical signals from said flow meter and said concentration sensor and to calculate at least one respiratory parameter for said subject as said subject breathes through said calorimeter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An indirect calorimeter, comprising:
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a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with a subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases within a portion of a flow pathway as said subject breathes;
a disposable portion operatively connected to said respiratory connector and forming another portion of said flow pathway for receiving and passing said inhaled and exhaled gases, said another portion of said flow pathway having a first end in fluid communication with said respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases, wherein said flow pathway includes an outer shell with a flow tube disposed within said outer shell and an annular flange interconnecting said flow tube and said outer shell so as to define a concentric chamber above said flange and between an outer surface of said flow tube and an inner surface of said outer shell;
a reusable portion having a housing with a recess defined therein for receiving said disposable portion;
a flow meter within said housing configured to generate electrical signals as a function of an instantaneous flow volume of said inhaled and exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway;
a component gas concentration sensor within said housing operable to generate electrical signals as a function of an instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in said exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway; and
a computation unit operable within said housing to receive said electrical signals from said flow meter and said concentration sensor and to calculate at least one respiratory parameter for said subject as said subject breathes through said calorimeter. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 74, 75, 76)
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52. An indirect calorimeter, comprising:
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a disposable portion having a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with a subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as said subject breathes;
a flow pathway within said disposable portion operable to receive and pass said inhaled and exhaled gases, said flow pathway having a first end in fluid communication with said respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases, said flow pathway comprising;
(1) a flow tube through which said inhaled and exhaled gases pass, (2) an outer housing surrounding said flow tube, (3) a chamber disposed between said flow tube and said first end, said chamber being a concentric chamber surrounding one end of said flow tube and being defined between said flow tube and said outer housing, and (4) an outlet passage disposed between said flow tube and said second end;
a reusable portion operatively connected to said disposable portion;
a flow meter within said reusable portion configured to generate electrical signals as a function of an instantaneous flow volume of said inhaled and exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway;
a component gas concentration sensor within said reusable portion operable to generate electrical signals as a function of an instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in said exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway, said concentration sensor being in fluid communication with said outlet passage; and
a computation unit within said reusable portion operable to receive said electrical signals from said flow meter and said concentration sensor and to calculate at least one respiratory parameter for said subject as said subject breathes through said calorimeter. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. An indirect calorimeter, comprising:
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a disposable portion having a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with a subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as said subject breathes, wherein said disposable portion includes an outer shell having a ceiling at an upper end, a floor at a lower end and having an opening, and a rearward wall extending therebetween said ceiling and said floor and having an opening;
a flow pathway within said disposable portion operable to receive and pass said inhaled and exhaled gases, wherein said flow pathway includes a first end in fluid communication with said respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for said inhaled and exhaled gases through said opening in said floor;
a flow tube within said flow pathway through which said inhaled and exhaled gases pass; and
a chamber disposed between said flow tube and said outer shell, said chamber being a concentric chamber surrounding one end of said flow tube and being defined between said flow tube and said outer shell;
an upper ultrasonic transducer mounted to a lower side of said ceiling in alignment with an upper end of said flow tube and a lower ultrasonic transducer mounted to an upper side of said floor in alignment with a lower end of said flow tube, wherein said upper ultrasonic transducer and said lower ultrasonic transducer generate electrical signals as a function of an instantaneous flow volume of said inhaled and exhaled gasses passing through said flow pathway;
a reusable portion operatively attached to said disposable portion, wherein said reusable portion includes a housing having a passageway in fluid communication with said source and sink for said inhaled and exhaled gases;
a component gas concentration sensor disposed within said housing in alignment with said opening in said rearward wall of said disposable portion and operable to generate an electrical signal as a function of an instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in said exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway; and
a computation unit disposed within said housing operable to receive said electrical signals from said ultrasonic transducers and said concentration sensor and to calculate at least one respiratory parameter for said subject as said subject breathes through said calorimeter. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. An indirect calorimeter, comprising:
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a disposable portion having a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with a subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as said subject breathes;
wherein said disposable portion includes an outer shell having a ceiling at an upper end, a floor at a lower end, and a rearward wall extending therebetween said ceiling and said floor, said ceiling includes an opening with a pathogen resistant material disposed across said opening in said ceiling, said floor includes a first opening with another pathogen resistant material disposed across said first opening and a second opening, and said rearward wall includes an opening with another pathogen resistant material disposed across said opening in said rearward wall;
a flow pathway within said disposable portion operable to receive and pass said inhaled and exhaled gases, said flow pathway having a first end in fluid communication with said respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases, said flow pathway including a flow tube through which said inhaled and exhaled gases pass and a chamber disposed between said flow tube and said first end, said chamber being a concentric chamber surrounding one end of said flow tube and being defined between said flow tube and said outer shell;
a reusable portion operatively attached to said disposable portion and having a passageway in fluid communication with said source and sink for respiratory gases and in alignment with said second opening in said floor;
a flow meter within said disposable portion, wherein said flow meter includes an upper ultrasonic transducer in alignment with said opening in said ceiling and a lower ultrasonic in alignment with said first opening in said the floor;
a component gas concentration sensor within said disposable portion in alignment with said said opening in said rearward wall; and
a computation unit within one of said disposable portion and said reusable portion, wherein said flow meter generates an electrical signal as a function of an instantaneous flow volume of said inhaled and exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway, said concentration sensor generates an electrical signal as a function of an instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in said exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway, and said computation unit receives said electrical signals from said flow meter and said concentration sensor and calculates at least one respiratory parameter for said subject as said subject breathes through said calorimeter. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. An indirect calorimeter, comprising:
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a disposable portion having a respiratory connector configured to be supported in contact with a subject so as to pass inhaled and exhaled gases as said subject breathes;
wherein said disposable portion includes an outer shell having a ceiling at an upper end, a floor at a lower end, and a rearward wall extending therebetween said ceiling and said floor, said ceiling includes an opening with a resistant material disposed across said opening in said ceiling, said floor includes a first opening with another pathogen resistant material disposed across said first opening; and
a second opening, and said rearward wall includes an opening with another pathogen resistant material disposed across said opening in said rearward wall;
a flow pathway within said disposable portion operable to receive and pass said inhaled and exhaled gases, said flow pathway having a first end in fluid communication with said respiratory connector and a second end in fluid communication with a source and sink for respiratory gases, said flow pathway including a flow tube through which said inhaled and exhaled gases pass and a chamber disposed between said flow tube and said first end, said chamber being a concentric chamber surrounding one end of said flow tube and being defined between said flow tube and said outer shell; and
a reusable portion operatively attached to said disposable portion and having;
(1) a passageway in fluid communication with said source and sink for respiratory gases, (2) a flow meter, (3) a component gas concentration sensor, and (4) a computation unit;
wherein said flow meter generates an electrical signal as a function of an instantaneous flow volume of said inhaled and exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway, said concentration sensor generates an electrical signal as a function of an instantaneous fraction of a predetermined component gas in said exhaled gases passing through said flow pathway, and said computation unit receives said electrical signals from said flow meter and said concentration sensor and calculates at least one respiratory parameter for said subject as said the subject breathes through said calorimeter. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 77)
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Specification