Apparatus for measuring oxygen consumption and the exchange of other breathing gases

• US 4,359,057 A
• Filed: 09/30/1980
• Issued: 11/16/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Giovanni Manzella
• Original Assignee: Giovanni Manzella
• Inventors: Manzella, Giovanni
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hanley, John C.
• Application Number:
  US06/192,565
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 128/716, 128/718, 128/719, 128/725, 128/727, 128/728
• US Class Current: 600/531
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0833 Measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring the oxygen consumption and the exchange of other breathing gases comprises an inflatable bag for collecting therein the gas exhaled by a patient, a main pneumatic circuit for coupling the bag to the patient, an auxiliary pneumatic circuit for the passage of a reference gas therethrough, a fuel-cell oxygen concentration sensor for analyzing the percentage of the gas being measured and a counter for counting the filling and emptying times of the bag.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring the consumption or exchange of a gas component in breathing gases inhaled or exhaled by a subject over a predetermined period of time, including means sensing the amount of said gas component in the inhaled and exhaled gases and determining the volume of the exhaled gas during said time period, said means providing electrical signals proportionate to said amounts and volume, which are supplied to a data processing unit computing the consumption value, said apparatus comprising:

a variable volume vessel for collecting the exhaled gas, a main pneumatic circuit connecting said subject to said vessel,

a pair of valve means arranged along said circuit and defining a compartment in which said sensing means is arranged, a first exhaust opening arranged in said compartment and connecting the latter with the ambient, a second exhaust opening arranged along said circuit between said subject and said compartment and connecting said subject to the ambient, said pair of valve means being movable between a first position in which they close said compartment and a second position in which they close said exhaust openings,

an auxiliary circuit for supplying into said compartment the same gas inhaled by the subject,

means for controlling said pair of valve means and said auxiliary circuit so that, in said first position, the supplied gas enters said compartment and flows out through said first opening, while the gas exhaled by the subject is deflected into the ambient through said second exhaust opening, whereas, in said second position the supplying of gas into said compartment is interrupted and the exhaled gas flows through said compartment into said vessel, means being further provided for emptying said vessel when the valve means are in said first position.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a body in which a channel is formed defining said compartment, said channel being shaped as a double bight to define a pair of parallel movement seats for respective shutters defining said pair of valve means.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said shutters are connected through stems with respective pistons slidably arranged in chambers formed in said body and connectable by means of electrically operated valves with a pressure delivery line.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said means for emptying said vessel comprise a compressor having its delivery side connected with said pressure delivery line and its suction said connected with said vessel, electrically operated valves being arranged at the delivery and suction side of said compressor and a switch being further provided responsive to the pressure in said vessel and controlling said compressor.